Local Plan 2030 Examination

Inspectors report on the Ashford Local Plan 2030

On the 2nd January 2019 Ashford Borough Council received the Inspectors report on the Local Plan 2030.  The Inspector's reports and the related Main Modifications can be found below:

Inspector's report Ashford Local Plan [docx] 156KB

Ashford Local Plan main modifications [docx] 1276KB

Examination Details and Documents

What is an Examination?

The Secretary of State appointed two Inspectors to undertake the independent Examination of the Ashford Local Plan 2030. They considered whether or not the Local Plan was ‘sound’, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 182 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The Local Plan will be considered ‘sound’ if the Inspector concludes that it is:

• Positively prepared - This means the Plan should be based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed needs and infrastructure requirements;

• Justified - This means that the Plan should be based on a robust and credible evidence base. The Local Plan should also provide the most appropriate strategy when considered against reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence;

• Effective - This means the Plan should be deliverable over the plan period with no regulatory or national barriers to delivery. The Plan should be flexible to deal with changing circumstances, which may involve minor changes in response to monitoring outcomes or more significant changes in response to problems such as sites not coming forward as planned.

• Consistent with national policy - As well as being a matter of legal compliance, the Plan’s consistency with national policy is also a matter of soundness. Where there is a departure from national policy, the Council must justify this approach. For further information see paragraph 178 of the National Planning Policy Framework.