Hearings Information

Hearing sessions (which are part of the overall Examination) are scheduled to take place between Tuesday 7 May and Friday 10 May 2024

The Planning Inspector has identified 9 Matters which will form the basis of the discussion at the hearing sessions. For each Matter there are a number of specific questions.

Matters Issues and Questions (MIQs) and Draft Hearings Programme with Session Participants (ref IC3)

The hearings will take the form of a discussion which will be lead by the Planning Inspector. They will be inquisitorial, rather than adversarial. They will not involve the formal presentation of cases by participants or cross-examination. The list of Matters, Issues and Questions will form the agenda for each session.

The Councils have produced a Hearing Statement for each of the 9 Matters. Other participants were also able to submit further statements on the questions of relevance to their original representation.

Material for each separate Matter and Hearing Session is set out below. All other relevant documents including summaries and responses to previous representations, the full evidence base, Statements of Common Ground, and other relevant documents are available in the Examination Library.

Main Matter 1: Legal Requirements and Overarching Issues

Main Matter 2: Land Uses and Spatial Approach (GC Policy 1: Land Uses and Spatial Approach)

Main Matter 3: Nature (GC Policy 2: Nature)

Main Matter 4: Buildings, Place and Character (GC Policy 3: Place Making Principles and GC Policy 4: Meeting Housing Needs)

Main Matter 5: Economic Activity and Employment (GC Policy 5: Economic Activity and Employment)

Main Matter 6: Community and Social Infrastructure (GC Policy 6: Community and Social Infrastructure)

Main Matter 7: Movement and Connections (GC Policy 7: Movement and Connections)

Main Matter 8: Sustainable Infrastructure (GC Policy 8: Sustainable Infrastructure)

Main Matter 9: Infrastructure Delivery, Impact Mitigation and Monitoring (GC Policy 9: Infrastructure Delivery, Impact Mitigation and Monitoring)