Thanet Local Plan – Inspectors’ Report published

The council has received the Inspectors’ Report following the Examination of its Local Plan last year.

The Report concludes that the Thanet Local Plan, with a number of modifications which were consulted on in December last year, meets the criteria for ‘soundness’.

The Report also concludes that the “duty to cooperate” with other bodies has been met, and that the Plan meets all the relevant legal requirements, in relation to the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement; Sustainability Appraisal and the Habitats Regulations; the Public Sector Equality Duty; and Climate Change duties.

The Report states that there is a good prospect that there will be a five-year supply of housing land when the Plan is adopted. Based on the information available to the Inspectors and contained in their Report, the Council can demonstrate a 5.77 year supply of housing land.

The Report supports:

• The overall amount of housing development in the Plan
• The proposed locations and sites for new housing development
• The approach to employment land and sites set out in the Local Plan
• The Council’s approach to environmental, infrastructure and other matters in the Plan

The Report also includes recommendations for:

• A lower level of housing in the first five years of the Plan
• A new Policy for Manston Airport to recognise the current Development Consent Order process
• A new Policy to reflect the intention to carry out a review of the Plan within 6 months of its formal adoption by the Council

Next steps:

• Report and schedule of the Inspectors’ Main Modifications to be considered by Full Council
• Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, a date has not yet been set for this meeting but we are hopeful that the Local Plan can be adopted this Summer.

Cllr Rick Everitt, Leader of Thanet District Council said:
“It has taken hard work and dedication to get to this point and I would like to thank everyone involved, including residents who took the time to provide us with feedback during the whole process and those who took part in the Examination. 

“I welcome the Inspectors’ careful analysis of the issues and am pleased that they have agreed with our overall approach and concluded that the Plan is sound.

“Priorities in the Plan include creating jobs, meeting housing needs, providing genuinely affordable housing and supporting growth with the necessary infrastructure and regeneration strategies for key locations.

“If Full Council agrees to adopt the Plan, it will provide the basis for decisions on all subsequent planning applications. It will also provide a higher level of protection for land the council has identified as unsuitable for development, which I know is important to many residents.”

The Inspectors’ Report is available to download on our Local Plan web page and this page will be kept updated with more detailed information as it becomes available. 

Background information

• The Examination of the Thanet Local Plan took place last year, with Hearings between 2 April and 18 July 2019.
• The Secretary of State appointed Inspectors Matthew Birkinshaw and Victoria Lucas to carry out the Examination.