Core Strategy examination in public

The Secretary of State appointed Mrs Ava Wood DipArch MRTPI, of the Planning Inspectorate, to conduct the examination to determine whether the Core Strategy is sound. Her role was to consider all the evidence and produce a report for the council giving her recommendations for action. Her report was binding on the council.

Information about the examination process in general and the tests of soundness can be downloaded from the following links:

• Planning Inspectorate Guide to Examining Development Plan documents(pdf, 58KB)
• Planning Inspectorate Development Plans Examination Guide(pdf, 301KB)

Preliminary issues

The Inspector raised some preliminary issues which can be viewed, with the Council's responses:

• Inspector's preliminary issues - 1(pdf, 43KB)
• Inspector's preliminary issues - Council response(pdf, 51KB)
• Inspector's preliminary issues - 2(pdf, 23KB)

Pre-Examination Meeting

The Inspector held a Pre-Examination Meeting (PEM) on 17 September 2008, prior to the examination hearings which commenced on 25 November 2008.

The purpose of the PEM was to explain and discuss procedural and administrative matters relating to the management of the Examination, including the matters and issues to be examined, the programme for the hearings and the participants, the methods of dealing with representations, the timetable for submitting statements, and any other relevant matters.

The content and merits of the Core Strategy and the representations were not discussed at the PEM.

Download the Inspector’s Pre-Examination Meeting notes(pdf, 101KB).

Examination Hearings

Examination hearings commenced on 25 November 2008 at York House, Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 3AA.

The Inspector identified Matters and Issues to be examined during the programme of hearings:

• Hearing Programme(pdf, 60KB)
• Matters and issues(pdf, 108KB)
• Inspector's guidance notes for respondents(pdf, 137KB)

Examination documents

• Core Document List(pdf, 69KB)
• Hearing statements relating to the Inspector's Matters and Issues, and other documents