Independent examination
Once a plan has been prepared, an independent examiner will check the plan and make sure it meets the basic conditions. The examiner will be appointed and paid for by the District Council with the consent of the parish council or neighbourhood forum. The examiner must be independent of both the parish / forum and the District Council and have no interest in land in the area.
After the examination
The examiner will recommend one of the following:
- That the plan is the subject of a local referendum;
- That the plan is the subject of a local referendum, after specified modifications are made;
- That the plan is withdrawn.
The District Council will need to consider the examiner’s views and decide whether to make the changes proposed. The examiner’s report is not binding and the Council may wish to dismiss the examiner’s comments. There may be a need to go back to the community and re-consult on the plan if significant changes are made to the plan by the examiner and the Council agrees them.
Referendum
Subject to the findings of the examination, the District Council will organise and pay for a referendum to allow all residents in the neighbourhood area to vote on whether the plan should be adopted or not. If more than 50% of those who vote are in favour, the plan is adopted by the District Council.
Monitoring and review
An adopted neighbourhood plan should be kept under periodic review by the qualifying body to ensure that it continues to deliver upon the stated objectives, and is being employed effectively in practice. If issues are identified, or if there are changes in the local area, or changes in district or national planning policy that impact on the plan, it can be reviewed. A review follows the same process as developing the original plan, but may or may not require a referendum, depending on the extent of the changes.
Last Updated on Thursday, June 13, 2024