Examining the Local Plan: Development Management Policies
Latest news
We submitted the Local Plan: Development Management Policies to the Secretary of State on 17 June 2022.
The examination is complete and the Inspector issued the Final Report in February 2023. The report finds that the plan is 'sound' subject to Main Modifications. See the Final Report and Appendix showing the Main Modifications below.
The Council adopted the plan as modified at its meeting on 22 March 2023. See the adoption statement below:
As well as the Inspector's Main Modifications, the Council made a number of Additional Modifications to the final plan. See the schedule of Additional Modifications below:
Sustainability Appraisal reports for the adopted Local Plan: Development Management Policies
Each new version of the Local Plan comes with a Sustainability Appraisal Report. The report shows we:
- considered all reasonable options when writing policies
- chose the most sustainable options
Read our Sustainability Appraisal reports and adoption statement
Local Plan: Development Management Policies Examination
We submitted the Local Plan: Development Management Policies to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 17 June 2022. The Secretary of State appointed a planning inspector to examine it.
The Inspector assessed whether the plan:
- had been prepared under legal and procedural requirements and;
- met the four tests of soundness set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (opens new window) (paragraph 35)
The Inspector considered:
- the evidence to support the plan;
- the representations put forward by local people and other interested parties
He produced a report. The report recommended whether we could adopt the plan and whether we needed to make changes. The changes are known as 'main modifications'.
Who is the Planning Inspector?
David Reed BSc DipTP DMS.
Who is the programme officer?
We appointed Robert Young as the Programme Officer for the examination. He is an independent officer of the examination. He works under the direction of the Inspector.
Email: guildfordplan2exam@gmail.com
Phone number: 07908 563538
Address:
Robert Young,
C/o Planning Policy,
Millmead House,
Millmead,
Guildford,
Surrey,
GU2 4BB
Do you need a paper copy of the documents?
We have some printed copies available to view for the following documents:
- Submission Local Plan: Development Management Policies
- Submission Policies Map
- Sustainability Appraisal
- Consultation and Duty to Cooperate Statement
- Representations received during the consultation on the plan in January and February 2022
- Topic papers covering climate change, natural environment, open space and parking standards
- Statement of Fact setting out where you can find the documents above
- The Inspector's final report with the appendix of main modifications.
Printed copies of the documents are available to view during opening hours at:
- Guildford Borough Council offices, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4BB
- Guildford Library
- Ash Library
- Horsley Library
- Shere Diamond Jubilee Library
Submission stage
View the documents we submitted to the Secretary of State (opens new window)
Examination stage
During the examination documents were produced by:
- us (Guildford Borough Council)
- the Inspector
- other examination participants
The hearing sessions for the Examination ran from 10.00am on Tuesday 15 November 2022. They were held in the Council Chamber, Millmead House, Guildford, GU2 4BB.
View Guildford Development Management Policies Examination hearing schedule (PDF) [122KB]
The Inspector concluded that the plan is 'sound' subject to 'Main Modifications'. A consultation was carried out on the proposed main modifications from 12.00 midday on 15 December 2022 to 12.00 midday on 2 February 2023.
To see the consultation and to view the comments visit the consultation homepage. (opens new window)
The Inspector asked us to:
- produce a summary of each consultation comment
- respond if we thought a proposed change would make a Main Modification clearer.
You can view:
- the Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications
- a schedule of the full comments
- summaries of the comments with the Council's response in the examination library.
View the documents produced for the examination
Previous Consultation
Use our previous consultations page (opens new window) to read:
- consultations on versions of the plan in 2020 and 2022
- past versions of the plan