The way forward after Regulation 14 Consultation

The Regulation 14 Consultation ran in May and June 2024.  Many supportive comments were received as were a number of helpful comments suggesting changes.  These were incorporated but involved a major restructuring of the supporting documentation to avoid the Plan becoming too unwieldy.   That inevitably took time to deliver.

We were advised to have the revised draft of the Plan examined by a planning expert to ensure that it was fit for purpose and that took place in March 2025.

In addition to the supporting documents (Parish Portrait, Survey Report, Local Green Spaces, Non-Designated Heritage Assets, Key Views and Local Housing Needs Assessment), two further important documents were compiled:

• The Basic Conditions Statement, which explains how our Plan complies with:
  • Basic legal requirements determine primarily in Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2021 (as amended);
  • National Planning Policy Framework (2024) and National Planning Practice Guidance; 
  • Written Ministerial Statements;
  • Contributing to the achievement of sustainable development;
  • General conformity with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s Strategic Planning Policies, as defined in the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan 2016-2036 (October 2023);
  • Relevant remaining EU legislation.
• The Consultation Statement, which explains how we have consulted with various groups (e.g. residents, businesses, statutory bodies, developers, landowners and other stakeholders) as appropriate and considered their views.

We aim to have the revised draft of the Plan approved by Full Council in April 2025, for further discussion with other parties.  The complete set of documents required under Regulation 15 (and subsequently Regulation 16)  will be formally submitted to the Planning Department of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council for their action under those regulations and we currently plan for that handover to be in May 2025. 

From that point the Parish Council has no control over, or involvement with, the process,  until the appointed Examiner delivers a report on the Plan. Following some basic checks to ensure compliance with the above mentioned requirements, WHBC will carry out a further consultation exercise with statutory bodies and other stakeholders. Any representations received from that, together with the previously submitted documents, will be passed to the Independent Examiner appointed by the Borough Council. 

That Independent Examiner is a qualified Planning Inspector, who will review the material and information submitted to determine if the Plan is legally-compliant and has satisfactorily dealt with any representations made. As part of that work they may visit the local area and test any assertions or aspects in the Plan, before writing a formal report.  That report could recommend either: 

1. That the Plan is fit and can be the subject of a local referendum of residents; or
2. That with modification or amendments specified, the Plan would be fit and be subject of a local referendum of residents; or
3. The Plan is not fit and should be redrafted, with the whole process re-started. 

Assuming that option 2 is the result (most plans earn that status) we would anticipate a rapid turn-round to resubmit to the Independent Examiner the “Referendum Version” of the Plan and also make that available for public scrutiny.

The referendum put to residents is for a simple YES/NO answer to the question: “Should the Neighbourhood Plan be adopted?” If a simple majority decide that it should be adopted,  then the Borough Council have to declare the Plan as “made” as soon as possible and adopt it formally into their planning legislation. At that point the process is complete and we will have a document with legal power to use in connection with any planning consent request submitted, small or large.

Further updates as to timing will be published on this web site as they become clearer, but please bear in mind that once the documents are submitted to WHBC under “Regulation 15” the process is completely outside of WPC’s control and the statutory timescales and process operate