Core Strategy Public Examination

Welcome to the information page for the independent examination of Northumberland National Park Authority’s Core Strategy and Development Policies Development Plan Document (Core Strategy).

This page will be updated regularly to provide relevant information and links to documents. If you require further information on the examination please contact the Programme Officer, Margaret Anderson on 01434 605555 or nnpaldf@hotmail.co.uk.

What is the Core Strategy?

The Core Strategy is one of the documents that will form part of the Local Development Framework for Northumberland National Park Authority. It is a development plan document and once adopted it will supersede the existing Local Plan.

The Core Strategy provides a strategic basis for guiding and controlling development within the national park by setting out the overall spatial planning strategy for Northumberland National Park to 2021. The Core Strategy also includes the Development Policies.

The Core Strategy underwent consultation through various stages; Initial Issues during Summer 2005; Issues and Options during Summer 2006; Preferred Options during Winter 2006 and a further consultation on the Preferred Options during Autumn 2007.  The Core Strategy was finally submitted to the Secretary of State on 13th June 2008. In addition a sustainability appraisal was carried out independently to assess the policies within the Core Strategy.

The documents on which we were inviting comments were:

• Core Strategy and Development Policies Submission (PDF Format, 847 kb)
• Draft proposals map (North) (PDF Format, 1197 kb)
• Draft proposals map (South) (PDF Format, 1261 kb)

Supporting documents can be found here:

• Core Strategy Appropriate Assessment (PDF Format, 476 kb )
• Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Report (PDF Format, 5988 kb)
• Statutory notice (PDF Format, 23 kb)
• Core Strategy Statement of consultation (PDF Format, 4248 kb)
• Core Strategy Evidence Base (PDF Format, 127 kb)
• Self Assessment of Soundness
• Addendum to the Self Assessment of Soundness
• Schedule of Saved Local Plan Policies to be replaced

Responses to Submission Consultation

During the consultation period 24 responses were recieved on the Core Strategy. A summary of the comments can be found in the following document ...

Table summarising all of the representations made (PDF Format - 537kb)

The National Park Authority have identified a number of issues for the examination which can be found in the following document ...

Summary of main issues for examination (PDF Format - 67kb)

Further comments are invited regarding the suggested changes set out within the Summary of Main Issues above. These can be made via email or in writing to the addresses below. Closing date for response 10 September.

What is the independent examination?

A Government Planning Inspector will appointed to undertake an independent examination of the soundness of the Core Strategy.  The Inspector will take account of representations made on the submitted Core Strategy and will hold a number of hearings and round table discussions.  The Inspector will then produce a report with binding recommendations for changes to the Core Strategy before the Authority can adopt it.

Key Dates

Pre Examination Meeting             October 2008

Hearing session (if required)      December 2008

Receipt of Inspector's report        June 2009

The Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Margaret Anderson, is an employee of the Authority but acts independently on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the examination process. The Programme Officer acts as the contact point for any person who has made representations on the submitted Core Strategy and liaises between the Authority, examination participants and the Inspector.  The Inspector has no direct contact with either the Authority or other participants.

Miss Anderson can be contacted at:

Northumberland National Park Authority
Eastburn
South Park
Hexham
Northumberland
NE46 1BS

Email: nnpaldf@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 01434 605555