The Local Plan Explained

The Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of the area. Topics that Local Plans usually cover include housing, employment and shops and they also identify where development should take place and areas where development should be restricted.

The review of the Maidstone Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination on Thursday 31 March 2022.  

Inspector Mr. David Spencer BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI  from the Planning Inspectorate was appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out the independent Examination of the Local Plan. The Inspector’s task is to consider the soundness of the submitted Plan  and whether it has been prepared in accordance with the legal and procedural requirements.  

Plans are sound if they are: 

Positively prepared – providing a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area’s objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighboring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;

Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;

Effective – deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and

Consistent with National Policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant