Issue details

Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040

The Crawley Local Plan Review has been undertaken to ensure the borough's Local Plan remains up-to-date. The new Crawley Borough Local Plan has been prepared based on the outcomes of monitoring the implementation of the 2015 adopted Local Plan, feedback from previous stages of formal public consultations and updating the supporting technical evidence base.

Following Full Council, held on 22 February 2023, which approved the Draft Local Plan for Publication and Submission, formal public consultation took place between May and June 2023.

The draft Local Plan was Submitted to the Secretary of State for its independent Examination on 31 July 2023. Two Inspectors were appointed to carry out the Examination of the Plan. Examination Hearing Sessions were carried out in two parts, held during November 2023 and January 2024.

Following the discussions at the Hearings, the Inspectors issued a post-hearing letter, dated 31 January 2024. The council published Main Modifications to the Local Plan, arising from the Inspectors’ letter, for a formal six-week public consultation between February and March 2024. Subject to the Inspectors’ consideration of the representations received during this public consultation, the council is anticipating to receive the Inspectors’ final Report into the legal compliance and soundness of the Crawley Borough Local Plan in late May/early June.

The Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 is supported by a number of statutory supporting documents (including a Local Plan Map, a Sustainability Appraisal, a Habitats Regulations Assessment and a Consultation Statement) and a substantial technical evidence base.

Cabinet are to be asked to recommend to Full Council to approve the Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 for its adoption, in accordance with the recommendations, and subject to the Main Modifications necessary for soundness, set out in the Inspectors’ Final Report.

Should the council not receive the Inspectors’ Final Report in sufficient time for the anticipated programme, then it would be necessary to reconsider the timetable for a later committee cycle. Further, should the Inspectors require the council to undertake additional work, issue further instructions or reopen the hearing sessions, delays to the progression of the Local Plan would be incurred.

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Affects more than 1 ward;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Wards affected: (All Wards);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 14/02/2024

Decision due: 2 Oct 2024 by Cabinet

Decision due: 16 Oct 2024 by Full Council

Lead member: Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

Contact: Elizabeth Brigden, Planning Policy Manager Email: Elizabeth.Brigden@crawley.gov.uk.

Consultation process

Five formal periods of public consultation took place during the preparation of the Crawley Borough Local Plan review: Early Engagement (Regulation 18) Consultation – 15 July to 16 September 2019; Initial Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation – 20 January to 2 March 2020; Additional Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation – 6 January to 30 June 2021; Further Publication (Regulation 19) Consultation – 9 May to 20 June 2023; and Main Modifications Consultation – 12 February to 25 March 2024.

Comments received from each stage of consultation were collated by the council officers and submitted along with the Local Plan for consideration by the independent Planning Inspectors as part of the Plan’s examination.

Decisions

Agenda items