MVDC : Latest Update on New Local Plan

Councillor Margaret Cooksey, Mole Valley District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, said: Having given a great deal of consideration to a response from the Inspector received on Friday last week (17 February), we have now sent our formal reply to her. This follows the decision to pause our Plan’s Examination taken prior to Christmas last year, and then our request to remove all green belt sites from our draft Local Plan last month.

“In her letter to us, while she could not accept our request at the current time given the Government’s consultation on changes to the national Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is still ongoing, she set out that we may wish to pause our Local Plan Examination process until there is greater certainty around future Government policy.

“In our response to the Inspector, we have welcomed this opportunity and formally requested a pause. Given the vital importance of adopting a Plan for our district, we have taken this decision in what we believe is the best interests of Mole Valley residents and businesses; future and present.

“The Government has outlined in its consultation document that it will respond, and make necessary changes to, the planning policy framework by “spring 2023”. That being the case, we have proposed our Plan’s Examination process is paused until 25 May 2023; the day the House of Commons takes a recess until it reconvenes on 5 June. We’ve also made it clear that, if there is a delay by Government, we would seek an extension to the pause to reflect this.

“The Government’s consultation is open until 2 March 2023 so, if you haven’t had an opportunity to comment and would like to have your say, there is still time. Subject to wider changes by Government to the planning policy framework, we will be working towards adopting the Plan by the end of October this year.”  

Update issued 24th February 2023