Local plan examinations and the planning issues that they deal with can be complex. The Planning Inspectorate have prepared a short guide for those who may be participating in an examination for the first time. If you have any further queries relating to the process of examining the Purbeck Local Plan please contact the Programme Officer.
Public Hearing July 2022
The Planning Inspectors gave notice of an additional examination hearing which was held on 19 July 2022. The hearing was held to allow discussion of issues relating to the Further Proposed Main Modifications to Policies V2 (Green Belt) and I5 (Morden Park). See the agenda for the hearing.
Post July 2022 Hearing Correspondence
Since the public hearings we have been corresponding with the Inspectors on a number of issues including:
- nutrient pollution in Poole Harbour (we have needed to review our position on this issue after Natural England provided new guidance on nutrient pollution to councils across the country in March 2022)
- an updated programme for the local plan’s examination (Local Development Scheme)
- the implications of the nutrient pollution guidance and the new Local Development Scheme for housing land supply and the Interim Mitigation Strategy for Heathland Habitat Sites (2018/19 to 2023/24)
- issues and errors with the local plan policies maps
- changes to Policy I6: Wareham integrated health and social care
We have previously outlined how we intended to respond to the nutrient pollution issues effecting Poole Harbour in our Joint Position Statement dated 7 December 2022 (the statement has been archived to the examination web pages). The Inspectors have offered us advice on the approach in this statement in their letter dated 16 February 2023 (their letter has been archived to the examination web pages). Following a meeting with government early in 2022 we have reviewed and re-considered our position on this issue. Our most recent letter (dated 4 May 2023) to the Planning Inspectors explains our revised position. The Inspectors responded with their interim findings (24 May 2023) and next steps on several key issues. All earlier correspondence can also be found in the Examination Documents Library.
Where are we now? - Publication of Supplementary Proposed Main Modifications (SMM)
On 10 November 2023 we published a consolidated schedule of Main Modifications to the Purbeck Local Plan, including supplementary proposed Main Modifications. The consultation on SMM closed on the 22 December 2023 at 11:45pm. We will not be accepting any further responses on the consultation. Full copies of the responses to the consultation which were received are now published on the section of the website relating to the Purbeck Local Plan - main modifications along with our consultation response document which summarises the issues raised by respondents and our response. We have now shared copies of both documents with the Inspectors.
The story of the Purbeck Local Plan so far
We submitted the Purbeck Local Plan for examination in January 2019. Examination in public took place between July and October of the same year and then our inspector sent us her Post Hearing note.
During the examination, changes were suggested to make the plan sound and we consulted on those suggested amendments, known as Main Modifications, from December 2020 to January 2021.
Substantial issues were raised through that consultation relating to the soundness of Green Belt release (Policy V2), and a proposed holiday park (Policy I5), at Morden.
In response, we prepared Further Proposed Main Modifications and supporting information. We proposed an interim approach to mitigating the impacts of homes on Dorset heaths habitat sites to use if the strategic Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) at Morden was undeliverable.
This involved revising Policies I5 and V2 and minor changes to other parts of the local plan where these policies were mentioned.
We consulted on these proposed additional changes in October 2021 and forwarded the responses to the inspector for her consideration.
Reflecting on representations received to the Further Main Modifications Consultation, we believed there was no need to undertake further hearing sessions, but the inspector disagreed.
On 16 March 2022, Natural England provided advice and further information on nutrients. This advice applied to the catchments of five habitat sites around Dorset Council, affecting some of the area covering the Purbeck Local Plan.
On 19 July 2022 an examination hearing was held to allow discussions on the issues raised in responses on Further Proposed Main Modifications. Following the hearing we corresponded with the Inspectors on several issues (all of the correspondence in these exchanges is presented on the examination webpages of our website).
After receiving the Inspectors’ interim findings and next steps (24 May 2023) we have prepared and published Supplementary Proposed Main Modifications. The consultation on these latest Main Modifications is open between 10 November 2023 and 11:45 pm 22 December 2023. For more information, please refer to the Main Modifications pages of our website.
Community Infrastructure Levy examination
The council is also reviewing the Purbeck Community Infrastructure Levy alongside the local plan. Proposed Further Modifications to the Draft CIL Charging Schedule were published for comment until 11:45pm on 15 January 2020. We will resume this examination in due course.
