Leaf

Consultation on Main Modifications to the emerging Local Plan

13 October 2021

Next stage following closure of main modifications consultation

The Main Modifications Consultation on the emerging Epping Forest District Local Plan closed on 23 September 2021.

The appointed Local Plan Inspectors, as part of the continuing Examination process, will consider all representations made on the proposed Main Modifications and the evidence presented throughout the duration of the Examination. For the avoidance of doubt, the Council will provide complete and full copies of all duly made representations on the Main Modifications to the Inspectors. This will include all supporting documents provided by representors.

Representations will have been redacted to remove any sensitive information (e.g. personal information, offensive and discriminative comments towards groups or individuals).

The Council will provide, in addition, for the Inspectors’ reference:

  • A document with responses ordered by Main Modification, by supporting document and by ‘other’ in cases where no Main Modification or supporting document is specified. For the purposes of this document, the Council has agreed with the Inspectors that the Council will summarise responses to questions 6 and 7 where the response exceeds 300 words. Question 6 asks why do you consider the Main Modification and/or supporting document is not legally compliant or is unsound and Question 7 asks the representor to set out what change(s) are considered necessary to make the Main Modification and/or supporting document legally compliant or sound. As agreed with the Inspectors, within any representations to a Main Modification/ supporting document/ ‘other’ where a response to question 6 or 7 exceeds 300 words it will be summarised to no more than 300 words. Responses that are summarised for the purpose of this document will be clearly stated as such with ‘Council Officer has summarised’ at the beginning. The document will also make clear how the reader can access the full representations.
  • An Excel document ordered by Representor to see what Main Modifications/ supporting documents/ ‘other’ each representor has commented upon.
  • An Excel document ordered by Main Modification/ supporting document/ ‘other’ to see the totality of responses for example, to a particular Main Modification.

The above additional documents are to be provided to the Inspectors alongside all full representations to assist in the process of reviewing all representations made. The Inspector will consider all representations in full.

The full representations, as well as the additional 3 documents outlined above, will be available on the Local Plan Examination Website and therefore accessible to all.

The Council has shared this note with Inspector Phillips and she has agreed to its contents.


Details of the Consultation

Following the Examination Hearing Sessions for the emerging Local Plan, the Council has prepared a number of changes, known as Main Modifications, to the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version (2017) to address issues of soundness and/or legal compliance identified by the Inspector. These are put forward without prejudice to the Inspector’s final conclusions on the Plan.

Representations were invited on the Main Modifications and supporting documents only.

The consultation ran for 10 weeks from noon on Thursday 15 July 2021 to 5pm on Thursday 23 September 2021.

The Schedule of Main Modifications and supporting documents can be viewed below.

A schedule of Additional Modifications has been prepared which are minor changes to the Plan and not those necessary for soundness. They do not form part of the Inspector’s examination of the Plan. The schedule of Additional Modifications is not being consulted on but is available for reference and can be viewed below.

How to make your representations

The consultation period closed at 5pm on Thursday 23 September 2021.

Statement of Representation Procedure

The Council’s Statement of Representation Procedure providing full details of the consultation can be accessed below:

Guidance Note and FAQs

Schedule of Main Modifications

Mapping subject to Main Modification (split across 3 documents):

  1. Revisions to mapping Part One of the Plan (1) (ED131A)
  2. Revisions to mapping Part One of the Plan (2) (ED131B)
  3. Revisions to mapping Part Two of the Plan (ED131C)

Supporting documents

The following documents have been prepared to support the proposed Main Modifications to the Plan. Representations concerning their content will be accepted to the extent that they are relevant to inform your comments on the Main Modifications. However, you should avoid lengthy comments on the evidence/background documents themselves.

  1. Council’s response to Actions outlined in Inspector’s post examination hearing advice (Examination document reference number ED98), July 2021 (ED133)
  2. Sustainability Appraisal Report Addendum, June 2021 (ED128/ EB210)
  3. 2021 Habitats Regulations Assessment (ED129A-B/ EB211A-B)
  4. Epping Forest Interim Air Pollution Mitigation Strategy, December 2020 (ED126/ EB212)
  5. EFDC response to Inspector’s Post Hearing Action 5 and supplementary questions of 16 June 2021, July 2021 (ED127)
  6. Epping Forest District Council Green Infrastructure Strategy (ED124A-G/ EB159A-G)
  7. Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Latton Priory Access Strategy Assessment Report, July 2020 (ED121A-C/ EB1420A-C)
  8. Revised Appendix 2 to the Epping Forest District Council Open Space Strategy (EB703), January 2020 (ED125/ EB703A)
  9. IDP: Part B Infrastructure Delivery Schedule 2020 Update (ED117/ EB1118)
  10. EFDC Consolidated and Updated Viability Evidence 2020 (ED116/ EB1117)
  11. Statement of Common Ground Addendum East of Harlow, September 2020 (ED122A-B)
  12. South Epping Masterplan Area Capacity Analysis (Sites EPP.R1 and EPP.R2), March 2020 (ED120/ EB1421)
  13. In addition to the above there are a number of Examination Documents, which include Homework Notes produced by the Council as a result of actions identified by the Inspector at the hearing sessions as well as correspondence between the Council and the Inspector following hearings. These Examination Documents can all be accessed here on the Local Plan website

To respond

Please note the consultation period closed at 5pm on Thursday 23 September 2021.

Additional Documents

It may be helpful to refer to the Local Plan Submission Version (2017) and Appendix 6 alongside the Schedule of Main Modifications: