Local plan examination

Dartford Borough Local Plan Examination

The Council submitted the Pre-Submission (Publication) Dartford Local Plan on 13th December 2021. The submission documents are available on the Local Plan Submission webpage. The representations received on the Publication Local Plan can be viewed on the Local Plan Representations webpage.

Latest News:

The additional hearing session due to be held on Thursday 9th March to consider further information following the Matter 2 Hearing in relation to Issue 4 – Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople accommodation (EXAM Documents 26-28) was postponed due to illness. The session will now take place at Dartford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DR at 10am on Thursday 11th May 2023. A reserve /round up session is scheduled for Friday 12th May 2023.

Written Statement – Environment Agency

Written Statement – Gravesham Borough Council

Written Statement – Ruston Planning

The Inspector:

Planning Inspector, Philip Mileham BA(Hons) MA MRTPI has been appointed by the Planning Inspectorate to carry out an independent examination into the soundness and legal compliance of the Dartford Local Plan (the Plan).

The Inspector’s task will be to consider the soundness and legal compliance of the submitted Plan, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 (the Framework) and associated regulations, namely the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Localism Act 2011 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Inspector will take into account the representations submitted upon the Regulation 19 Draft Plan as far as they relate to soundness considerations. A number of informal debates will take place on the principal matters identified by the Inspector these are termed Hearing Sessions.

At the end of the Examination, the Inspector will prepare a report to the Council with precise recommendations, these recommendations may include modifications to the Plan.

Guidance Notes for Stage 1 and Stage 2 have been prepared by the Inspector to help people understand the process. Procedural Guidance for Local Plans has also been produced by the Planning Inspectorate which provides detailed practical advice and a short guide aimed at those participating in a local plan examination for the first time.

Any queries people may have regarding the Examination process should be directed to the Programme Officer who will be happy to assist.

The Programme Officer:

The Programme Officer, Ian Kemp, will act as the contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and as a liaison between the Inspector, Council and representors. He is an independent Officer of the Examination and works on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the Examination process.

Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspector should be submitted via the Programme Officer.

Contact details:

Ian Kemp
Programme Officer
PO Box 241
Droitwich
WR9 1DW

Mobile: 0772 300 9166
Email: idkemp@icloud.com

Hearing Sessions and Timetables:

Stage 1 Hearing Sessions considering the Duty to Co-operate and other Legal Compliance Matters took place on the 9^th & 10^th of June 2022. The Hearings were conducted virtually via Zoom.

Agenda for the Stage 1 Hearing Sessions. Matters, Issues and Questions for the Stage 1 Hearings (Matter 1). The final Programme for the Stage 1 Hearings can be viewed here.

Stage 2 Hearings commenced on 8th November and concluded on 30th November 2022.

Matters, Issues and Questions for Stage 2 (Matters 2 to 10) and Programme for the Stage 2 Hearings.

Public hearings due to resume at 10am on Thursday 11th May 2023 to consider further information submitted by the Council concerning the approach to Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople accommodation (Examination Documents 26-28). Friday 12th May 2023 has been scheduled as a reserve /round up session.

The Council's Planning Policy Privacy Statement can be found by clicking this link: https://www.dartford.gov.uk/privacy-notices/planning-policy-1.

Submission Documents and Evidence Base:

The submission documents (mostly the proposed Local Plan and related documents, and technical evidence base/ consultation reports) are available on the Local Plan Submission webpage.

Representations Received:

The representations received from the public on the Local Plan Publication (Regulation 19) document to be examined can be viewed on the Local Plan Representations webpage.