Recent developments in the examination process.
Main Modifications & Council Note 35 Consultation Starts (29 February 2024)
The consultation on the Main Modifications and Council Note 35 opens Friday 1 March 2024 and closes at 5pm on Tuesday 23 April. For full details on the consultation please see the Main Modifications & Council Note 35 Consultation webpage.
Inspector’s Note on the next steps in the Examination process (16 February 2024)
The Inspector has published Note 27 with an update on the Examination which can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED70.
Council’s response to Inspector’s Note 26 (8 January 2024)
The Council have replied to the Inspector’s Note 26 concerning the pause in the Examination process in the light of the revised National Planning Policy Framework. The Council’s Note 34 can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED66.
Inspector’s Note on the continuation of the Examination (21 December 2023)
Following the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework the Inspector has written to the Council confirming that she would now like the Examination to continue. The Inspector’s Note 26 can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED65.
Minister of State for Housing & Planning’s Response to Councillor Margaret Cooksey’s Letter (10 August 2023)
The Minister of State for Housing & Planning has replied to Councillor Margaret Cooksey’s letter (ED63) and the Minister’s response can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED64.
Councillor Margaret Cooksey’s letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove (21 July 2023)
A letter from Councillor Margaret Cooksey to the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP concerning the delay in the publication of the new NPPF has been sent to the Inspector. The letter can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED63.
Inspector responds to the Council’s request to extend the pause in the Examination (26 June 2023)
The Inspector’s Note 25 in response to the Council’s Note 33 requesting an extension to the pause in the examination of the Local Plan can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED62.
Council requests extension to the pause in the Examination (25 May 2023)
The Council have written to the Inspector requesting a further pause in the Examination of the Local Plan. The Council’s note can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED61. The Inspector is giving this request her consideration and will reply in due course.
Inspector responds to the Council’s request to pause Examination (28 February 2023)
The Inspector has replied to the Council’s Note 32 requesting a pause in the Examination. Her reply can be viewed at ED60 on the Examination Documents page.
Council responds to Inspector’s offer to pause Examination (23 February 2023)
The Council has replied to the Inspector’s Note 23 requesting a pause in the Examination. The Council’s note can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED58.
Inspector responds to Council Request to Delete Green Belt Sites (17 February 2023)
The Inspector has replied to the Council’s Note 31 concerning the removal of sites within the Green Belt from the Local Plan. Her reply can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED57.
Council asks Inspector for Main Modification to Delete Green Belt Sites (19 January 2023)
The Council has asked the Inspector for a Main Modification to delete the Green Belt sites in the Local Plan in order to make the plan consistent with imminent national policy. This follows the Secretary of State’s announcements in December 2022, when he announced that the Green Belt need not be used for meeting housing needs and that the changes would be in place in Spring 2023. The Council’s request is set out in ED56 on the Examination Documents page.
Council Delays Main Modifications Consultation (5 January 2023)
The Council is delaying the Main Modifications consultation, which had been due to start in January 2023. Further information is outlined in ED55 on the Examination Documents page.
Council’s Notes 29 & 30 Published (21 December 2022)
The Council have submitted Note 29: Effect of Main Modifications on Housing Supply and Note 30: Response to Inspector’s Note 22 on the Timetable for the Main Modifications Consultation (ED55). Both documents can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED54 and ED55 respectively.
Inspector’s Note on the Timetable for the Main Modifications Consultation (16 December 2022)
The Inspector’s Note 22 concerning a revised timetable for the consultation on the Main Modifications can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED53.
Inspector’s Post Hearings Note Published (8 December 2022)
The Inspector’s Post Hearings note is now available and can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED52.
Inspector’s Targeted Consultation (30 November 2022)
The Council’s Note 28 on Exceptional Circumstances for minor alterations to the Green Belt can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED50. The Inspector is running a targeted consultation on the Council’s note, and details of this can be viewed in the Inspector’s Note 20 on the Examination Documents page at ED51.
Council’s Notes 23 to 27 Published (21 November 2022)
The Council have submitted a further tranche of responses to the Inspector’s Actions arising from the hearing sessions and these can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED49L to ED49Q inclusive.
Council’s Notes 13 to 22 Published (11 November 2022)
The Council has responded to a number of the Inspector’s actions arising during the last week of the hearing sessions and these can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED49A to ED49K inclusive.
Inspector’s Note 19 Published (3 November 2022)
The Inspector’s Note 19 concerning the judgement Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022] EWHC can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED48.
Legal Opinion on Policy DS8: Land North West of Preston Farm (28 October 2022)
At the hearing session on the morning of Tuesday 25 October and in written evidence beforehand, in relation to Policy DS8: Land North West of Preston Farm, opposers to that allocation raised the matter of a possible legal impediment to development of the land as a whole. In this regard, the Inspector will give the Council the opportunity to get a legal opinion on that matter. She will not require the submission of any other evidence from any other party in this regard.
Change to Hearing Session Start Time (27 October 2022)
The hearing session on Friday 28 October will now start at 10am rather than the advertised time of 9.30am.
Ockley Parish Council Response to Additional Question on Policy D1 (24 October 2022)
Ockley Parish Council have responded to the Inspector’s invitation to them to comment on the additional question on Policy D1 Infrastructure Delivery. The Parish Council’s response can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED41A.
Stage 3 Week 2 Hearing Sessions Agendas Published (21 October 2022)
The Agendas for the Stage 3 Week 2 Hearing Sessions (Tuesday 25 October to Friday 28 October) are now available on the Hearing Sessions page.
The Council have replied to the Inspector’s actions which arose during the Stage 3 Week 1 Hearing Sessions which can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED44A to ED44D inclusive.
Change to the Hearings Programme (18 October 2022)
The Hearing Sessions will now close at the end of the morning session on Friday 28 October 2022. The revised Draft Hearings Programme (V5 – 18 October 2022) is available on the Hearing Sessions page.
The Inspector has raised an additional question in relation to Policy D1 and invited those who commented on this policy at Regulation 19 to submit a statement addressing this question. The Inspector’s Note 16 covering the additional question is on the Examination Documents page at ED41.
Stage 3 Week 1 Hearing Sessions Agendas Published (7 October 2022)
The Agendas for the Stage 3 Week 1 Hearing Sessions (Tuesday 11 October to Friday 14 October) are now available on the Hearing Sessions page.
Confirmation of Examination Proceeding to Stage 3 Hearings (6 October 2022)
Inspector’s Note 14 has been published confirming the examination can proceed to the Stage 3 Hearing Sessions. The Inspector’s Note can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED38.
The Council have replied to the Inspector’s actions which arose during the Stage 2 Hearing Sessions which can also be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED37A to ED37H inclusive.
Stage 2 Hearing Sessions Agendas Published (23 September 2022)
Agendas for the Stage 2 Hearing Sessions and an updated Draft Programme with Participants (V6 – 23 September 2022) are available on the Hearing Sessions page. Updated schedules of proposed Main Modifications and Additional Modifications are also available and can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED32 to ED36 inclusive.
Statement of Common Ground between Mole Valley District Council & National Highways (1 September 2022)
A Statement of Common Ground between the Council and National Highways has been submitted together with a transport technical note on the M25 9A junction. The documents can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED29 and ED30.
Updated Stage 3 Matters, Issues and Questions (26 August 2022)
The Inspector has published a revised version of her Stage 3 Matters, Issues and Questions (ED28 Inspector’s Note 12). This version contains amended text in Matter 7 Policy EN4 Question 2 and Matter 10, Issue Dorking, Policy DS30, Question 1. The updated version of the MIQ’s can be viewed on the Examination Documents page at ED28 and on the Hearing Sessions page.
Additional Examination Documents (10 August 2022)
The Council have submitted a Draft Local Plan five-year housing land supply statement together with a deliverability assessment of sites that are considered to be deliverable in principle. The documents are available on the Examination Documents page at ED27 and ED27A.
Stage 3 Matters, Issues and Questions Published (27 July 2022)
The Inspector has published her Matters, Issues and Questions for the Stage 3 hearing sessions together with an amended Draft Programme. An updated list of participants for the hearing sessions is also available. Please see the Hearing Sessions page to view the documents.
Schedules of Modifications and Changes Published (5 July 2022)
In response to the Inspector’s request in her Initial Questions to the Council (ED3: Inspector’s Note 1) the Council has produced separate lists of suggested Main Modifications (MMs), Additional Modifications (AMs) and consequential changes to the policies map with corrected titles. Those live documents are for the Inspector’s consideration and may form the basis of discussion during the hearing sessions. The documents can be accessed on the Examination Documents page at ED17 to ED21 inclusive.
Updated Participants List Published (1 July 2022)
An updated Draft Hearings Programme including a list of Participants for each of the hearing sessions is now available on the Hearing Sessions page.
Stage 2 Hearing Statements Published (30 June 2022)
The hearing statements for Stage 2 are now available and can be accessed on the Hearing Statements page.
Stage 1 Findings and Updated Hearing Timetable (29 June 2022)
The Inspector has published two notes. Inspector’s Note 8 (ED15) sets out her findings following the Stage 1 hearing sessions and includes details of a change to the dates for the Stage 2 and 3 hearing sessions. Inspector’s Note 9 (ED16) is the Draft Hearings Programme (V3). Both documents can be viewed in the Examination Documents page.
Stage 2 Matters, Issues and Questions Published (6 June 2022)
The Inspector’s Matters, Issues and Questions for the Stage 2 Hearing Sessions together with an amended programme are now available. Both these documents (ED10 and ED11) can be viewed on the Hearing Sessions page.
Stage 1 Hearing Statements Published (27 May 2022)
The hearing statements for Stage 1 are now available and can be accessed on the Hearing Statements page.
Dates for the Hearing Sessions Published (10 May 2022)
Inspector Barrett will be completing the examination as, due to work reasons, Inspector Wilders is no longer available.
The dates of the hearing sessions have now been arranged. These will take place in the Council Chamber at the Mole Valley District Council Offices and will open on Wednesday 22 June 2022 at 10:00am. Full details on the sessions and relevant documents can be accessed on the Hearing Sessions page.
Council’s Responses to the Inspector’s Initial Questions (29 April 2022)
On 29 April 2022, the Council’s responses to the Inspector’s initial questions were published at ED4 on the Examination Documents page.
A schedule of the draft Local Plan (Regulation 19) representations in policy order with the Council’s comments and disclaimer can now be accessed on the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19) Representations page and at ED6 in the examination documents.
Inspector’s Initial Questions Published (6 April 2022)
On 6 April 2022, the Inspector’s Initial questions were published at ED3 on the Examination Documents page, with the deadline for responses of 5pm on Friday 22 April.
Local Plan Submitted to Secretary of State (14 February 2022)
On 14 February 2022 Mole Valley District Council submitted its Draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities for independent examination. The Secretary of State will appoint an Inspector to carry out the examination in due course.
If you have any queries regarding the examination, please contact the Programme Officer, Louise St John Howe. Contact information is provided on the Examination Overview page.