Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) - public examination | Bath and North East Somerset Council

Why we are updating our Local Plan

We have to review our Local Plan every five years, to determine whether it remains fit for purpose, or whether we need to update all or part of it. Therefore, we have progressed a Partial Update of the Local Plan (LPPU), to address a number of urgent issues.

The Public Examination

We submitted the draft LPPU for Examination on 17 December, 2021, and Planning Inspector, Mr Philip Lewis BA(Hons) MA MRTPI was appointed to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the Plan.

The Inspector’s task was to consider the soundness and legal compliance of the submitted Plan, based on the criteria set out in the following national planning policy legislation and associated regulations :

Following the conclusion of the Examination hearings, and subsequent Main Modifications consultation, the Inspector has issued his Final Report. This report concludes that the submitted LPPU, subject to some main modifications, is sound and legally compliant, and can progress to be adopted by the Council. The LPPU was adopted at a Special Council Meeting on 19 January 2023. The LPPU now carries full weight in the Development Plan for the District.

Request for feedback

The Planning Inspectorate would like your feedback about the Examination. If you were involved in the Examination because you made comments in writing and/or you took part in a hearing session, then they would be very pleased if you could fill in this short online survey. Any comments you make will be confidential.

Core Documents archive

The Examination has now closed. The documents which were submitted with the LPPU in December 2021, and any further documents generated through the Examination process following submission, are still available on our Core Documents page, as they may still be useful for stakeholders to access.

Examination timeline

The Examination period timeline shows details of the different events and hearings, and documents generated during the Examination period. Information is ordered chronologically, with the most recent items first.

View the timeline

14 December 2022: Publication of Inspector's Report:

EXAM24 Inspector's Report
EXAM25 PINS Main Modifications

9 November 2022: New document added:

EXAM22 Schedule of Representations to Main Modifications consultation

2 November 2022: LPPU main modifications public consultation closed

21 September 2022: LPPU main modifications public consultation opened

12 September 2022: New document added:

EXAM22 Update note on Spatial Development Strategy

25 August 2022: New documents added:

EXAM 19 B&NES Post Hearings Position Statements with participants
EXAM 20 B&NES Post Hearings Position Statement with University of Bath
EXAM 21 Strategic policies identification

23 August 2022: New document added: EXAM 18 Inspector’s Post Hearing Letter

26 July 2022: New documents added:

EXAM 15 Houses in Multiple Occupation in Bath
EXAM 16 Note on Five Year Housing Land Supply identifying areas of disagreement between the Council and Walsingham Planning representing Vistry Homes
EXAM 17 Note setting out the CIL strategic and local spend arrangement relating to transport infrastructure

6 July 2022: Close of Hearing Sessions.

New documents added:

EXAM 3 (v6 Programme)
EXAM 13 - Government Response to Future Homes Standard Consultation

5 July 2022: Week 2 Hearings commence (The Guildhall).

4 July 2022: New documents added:

EXAM 6D Hearing Agenda Day 4
EXAM 6E Hearing Agenda Day 5
EXAM 10 - Note on Local Energy Efficiency Targets
Supplementary Note on 5 Year Housing Land Supply, including appendix
Student Accommodation Update June 2022

29 June 2022: New document added:

EXAM 3 (v5 Programme)

23 June 2022: New documents added:

EXAM 3 (v4 Programme)
EXAM 9 - 20/02673/OUT B&NES Highway Comments

21 June 2022: Week 1 Hearings commence (Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institute).

New documents added:

20 June 2022: New documents added:

EXAM 3 (v3 Programme)
EXAM 6A - Hearing Agenda Day 1
EXAM 6B - Hearing Agenda Day 2
EXAM 6C - Hearing Agenda Day 3
Written statement: Matter 4 – National Highways

16 June 2022: New written statement added: Matter 3B&NES Council - Appendix D 14 June 2022

8 June 2022: New Evidence Documents added.

CD-SD069 - WECA letter to Michael Gove re SDS
CD-RCC027 - Climate Change Committee – Sixth Carbon Budget (Sector Summary on Buildings)
CD-RCC028 - South West Energy Hub – B&NES Evidence for Offsetting
CD-RCC029 - Evidence to Support Responses to The FHS Consultation
CD-RCC030 - A Report for the Committee on Climate Change: Cost and Benefits for Tighter Standards for New Buildings
CD-RCC031 - Guidance Note on renewable energy in the Green Belt
CD-ENV003 - B&NES Tree and Woodland Delivery Plan
CD-HOU007 - West of England Local Housing Needs Assessment
CD-HOU008 - Code of Standards for Student Accommodation
CD-HOU009 - Housing Trajectory 2022
CD-EDV005 - AMR - Industrial Dashboard 2011 to 2021
CD-INF002 - Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
CD-INF003 - West of England Joint Green Infrastructure Strategy 2020-2030
CD-INF004 - B&NES Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document

8 June 2022: Written Statements published.

The following Written Statements were received in response to the Inspector’s Matters, Issues and Questions. Expand the sections below to see more on each matter.