Draft Local Plan: Examination

Wandsworth's Local Plan (Publication Version), along with supporting documents, was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination in public on 29 April 2022.

The Local Plan outlines a vision and spatial strategy to guide the development of the borough from 2023 to 2038. It sets out key objectives for the borough, which are supported by planning policies, area strategies and - at the smallest scale - detailed guidance for the development of specific sites. Collectively, these identify where development should be targeted and set out how the borough's neighbourhoods and places will change over the next 15 years.

The examination assessed whether the Plan was prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements and whether it is ‘sound’, in accordance with paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). A Local Plan is considered ‘sound’ if it is:

• Positively prepared, meaning that the Plan is prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreement with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development
• Justified, meaning that the Plan is the most appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and is based on proportionate evidence
• Effective, meaning that the Plan is deliverable over its period (in this case 15 years), and is based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters
• Consistent with national policy, meaning that the Plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the polices in the NPPF and other statements of national planning policy

The Local Plan Inspectors' report and adoption

Following the Local Plan examination, we have received the Inspectors’ report which has found the plan ‘sound’ subject to modifications. The Inspectors' Report and Schedule of Main Modifications can be found below:

• The Inspectors’ Report
• Schedule of Main Modifications

The Local Plan was adopted on 19 July 2023.

Planning inspectors and programme officer

On 18 May 2022, the Secretary of State appointed J Bridgwater PGDipTL MRTPI and G Wyatt BA (Hons) MRTPI to conduct the examination.

Wandsworth Council appointed Charlotte Glancy of Banks Solutions as the programme officer to manage the procedural and administrative aspects of the examination. She acted as the main channel of communication between the Inspectors and all parties participating in the examination, including Council officers and representors. All correspondence or queries relating to the examination should be directed to her:

• Email: bankssolutionsuk@gmail.com
• Address: C/O Banks Solutions, 80 Lavinia Way, East Preston, West Sussex, BN16 1DD
• Telephone: 01903 776601
• Mobile: +447519 628064

Examination 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 we would be very pleased if you could fill in this short survey.

Any comments you make will be confidential.

Consultation on proposed main modifications to the plan

Following the hearing sessions held during November as part of the Local Plan Examination, the planning inspectors proposed a list of main modifications to the plan. These are contained in the ‘Schedule of Main Modifications’. We proposed policy map changes which illustrate geographically the application of the policies in the plan. The policy map changes were also subject to consultation alongside the main modifications. An updated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment was produced to assess the proposed modifications.

The following documents were subject to consultation from 3 February 2023 to 17 March 2023:

• PSD-028 Schedule of Main Modifications
• PSD-030 Policy Map Changes Document
• PSD-033 MM25 Erratum

A Schedule of Additional Modifications which was not before the Inspectors for consideration was also produced for information purposes only and did not form part of the consultation:

• PSD-029 Schedule of Additional Modifications
• PSD-034 AM44 and AM45 Erratum

The following documents supported the main modifications as updated evidence base for reference only, and did not form part of this consultation:

• PSD-031 Updated Sustainability Appraisal
• PSD-032 Updated Habitats Regulation Assessment

Responses to this consultation can be found in the Examination Library.

Before issuing their final report, the Inspectors considered all relevant responses, and made amendments to the detailed wording of the main modifications and/or add consequential modifications where they considered necessary.

Examination hearings

The hearing sessions for the examination of the Local Plan began on Tuesday 15 November 2022 and concluded on Wednesday 30 November 2022. The purpose of the hearings was for the Planning Inspectors to examine matters relating to the ‘soundness’ of the Plan in more detail. These matters are identified in the Main Matters, Issues and Questions with Draft Hearings Programmes document prepared by the Planning Inspectors.

The hearing sessions took place on the dates below.

Examination library

The examination library is formed of all the documents that are related to the Wandsworth Local Plan and its examination. The Programme Officer is responsible for ensuring that all documentation for the examination is recorded and made available to the public (via this website). Additional documents will be added over the course of the examination, and will include items such as:

• The Local Plan and supporting evidence submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 29 April 2022
• Correspondence with the Planning Inspectors
• Examination statements from the Council and other parties
• Additional evidence submitted as part of the examination process

A complete list of the documents relevant to the examination is available in the examination index.

Interactive map

We have produced an interactive map which shows the draft Local Plan policy designations spatially. The map will the published shortly.

Policies Map

The Policies Map has been updated to incorporate the changes necessary as part of the new Local Plan. These changes are detailed in the Polices Map Changes document.

Contact

Email: planningpolicy@wandsworth.gov.uk

Planning Policy
Environment and Community Services
Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London
SW18 2PU