Local Plan hearings to start next week

The examination of Braintree District’s Local Plan Section 2 will begin next week.

The examination of Braintree District’s Local Plan Section 2 will begin next week.

Braintree District Council’s Full Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Strategic Section 1 Local Plan in February 2021. It shares Section 1 with Tendring District and Colchester Borough Council. Section 2 is the council’s individual plan, which contains local policies and allocations.

The Local Plan Section 2 hearing sessions will take place between Tuesday 6 July 2021 and Thursday 15 July 2021. The plan is being examined by Jameson Bridgwater and Anne Jordan.

The hearings will be held virtually but residents will be able to watch online via the council’s YouTube channel www.braintree.gov.uk/youtube

The Inspectors will consider the soundness of the plan which went through consultation in summer 2016, and in its modified form, between 16 June to 28 July 2017. In examining the plan, the Inspectors will take into account the representations submitted in response to both of these rounds of consultation. The Inspectors will hear from a number of consultees over the seven days of hearings.

Cllr Gabrielle Spray, Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure at Braintree District Council, said: “We are glad the hearing sessions will get underway next week and know our plan will be scrutinised by the two inspectors who will need to consider the soundness of the plan. Our ambition is that after this local plan process is complete we will be in a position to adopt the plan this year, giving our communities better protection from inappropriate development.” 

The draft timetable for the hearings along with other correspondence from the Inspectors can be found here.

Published: 28th June 2021