Examination

Neighbourhood Planning Examinations

After we have submitted the draft Neighbourhood Plan Proposal to the Local Planning Authority, a check will be carried out by a Planning Officer to establish whether the plan is technically compliant. This involves a brief test against the basic conditions and the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations before the consultation process is authorised by the Planning Portfolio Holder.

A six week statutory consultation begins on the plan and supporting documents. The information is published on both St.Erth Parish and Cornwall Council’s websites and hard copies are available to view in the Council’s One Stop Shop, the library and in local facilities near the Neighbourhood Plan Area. Cornwall Council applies to the National Planning Independent Examiner Referral Service (NPIERS) to appoint an examiner for the Neighbourhood Development Plan. The Council is given a shortlist of three independent examiners and liaises with the Town or Parish Council to agree the final examiner to undertake the Examination of the Neighbourhood Plan.

Once the six week statutory consultation ends, the Neighbourhood Planning documents and the consultation responses are sent to the appointed independent examiner to begin the examination process. The timescale for the examination process varies depending on each individual Neighbourhood Plan. If the Examiner considers that issues being raised warrant an informal hearing, the process will take longer. During the Examination, Cornwall Council liaises with the appointed independent examiner and keeps the Town or Parish Council informed during the process.

The Examiner produces an Examination Report and recommends any changes or minor amendments before the Neighbourhood Plan can progress to Referendum. Cornwall Council in consultation with the Town or Parish Council makes any necessary changes to the plan recommended by the Examiner before the Referendum can take place.

Update – 13th January 2018

The independent examiner sent through some initial comments on 19 December 2017 and invited us, the Qualifying Body (St Erth Parish Council) to submit any views on the representations made at Regulation 16 stage and to propose any revisions to the wording of policies that the Qualifying Body would wish the Examiner to consider including in his recommendations.

View Examiners initial comments.

At its meeting on 9 January 2018, St Erth Parish Council approved the proposed amendments to the Plan related to the views expressed by the Cornwall Council Open Spaces Team and Historic England and agreed to the request by Natural England to provide a map showing Carrack Gladden Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and St Erth Pits SSSI.

View amendment for Historic England

View amendments for Open Spaces.