Timetable Published for Hart’s Revised Local Plan

Hart District Council has now (in April 2014) published a timetable for the programme for preparing the revised Local Plan. This follows their withdrawal of the previously submitted Local Plan in the middle of 2013 following advice from the Planning Inspector appointed to review it. The lack of a Local Plan is cited as one of the reasons why Hart has no defence against the opportunistic planning applications being submitted by developers.

The timetable has been published at http://www.hart.gov.uk/sites/default/files/1_Residents/Hart%20LDS%20Third%20Revision%20April%202014.pdf.

One key date to note is the anticipated date for adoption of the Local Plan, should it pass inspection. The predicted date for adoption of the inspected Local Plan is July 2016, over 2 years from now.

Other key dates are as follows:

Consulting on scope of the Sustainability Appraisal: April 2014 – consultation ends 16th May 2014.

Consultation on Strategic Growth Options: July/August 2014

Consultation on a Draft Plan: March 2015

Publication (pre-submission Plan): October 2015

Submission: December 2015/January 2016

Once, through the approval of submitted planning applications, Hart have a confirmed 5 year land supply (plus a buffer of up to 20%, so effectively an extra year) then they can start enforcing settlement boundaries once again. Since this is a rolling, year-by-year land supply requirement, in effect the window for development outside of settlement boundaries will remain open at intervals until the Local Plan is adopted in July 2016 at the earliest.

So there is no imminent prospect of protection for Hook against further development even above the high current level and this could be the case for at least 2 years.