Review of Uttlesford’s Local Plan to get underway

An independent review of the Uttlesford Local Plan process is to get underway.

Last week Uttlesford District Council’s (UDC) scrutiny committee – made up of cross-party members – agreed to invite the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to carry out an analysis of the process, from 2006 to December 19 2014, following a request from residents.

The service will be delivered at no cost to the council.

The PAS is expected to attend the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on March 24 to provide a preliminary report.

Councillor Elizabeth Godwin, chairman of the scrutiny committee, said: “We look forward to this being resolved as thoroughly and as quickly as possible so that we can move on with the process at the next meeting of the committee.

“The Planning Advisory Service will hopefully be able to inform us of their intentions as to what shape the review will take and produce a timetable for the final written report.”

Cllr Howard Rolfe, leader of UDC, said: “I am pleased the decision was made to initiate this review – it is important to validate the methodology and to get an independent perspective.

“I hope the final report will inform and improve the process, and that the Planning Advisory Service will then work with us as an external partner as we progress.”

Alongside its consideration of the process so far, the PAS has been asked to help identify the steps moving forward and will provide support to the new Uttlesford Planning Policy Working Group. Training will also be given around the Local Plan procedure to new members following the district elections in May.