Joint Local Plan examination hearings could continue after Government announcement

The examination hearings for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils Joint Local Plan could continue after the government announced it intends to remove the Duty to Co-operate from the plan making process.

Following a ministerial statement from Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, the government has indicated that it intends to make this change early in the new year, and that it would apply to Local Plans currently going through the examination process – which means it would apply to the Joint Local Plan.

In September, Inspectors examining the district councils’ joint plan said it had failed on the “Duty to Co-operate”, suggesting the councils might need to withdraw the plan from the examination process as a result.

But now, the government’s firm intention to scrap the Duty to Co-operate as a legal test for local plans means the issue the Inspectors raised no longer needs to hold up the South and Vale Joint Local Plan, which is still formally going through the examination process.

Following the government’s announcement, the Inspectors examining the Joint Local Plan wrote to the councils asking them how they’d like to proceed.

The councils have now responded, saying they would like the examinations hearings to resume so the plan can move forward towards adoption. You can read the Inspectors’ letter and the councils’ response on our website.

Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “This news provides an opportunity for the whole of our plan to be examined and we look forward to hopefully working with the local plan inspectors to take this forward soon. The plan delivers on our vision and priorities as well as providing help to our neighbouring districts.”

Cllr Andy Foulsham, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Policy, Programmes and IT, said: “The councils have worked tirelessly over four years to reach this stage, and I’m pleased the government’s announcement means the public money and community’s time have not been for nothing. This is a good Local Plan – it’s robust, innovative, forward-thinking and based on strong community engagement. We welcome the opportunity for our plan to benefit from a thorough public examination.”