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Dover District Local Plan Examination

Submission:

The Dover district Local Plan to 2040 was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent Examination on Friday 31st March 2023. 

More information about the submission, and where local plan submission documents can be viewed is available here in the Submission notice.

Inspectors:

Matthew Birkinshaw BA(Hons) Msc MRTPI and Clive Coyne BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI from the Planning Inspectorate has been appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out the independent Examination of the Local Plan Review.

The Inspectors' task is to consider the soundness of the submitted Plan (para 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework July 2021) and whether it has been prepared in accordance with the legal and procedural requirements. Plans are sound if they are:

  • Positively prepared – providing a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;
  • Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;
  • Effective – deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and
  • Consistent with national policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant. 

Information on the Examination Process:

Information about the examination process can be found here. This page includes the Procedure Guide for Local Plan Examinations which provides detailed practical advice for local authorities and Guidance for Programme Officers. In addition, Local plans: taking part in examinations - GOV.UK is a helpful guide about the whole Examination process for all participants.

Programme Officer:

Louise St John Howe has been appointed as the Programme Officer.

She is an independent officer of the examination and works on the Inspector’s behalf, organising and managing the administrative and procedural matters of the examination process. The Programme Officer acts as the contact for any person who has an interest in the examination, liaising between the Inspector, Representors and Dover District Council.

Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspector should be submitted through the Programme Officer and not the Local Plans team.

Programme Officer Contact Details:

Ms. Louise St John Howe

PO Box 10965, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 3BF

Mobile: 07789 486419 - Email: louise@poservices.co.uk