Local Plan (Fourth Edition)

Submission

On Tuesday 18 February 2025, Pendle Borough Council formally submitted the Pendle Local Plan Fourth Edition 2021-2040 to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for independent examination.

• Formal notice of submission to the secretary of state

The Examination

Inspector Mr William Fieldhouse BA(Hons) MA MRTPI has been appointed by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to carry out the independent examination of the Local Plan.

The purpose of the examination is to determine whether the Local Plan, as submitted, has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements, and to test if it is sound. The four tests of soundness are set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2023).

PINS has published a short guide for those who might be taking part in a local plan examination for the first time and a more detailed procedure guide for local plan examinations.

At the end of the examination the Inspector will issue a report recommending whether or not the Council can adopt the plan. In most cases the report will recommend some changes that are necessary to allow the plan to be adopted. These are known as Main Modifications.

Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Yvonne Parker, is an independent officer of the Examination. She works on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the examination process. She is the main point of contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and will act as liaison between the Council, the Inspector, and representors.

All correspondence relating to the Examination should be sent to Ms Yvonne Parker:

• Email: yvonneparker@programmeofficers.co.uk
• Telephone: 01282 450 522
• Mobile phone: 0781 333 4305

Examination website

The Examination website is hosted by the Programme Officer and contains details of all the documentation and arrangements for the examination process.    

• https://programmeofficers.co.uk/pendle (link opens external website)

Submission Documents

In accordance with Regulation 35(a), the submission documents are available for inspection at Number One Market Street, Nelson BB9 7LJ during its normal hours of opening

• 8.45am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday

In accordance with Regulation 35(b), the submission documents are also available to view here on the Council website:

• Regulation 19 Draft Pendle Local Plan Fourth Edition 2021-2040
• Policies Map
• Sustainability Appraisal report:

• Non-Technical Summary
• Appendix 1: Plans and Programmes
• Appendix 2: Definitions of Significance
• Appendix 3: Assessment of Policy Options
• Appendix 4: Assessment of Plan Themes
• Appendix 5: Assessment of Potential Housing Sites
• Appendix 6: Assessment of Potential Employment Sites
• Appendix 7: Submitted Sites Screened Out
• Appendix 8: Possible Monitoring Indicators
• Appendix 9: Scoping Report Consultation Responses

• Regulation 22 Consultation Statement:

• Appendix 1: Consultation Publicity
• Appendix 2: Consultation Website Extract
• Appendix 3: Representation Form Templates
• Appendix 4: Representation by Respondent ID Order
• Appendix 5: Representation by Policy

• Copies of representations made in accordance with Regulation 20
• Supporting documents which are relevant to the preparation of the Pendle Local Plan Fourth Edition. These documents are:

• Habitats Regulation Assessment
• Equalities Impact Assessment
• Local Development Scheme Eighth Revision
• Local Development Scheme Eighth Revision Addendum
• Duty to Cooperate Statement of Compliance
• Duty to Cooperate Appendix 1: Evidence of Compliance
• Statement of Common Ground with Burnley Borough Council
• Statement of Common Ground with North Yorkshire Council
• Statement of Common Ground with Ribble Valley Borough Council
• Statement of Common Ground with Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
• Statement of Common Ground with City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
• South Pennine Authorities Statement of Common Ground

• Letter to the Secretary of State (notification of submission)
• Note of Planning Inspectorate (PINS) Advisory Visit

Examination Library

The Examination Library is hosted on the Examination website. The library includes all documents relevant to the examination of the Local Plan, including:

• the submission documents (see below)
• the supporting evidence base and assessments
• documents from previous stages of the plan-making process
• all representations (in both respondent and policy order)

The library will also include, when produced:

• the Inspectors initial questions (if any) and the Council’s reply
• the Inspector’s matters, issues and questions and guidance note
• hearing schedules (and agendas, if used)
• hearing statements
• documents associated with the Main Modifications
• any letters or communications from the Inspector
• the Inspector’s Final Report

Hearings

View the statutory statement, issued in accordance with Regulation 24 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2012 (Statutory Instrument No.767).

Data Protection and Privacy

To ensure an effective and fair examination, it is important that the Inspector and all other participants in the examination process know who has made representations on the plan.

Personal information provided as part of any representation such as address, email address and telephone numbers, may be shared with the Inspector and Programme Officer for the purpose of conducting the examination but will not be published.

See the Council’s Privacy Notice and Planning Policy Redaction Policy for further information.