Hartlepool Local Plan

Welcome to the examination home page for the Hartlepool Local Plan

All updates about the Local Plan examination process, timetable and available information will be made available via this page.

Key Information

Inspector David Spencer BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI has been appointed by the Planning Inspectorate to conduct the examination into the Hartlepool Local Plan to determine whether it is sound.

- Examination Library - documents, statements and other correspondence issued after submission on 23 March 2017.

- Core Document and Evidence Base Library – documents, plans, strategies and evidence that informed the Local Plan up to submission.

- Local Plan Pre-Submission Draft - as available during consultation 9 December 2016 to 3 February 2017.

- General information and advice from the Planning Inspectorate about Local Plans and the examination process is available from the www.gov.uk website, Planning System – Local Plans.

Consultation Now Open

Consultation on the post-submission Main Modifications to the Hartlepool Local Plan - 15 December 2017 to 9 February 2018

Following the completion of the examination hearing sessions in September/October 2017 by the independent Planning Inspector, David Spencer, a schedule of post-submission main modifications to the Hartlepool Local Plan have been published for consultation.

The Inspector is inviting representations on the changes proposed to the Plan. Representations may only be made in relation to the post-submission main modifications and not on other parts of the Plan.  Each representation must be clearly marked with the main modification reference number e.g. MM001 (this number can be found in the first column of the Proposed Main Modifications schedule).

Representations should be sent to the Planning Policy Team via email to planningpolicy@hartlepool.gov.uk or post to Planning Policy Team, Level 1 Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY.

Representations must be received no later than 5pm on Friday 9 February 2018

To allow for the Christmas period the consultation has been extended from 6 to 8 weeks. Late representations may not be considered by the Inspector. 

Comments on the proposed main modifications must be sent to the Council in the first instance who will then forward them, via the Programme Officer, to the Inspector for consideration.

The following documents are open for comment:

• Schedule of Main Modifications to the Publication Local Plan– 14 December 2017 (Document EX/HBC/142)
• Schedule of Suggested Modifications to the Policies Map – 14 December 2017 (Document EX/HBC/143)
• Sustainability Appraisal (Addendum) dated 1 December 2017 (Document EX/HBC/140)
• Habitat Regulations Assessment dated 1 December 2017 (Document EX/HBC/134)

Also available on the website is the Additional Modifications document, however this is for information only.

All consultation information is available to view on the Examination Library.  Paper copies of the consultation documents and response form are available on request by:

Email:  planningpolicy@hartlepool.gov.uk

Post: Planning Policy Team, Level 1, Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY

Phone: (01429) 523532

Civic Centre: A copy of the Schedule of Main Modifications, Schedule of Suggested Modifications to the Policies Map, Sustainability Appraisal Addendum, Habitats Regulations Assessment and supporting documentation are available to view at request in the Reception.

If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact officers on the above email or by phoning 01429 284084.

Please note: If you submitted representations to the consultation undertaken between 9th December 2016 to 3rd February 2017 the Inspector has already considered these as part of the examination to date and there is no need to make these again.

Correspondence and updates relating to the examination can be viewed below in reverse chronological order:

22 May 2018: Full Council adopted the Hartlepool Local Plan.

15 May 2018: The Inspectors final report and main modifications were presented to Regeneration Services Committee who agreed to forward the Local Plan to full Council for adoption.

10 May 2018: The final version of the Local Plan following the inspector's final report will be reported to Regeneration Services Committee on 15 May 2018 and then to full Council on 22 May 2018 for adoption.

12 March 2018: All the comments received during the consultation on the proposed main modifications to the Hartlepool Local Plan were passed to the Inspector.  Having considered all the comments the Inspector is now in the process of preparing his report on the soundness of the Plan.  It is anticipated that the Inspector’s Report will be sent to Hartlepool Borough Council at the end of April/ early May 2018.

15 December 2017: The Council has published a schedule of proposed main modifications (and associated documents) for comment between 15 December 2017 and 9 February 2018. Further dates are provided above.

16 November 2017: The Inspector’s Post Hearings Advice following the hearings (EX/INS/45) have now been added to Inspector’s Documents.  No representations on the contents of this note should be submitted at this stage.  Representations will be invited on Main Modifications once these are published.  This note will form a background document to the Main Modifications.

12 October 2017: The Inspector closed the hearings into the Examination of the Hartlepool Local Plan. The Inspector will now consider all of the submitted written and spoken evidence concerning the Plan and will write to the Council shortly with his preliminary findings.  It is anticipated that the Inspector will identify Main Modifications which he considers are necessary to make the Plan sound/legally compliant.  Any Main Modifications will be made available for public consultation in due course. The Inspector will then take account of all representations relating to the modifications before finalising his report to the Council, which is expected to be published in the early part of 2018.

26 September 2017: The Inspector opened the hearings into the Examination of the Hartlepool Local Plan.  The public hearings are being held at Hartlepool College of Further Education and a draft programme of the hearings timetable and the Matters being discussed may be found in the Examination Library.

15 September 2017: The statements which have been submitted in relation to Matters 1-10 are now available to view in the Examination Library.  The deadline for the submission of statements in relation to Matters 11-18 is 5pm on 22 September.

24 August 2017: The Council has submitted further evidence/updates into the Examination, as agreed with the Inspector (which may be found in the Examination Library documents EX/HBC26-64 inclusive).  The documents include Strategic Flood Risk Assessment updates, an updated Five Year Housing Land supply position, updates to the Habitat Regulations Assessment mitigation, demolition evidence and a Plan-wide Deliverability Risk Assessment. As a consequence of this updated evidence the Inspector has issued some supplementary questions (EX/INS/21).

7 August 2017: The Inspector has now issued his Matters, Issues and Questions (MIQs) which are available to view in the Examination Library (document EX/INS/15). Any further statements on the MIQs, relevant to representations already made on the published Plan, must be prepared in accordance with the Guidance Notes (document EX/INS/16 of the Examination Library).  Statements relating to Matters 1-10 should be submitted to the Programme Officer no later than 5pm on 12 September.  Statements relating to Matters 11-18 must be submitted no later than 5pm on 22 September.  In accordance with the Guidance Notes Statements of Common Ground between the Council and parties can be submitted at any time but preferably in accordance with the guidance at paragraph 31 of the Inspector’s Guidance Notes.
Notification is given that the hearings will commence at 10.00 am on 26 September 2017 at the Hartlepool College of Further Education, Stockton St, Hartlepool TS24 7NT.  Further details about the hearings and venue (and how to get there) can be found in the Guidance Notes (EX/INS/16).

3 August 2017:  The Council has now prepared some of the additional evidence and material for the examination. These documents are EX/HBC/22-24 (inclusive) of the Examination Library.  The hearings are still scheduled to take place in late September and early October over a 3-week period starting on Tuesday 26 September at 10am.  Further information will be sent to respondents and will be available on this website in due course. 

10th May 2017:  The Council is now working on preparing additional evidence and material for the examination, which is outlined in their response to the Inspector (document EX/HBC2 of the Examination Library).  The hearings will now take place in late September and early October over a 3-week period starting on Tuesday 26 September at 10am. Further information will be sent to respondents and will be available on this website in due course.

12th April 2017: A letter of introduction has been sent to everyone who made a representation at the pre-submission stage.  The Inspector has requested that representors who wish to present their evidence orally at the public hearings should indicate their intentions by Friday 28th April 2017, at the very latest.  An email or letter confirming receipt of the request to attend will be sent out between 24th and 29th April (inclusive).  A copy of the letter of introduction is available to view in the Examination Library, document EX/INS/1.

23rd March 2017: A formal letter was received from the Planning Inspectorate advising that in accordance with section 20 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) Inspector David Spencer BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI has been appointed to conduct the examination to determine whether the Hartlepool Local Plan is sound.