We are in the process of preparing a new Local Plan for the borough for the period up to 2037. 

The new Local Plan will include strategic and detailed policies and will be prepared to provide for a longer plan period than the adopted Charnwood Core Strategy which provides the strategy up to 2028. 

Examination of Charnwood Local Plan 2021-37

Now the Charnwood Local Plan 2021-37 has been submitted to Government, it has entered the examination phase.

Independent planning inspectors have been appointed by Government to scrutinise the plan. More details are available about the inspectors.

They will assess whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements and if it is ‘sound’.

There are four tests of soundness:

  • Positively prepared – the plan should be prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is reasonable to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development;
  • Justified – the plan should be the most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence;
  • Effective – the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic priorities;
  • Consistent with national policy – the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the Framework.

How does the examination process work

The Inspectors will consider:

  • evidence provided by the Council to support the plan
  • any representations which have been put forward by local people and other interested parties.

The Inspectors publish their Matters, Issues and Questions (MIQs) ahead of public hearing sessions. These sessions began in June and were continued in October. Further sessions are planned.

The MIQs are the key issues and questions that the Inspectors will use to help inform discussion during the hearing sessions. The interested parties who previously commented on the Regulation 19 Consultation will have been contacted by the Programme Officer, who will have informed of the MIQs, the draft programme and the deadlines associated with taking part in the hearing sessions.  

Public hearings and who can make representations

As part of the examination process, public hearings will be held. The public sessions are open to the public to attend.

People who have made a representation to the draft local plan will be invited by the Local Plan Programme Officer to respond to the Inspectors’ key matters (questions) and invited to say if they want to attend the hearing sessions to give further evidence if required to do so by the Inspector.

Essentially, this means you cannot simply attend the hearings and speak. There has been an extensive process to make sure representations can be made throughout the development of the plan and its examination.

What happens after the hearings take place

At the end of the examination, the Inspector will send a report to the Council recommending whether or not we can adopt the plan.

In most cases, the report will recommend some changes that are necessary to allow the plan to be adopted. These are known as ‘main modifications’.

We will have to carry out further consultation on the modifications

After that, the Council can adopt the local plan.

Once the plan is adopted, it means the borough is better protected from unplanned development as we would have an Adopted Local Plan in place and a five-year housing land supply.

Both the Local Plan and having a five-year housing land supply further strengthen Neighbourhood Plans.

Visit the examination process web section

Draft Charnwood Local Plan 2019-36 Statement of Consultation

Charnwood Borough Council published the Draft Charnwood Local Plan 2019-36 and an accompanying Interim Sustainability Appraisal as part of the process it is following to prepare a new local plan.

The consultation lasted for six weeks, starting on November 4, 2019 and ending on December 16, 2019.

The Statement of Consultation provides summary of the responses that the Council received to the consultation along with a response to the main issues raised.

You can still read the draft local plan and the sustainability appraisal, which is a key supporting document, via the links below.

The draft plan sets out how the Council will balance future growth in the area while making sure the environment is looked after and communities have the infrastructure they need.

The new local plan will include strategic and detailed policies and will be prepared to provide for a longer plan period than the adopted Charnwood Core Strategy which provides the strategy up to 2028.

As well as providing housing and jobs, the local plan considers the quality of design, climate change, renewable energy and improving biodiversity. It also considers how we secure infrastructure for our growing communities, including health services, schools and the transport system.

The consultation ran from November 4 until 5pm on Monday, December 16.

You can still read the draft local plan and the sustainability appraisal, which is a key supporting document, via the links below.

Towards a Local Plan for Charnwood Consultation

We published a discussion paper, titled ‘Towards a Local Plan for Charnwood’ that explored the scale of development needed in the Borough, the key issues and opportunities that need to be taken into account and considers the options for an overall strategy for delivering the growth needed. 

The Statement of Consultation is available to view below:

We also invited views on the key evidence that has helped shape the consultation document including:

We have also published a range of other evidence studies which have informed the Towards a Local Plan for Charnwood discussion paper.

Consultation on the scope of the Local Plan review

We began initial work to prepare a new Local Plan in 2016. The new Local Plan will include strategic and detailed policies and will be prepared to provide for a longer plan period than the adopted Charnwood Core Strategy which provides the strategy up to 2028.

In accordance with Regulation 18 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) 2012, the borough council undertook a consultation in the summer of 2016 to understand and engage with interested parties on the future for Charnwood, the scope of the plan and what it should contain. The results of this consultation are available in the Statement of Consultation and Appendix below.

Last updated: Wed 7th August, 2024 @ 10:45