Learn about the Local Plan review
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The Council is reviewing and updating the Borough’s planning policies in a document, known as the Local Plan.
The Local Plan sets out a vision for how Barnet will change as a place over the next 15 years and forms a strategy which emphasises the Borough’s attractiveness as a place to live, work and visit.
The emerging Plan will, when it replaces the existing 2012 Local Plan, provide the main basis upon which future planning applications will be determined.
Barnet Local Plan review: examination in public
Information on the process of the Local Plan, the Inspector and supporting documents
Current Stage
Regulation 24
Examination in Public, Hearing Sessions. Conducted by independent Planning Inspector who considers representations made at Reg 22 stage. Autumn 2022
Next stage
Regulation 26
Adoption by the Council. This is subject to outcome of the Examination in Public and further consultation on main modifications. Mid 2023.
Previous Stages
Regulation 22
The draft Local Plan and its supporting documents were approved by Council on 19 October 2021 for submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination in public.
The Local Plan on 26th November 2021 was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination which will be carried out on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. This is in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).
Information about the examination process
The page includes the Procedure Guide for Local Plan Examinations which provides detailed practical advice and Guidance for Programme Officers.
Regulation 19
The Council has now gone through the representations received on the Reg 18 Draft Local Plan and made appropriate revisions to the document which has now become the Reg 19 Draft Local Plan.
The Draft Local Plan consists of 52 planning policies and 65 site proposals.
This is the document that will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.
In advance of that submission the Council had an advisory meeting with Inspector Louise Crosby in April 2021
Public consultation is currently underway on the Draft Local Plan and will close Monday 9 August 2021. Details of the consultation can be found on Engage Barnet
Regulation 18
The draft Local Plan consists of 51 planning policies and 67 site proposals. This document sets out the Council’s first stage in the process. This is known as the preferred policy approach.
Public consultation of the draft Local Plan took place from Monday 27 January 2020 to Monday 16 March 2020 where residents and other stakeholders had an opportunity to comment on the document and proposed sites.
The Council is now going through the representations received to the Reg 18 version and making appropriate revisions to the document which will become the Reg 19
Statement of Community Involvement
The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how the council will involve local residents, businesses and community groups in the preparation of planning documents and the consideration of planning applications. Initially introduced in 2007 and subsequently revised in 2015, the SCI has been updated to reflect further reforms to the planning system. This includes the introduction of the Brownfield Land Register and Permission in Principle.
The commitments set out in the SCI will ensure that planning processes in Barnet are fair, transparent and inclusive.
Policy and Resources Committee on September 24 2020 approved a short temporary addendum to the Statement of Community Involvement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local Development Scheme (LDS)
The current version of the Council’s Local Development Scheme (LDS) 2021 was approved by the Policy and Resources Committee on 30th September 2021.
The LDS sets out the scope and timetable for producing Barnet's Local Plan. It explains which Local Plan documents are going to be produced with key dates from initial preparation to adoption.