Local Plan closer to confirmation
Arun District Council has taken an important stride nearer to getting its Local Plan adopted.
An independent Government Planning Inspector has analysed the results of a public consultation into the need for more homes the local authority should grant planning permission for each year going forward to 2031; (known as objectively assessed needs (OAN)).
The discussion, which took place on Thursday, January 14, forms the basis of the Inspector’s letter which says whether or not the council’s OAN is ‘sound.’
The council can now consider the practicalities of how and where this may be achieved according to local priorities, the Government’s planning guidelines and what local facilities may need to improved.
The figure stated in the report produced by GL Hearn is 758 homes per year, but this number could be increased or reduced depending on the Inspector’s recommendations.
Councillor Ricky Bower, Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure at Arun District Council, said: “A local plan acts as a guide to where building and development is best placed in the district.
“It protects communities by ensuring there are appropriate facilities such as schools, doctors’ surgeries and bus routes to meet local demand and guards against building by appeal.”
A work programme of further ‘evidence gathering’ agreed with the Inspector is now underway.
The council will carry out further public consultation before accepting any modifications to The Plan to align with the recommendations of the Inspector. The next step is a re-submission and possibly further hearings in public before the Inspector provides his final assessment of the plan and recommendation to the council whether it is “sound” for The Plan to be adopted.
Currently Chichester District Council and Horsham District Council are the only local authorities in West Sussex to have up to date local plans in place.
Arun District Council is now well underway and intending to reach final adoption in a year’s time.