Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The Inspector has issued his final report.

The Inspector has issued his final report into the examination of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. He helpfully provides a Non-Technical Summary as follows:

“This report concludes that Wiltshire Core Strategy provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the county over the plan period providing a number of modifications are made to the Plan. Such modifications have arisen over the course of the Examination and are provided in the Appendix at the end of this report. The majority have been proposed by the Council who specifically requested that I recommend any modifications necessary to enable them to adopt the Plan.

The modifications cover a wide range of matters and include:

An increase in the minimum number of houses to be provided over the plan period, from 37,000 to at least 42,000 and revisions to their distribution;

A commitment to partially review the Core Strategy to enable an adequate development plan basis for decision making over the plan period to 2026

A commitment to produce additional Development Plan Documents to ensure the effective delivery of necessary development. Such documents will include a Housing Sites Allocation DPD, a Gypsy and Traveller DPD based upon updated needs evidence and a Chippenham Site Allocation DPD;

The creation of two different affordable housing targets across the county to reflect development viability;

Clarification of the approach to be taken towards renewable energy to be consistent with national policy;

Clarity of the approach to be taken towards natural and heritage assets to be effective and consistent with national policy.”

Now that the final report has been received, the examination is closed and the Council can proceed to formally adopt the plan. This is the final step in the process and there is no opportunity to make further modifications. The modifications need to be accepted as a whole as these have been made in order to ensure that the Plan is sound.

The WC Cabinet will consider the Inspector’s Report on the Wiltshire Core Strategy at its meeting on 16 December with a view to recommending its adoption to Council. A special meeting of Council is being arranged for 20 January 2015 for this purpose at 11am preceded with a Members’ briefing at 10am.

Once adopted, as part of the adopted development plan for Wiltshire, the Plan will have full weight in decision making and will replace the South Wiltshire Core Strategy and a number of the saved local plan policies in the former district Local Plans. In the interim period prior to adoption of the Plan now that the Inspector’s Report has been received, the Wiltshire Core Strategy incorporating the Inspector’s recommended modifications will have very significant weight in the determination of planning applications.