The inspector adjourned the examination of the Core Strategy earlier this month because he was concerned that the Council had not met its duty to cooperate and that its housing market assessment was not up to date. The inspector subsequently sent a letter to the Council confirming he was satisfied that the duty to cooperate had been met.
However, the inspector said that he would be unlikely to be able to find the plan sound on the basis of the housing needs assessment evidence the Council had used, including an out of date Strategic Housing Market Assessment from 2009.
The inspector said that additional work required to ensure the plan could be found sound included a reassessment of housing needs in line with the National Planning Policy Framework's (NPPF) requirements as well as a "proper testing" of alternatives through the sustainability appraisal process.
He also said that the Council would need to reconsider the Borough's capacity to accommodate new housing in light of the NPPF's policies, to carry out a reassessment of its approach to additional greenfield sites and to demonstrate a robust housing supply.
"These matters are both so significant and so central to the plan’s overall strategy that I am concerned that it may not be possible to consider them appropriately within the context of the present examination," the inspector said.
He said that it would be a "significant waste of time and resources" if the Council carried out the required work and the plan would then need to be so substantially modified that it could not be considered in the context of the current examination.
"Equally, any additional work would need to be carried out within an acceptable timescale: a substantial delay would create considerable uncertainty within the examination process for those who have submitted representations at the publication stage," he added.
The inspector suggested that he could write a report on the plan on the basis of the existing evidence or that the Council could undertake the required work and amend the plan accordingly. However, he said that both options would carry a risk that the plan would not be found sound and that the "most appropriate course of action" would be to withdraw the plan.
The Council has said it is considering the letter and the next steps to be taken.
