Local Plan Partial Review Examination

Local Plan Partial Update Examination and Adoption

Planning Inspector  J Wilson BA Hons BTP MRTPI DMS was appointed by the Secretary of State, to conduct the independent Examination of the Local Plan Partial Update. The Inspectors' task was to consider whether the Council had complied with the legal requirements in preparing the Update and whether the submitted Plan was sound, based on the criteria set out in the National planning Policy Framework.

The Inspector took into account the representations made in response to the consultation on the Plan, as far as they related to soundness and legal compliance considerations. A hearing into the Plan was held in April 2023 to discuss the principal matters of soundness identified by the Inspector.

Following the Examination in April 2023, the Council received the final Inspector's Report in respect of the Examination of the Partial Update and the Inspector found the review to be 'sound'. The Breckland Local Plan (as amended by the Partial Update) was adopted at Council on 21 September 2023. 

The Report of the Inspector into the Partial Update together with the Adoption Statement and Integrated Assessment post Adoption Statement can be viewed below:

Local Plan Partial Update (Report of Inspector) (PDF, 219 KB)(opens new window)

Local Plan Partial Update (Adoption Statement) (PDF, 147 KB)(opens new window)

Local Plan Partial update (Integrated Assessment Post Adoption Statement) (PDF, 187 KB)(opens new window)

The Local Plan (2023) document can beviewed on our website.

Any person aggrieved by the Breckland Council Local Plan Partial Update may make an application to the High Court under Section 113 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, on the grounds that:

a)   the document is not within the appropriate power (i.e. the Council has acted beyond its legal power or authority in producing it);

b)  a procedural requirement has not been complied with.

An application must be made promptly, and in any event, no later than six weeks after the adoption by Council on September 21 2023

Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Nikki Clarke, will act as the contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and as a liaison between the Inspectors, Council and Representors.

Contact details:

Nikki Clarke
Programme Officer c/o
Breckland Council
Elizabeth House,
Walpole Loke,
Dereham,
Norfolk,
NR19 1EE

Email: Programme.officer@breckland.gov.uk

Examination Library

The examination library contains a list of documents submitted for examination and background documents that have informed the production of the Local Plan (Partial Update). It also contains documents relating to the examination and was updated as the examination progressed .

The examination library is split into the following sections 

Documents sent to the Planning Inspectorate by the Council at the time of submission on 29 November 2022.

Individual responses to the public consultation can be viewed on the Commonplace platform Common Place (opens new window)

In August 2023 the Inspector issued her Final Report in relation to the Breckland Plan Partial Review (PDF, 211 KB)(opens new window)

The Council is intending to consider whether to adopt the Local Plan (as amended by the Partial Update) on 21 September 2023.

The Planning Inspectorate would like your feedback about the examination. If you were involved in the examination because you made comments in writing and/ or you took part in a hearing session, then we would be very pleased if you could fill in this short survey (opens new window)

Any comments you make with be confidential. 

Hearing Documents

Submission Documents

Supporting Documents (Breckland)

Cabinet Reports

National Policies and Statements