Petersfield Neighbourhood Development Plan – Examination
May 5, 2015
Public Hearing commencing 10:00 4 June 2015
Festival Hall, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4EA
The Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to the South Downs National Park Authority for examination (regulation 16) on 18 January 2015. A period of public consultation was held from 2 February 2015 – 16 March 2015 inviting representations on whether the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions, and other matters set out in paragraph 8 of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).
The independent examiner has reviewed the representations received and considers a hearing is necessary to ensure adequate examination of a number of issues that have arisen and to ensure that certain representors have a fair chance to put their case. Up to 1½ days will be set aside for the public hearing. The public hearing, will open at 10 am on 4 June 2015 (and continue as necessary at 10 am on 5 June) at Festival Hall, Heath Road, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4EA.
We will operate a first come first serve approach to public attendance. Places will be reserved for key representors and members of the Qualifying Body (Petersfield Town Council) and the Local Planning Authority (South Downs National Park Authority).
It is at the independent examiner’s discretion to determine:
- the format and scope of the public hearing;
- who will be invited to speak at a hearing, in addition to the local planning authority and the qualifying body that submitted the neighbourhood plan or Order; and
- the questions to be asked at the hearing.
To ensure the Public Hearing and later stages of the Examination can proceed in an informed manner the independent examiner has prepared two key documents to support the Public Hearing.
Firstly the Independent Examiner has prepared a note setting out details of the public hearing, including which specific representations will be considered. This note also raises a number of comments and queries relating to the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan, to which Petersfield Town Council and the South Downs National Park Authority are preparing a response.
Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan – Examiners Note
Secondly the Independent Examiner has prepared a guidance note to assist all those attending the hearing. This provides guidance as to how the hearing will be conducted, and an Agenda. The Agenda may be refined prior to 4 June 2015, and if so, a revised Agenda will be publicised on this page. This guidance note has been sent to all representors that have been invited to speak, and is available at the link below.
In the Examiners initial note a number of comments and queries were raised in relation to the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan. The Qualifying Body and Local Planning Authority have prepared a response to these points:
An Index of Representations lists all representations received and a copy of each one is available on our Consultation Portal.