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Examination of City Plan 2019-2040

The council submitted the City Plan 2019-2040 to the Secretary of State on 19 November 2019. The 'Examination in Public' has now started, which is the last stage of the plan-making process.

Once the City Plan 2019-2040 has been adopted, it will be the Local Plan for Westminster and will replace all current policies in Westminster’s City Plan (November 2016) and saved policies in the Unitary Development Plan (2007). It will therefore become part of Westminster’s Development Plan together with the London Plan and any made Neighbourhood Plans.

1
What is City Plan 2019-2040?
2
The examination process
3
Submission documents
4
Examination documents
5
Hearings
6
Previous stages

1. What is City Plan 2019-2040?

Westminster is a vibrant city which offers a wealth of opportunities for its residents, its businesses and more than 28.5 million tourists who visit each year.

The council has prepared a new Local Plan for all these people based on key 3 themes linked to our City for All aims:

homes and communities
a healthier and greener city
opportunities for growth

City Plan 2019-2040 sets out an ambitious strategy to make Westminster one of the best places to live, work and play. A city that will inspire the world.

It has been informed by several rounds of public consultation and ongoing engagement with the council’s key partners and stakeholders.

To find out more about City Plan 2019-2040 you can watch the video below and explore the following interactive documents:

'Our approach' - summary (PDF, 444KB)
Story map - our plans for Westminster
Interactive policies map - our spatial designations and how they affect parts of Westminster

2. The examination process

After formal consultation (known as the 'Regulation 19' stage), the council published the proposed submission City Plan and all accompanying documents to be considered by Full Council on Wednesday 13 November 2019.

Following Full Council’s approval, the council submitted all documents to the Secretary of State for independent examination on Tuesday 19 November 2019.

Independent examination is the final stage before the council can adopt the City Plan 2019-2040 and it becomes part of Westminster’s Development Plan, together with the London Plan and any made Neighbourhood Plans.

Throughout the examination process, the planning inspectors will examine the City Plan and assess whether it:

has been prepared in accordance with the council’s duty-to-cooperate
is legal
is sound
is well evidence based
can be delivered
is consistent with national and regional policy

The council aims to produce a new Site Allocations DPD and a series of SPDs that will also become part of Westminster’s Development Plan once adopted. Detailed information about the programme is set out in Westminster’s Local Development Scheme”

The planning inspectors

The Planning Inspectorate, a government body, has appointed 2 inspectors that will lead the independent examination of City Plan 2019-2040 on behalf of the Secretary of State - Kevin Ward BA (Hons) MRTPI and Luke Fleming BSc (Hons) MRTPI.

Due to the Local Plan Examination Pause period, and the consequences this has had to the timeline of the Examination, Inspector Kevin Ward BA (Hons) MRTPI has replaced Brian Sims BSc CEng MICE MRTPI. Inspector Luke Fleming BSc (Hons) MRTPI still remains in place.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Planning Inspectorate guidance

Please see below the Planning Inspectorate's guidance on Coronavirus. This advice will be kept under review and could change at short notice to reflect Government’s wider advice. Please ensure that you check this website regularly.

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-inspectorate-guidance

The programme officer

The council has appointed Charlotte Glancy as the programme officer for the examination process. She is an independent officer working under the direction of the planning inspectors. Throughout the examination process, the programme officer will deal with all procedural and programming matters.

For all matters concerning the examination process including participation or attending hearings, please contact Charlotte in the first instance.

Email: bankssolutionsuk@gmail.com
Post: Banks Solutions, 80 Lavinia Way, East Preston, West Sussex, BN16 1DD
Telephone: 01903 776601
Mobile: 07519 628064

Examination hearings

The examination hearings will be carried out by the two inspectors Kevin Ward and Luke Fleming and will take place virtually over Microsoft Teams. The date for these hearing sessions is the week commencing 28th September and the week commencing 12 October.

More information regarding how you can participate can be found here.

3. Submission documents

All the documents submitted to the Secretary of State on Tuesday 19 November 2019 are listed below. This includes the draft City Plan 2019-2040 and its statutory supporting documents, including all the responses submitted during the Regulation 19 consultation stage and the Integrated Impact Assessment. The council has also submitted the plan’s evidence base and a series of Statements of Common Ground.

The submitted draft City Plan 2019-2040 and Regulation 19 policies map are available to view in hard copy at all of Westminster’s libraries. Hard copies of other submission documents may be inspected by prior appointment at Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP. Email planningpolicy@westminster.gov.uk to make an appointment.

Core submission documents

Statements of Common Ground

SCG_001 - Statement of Common Ground - Sport England
SCG_002 - Statement of Common Ground - Historic England
SCG_003 - Statement of Common Ground - Mayor and TfL
SCG_004 - Statement of Common Ground - Mayor and neighbouring boroughs
SCG_005 - Statement of Common Ground - Lambeth
SCG_006 - Statement of Common Ground - Thames Water and EA

Evidence

General

EV_GEN_001 - City Plan Viability report (WCC, June 2019)
EV_GEN_002 - Viability Addendum 1 (50% AH) (WCC, Oct 2019)
EV_GEN_003 - Viability Addendum 2 (Commercial mixed use) (WCC, Oct 2019)
EV_GEN_004 - WCC Payments in Lieu Approach (WCC, November 2019)
EV_GEN_005 - Authority Monitoring Report 2013-17 (WCC, 2019)
EV_GEN_006 - Authority Monitoring Report 2017-18 (WCC, 2019)
EV_GEN_007 - Draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan (WCC, November 2019)
EV_GEN_008 - Westminster’s CIL Charging Schedule (WCC, 2016)
EV_GEN_009, 010 and 011 - Oxford Street District Strategy, Harrow Road Place Plan, Strand Aldwych Scheme

Housing

EV_H_001 - Housing topic paper (WCC, November 2019)
EV_H_002 - Housing needs analysis (WCC, June 2019)
EV_H_003 - Housing needs analysis - Technical appendix (WCC, June 2019)
EV_H_004 - Draft 5 year Housing Land Supply Statement (WCC, November 2019)
EV_H_005 - Annual Affordable Housing Statement 2019 (WCC, 2019)
EV_H_006 - Draft Housing Strategy (WCC, 2015)
EV_H_007 - Housing Strategy Direction of Travel Statement (WCC, 2015)
EV_H_008 - Church Street Masterplan (WCC, 2017)
EV_H_009 - The 2017 London Strategic Housing Market Assessment (GLA, 2017)
EV_H_010 - London Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (GLA, 2017)
EV_H_011 - GLA Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Topic Paper (GLA, 2017)
EV_H_012 - Prime Residential Market in Westminster (WCC and Ramidus, 2014)

Economy

4. Examination documents

This website will be updated as the plan progresses through the 'Examination in Public' process with all procedural information and documents produced by the different parties.

General administrative documents

PO-001 - Programme Officer Introductory Letter
INSP1 - Appointed Inspectors Note 1 to Council Westminster Local Plan
WCC_LETTER_001 Response to Inspector Appointment letter
WCC_LETTER_002 Response to Q3 in INSP1
WCC_LETTER_003 Response to Para 19 in INSP1
WCC_LETTER_004 Response to Q6 in INSP1
INSP2 - Appointed Inspectors Note 2 to Council Westminster Local Plan
WCC_LETTER_005 Response to Inspector letter INSP2
INSP3 - Appointed Inspectors Note 3 to Council Westminster Local Plan
WCC_LETTER_006 Response to Inspector letter INSP3
INSP4 - Inspector's Guidance notes
INSP5 - Matters, Issues and Questions identified by the Inspectors
INSP6 - Indicate running order for hearing sessions
INSP7 - Westminster Provisional Hearings Programme
INSP8 - Matters Issues and Questions - Additional Question on UCO
INSP9 - Virtual Hearing Guidance Note
INSP10 - Matter 1 Hearing Agenda
INSP11 - Matter 2 Hearing Agenda
INSP12 - Matter 3 (Policies 1 and 2) Hearing Agenda
INSP13 - Matter 3 (Policies 3 - 7) Hearing Agenda
INSP14 - Matter 4 (Policy 8) Hearing Agenda
INSP7_V2 Westminster Provisional Hearing Programme (supersedes INSP7)

Core post-submission documents

CORE_020 - Adopted Westminster City Plan (2016) - Added to the Examination Library as requested by the Planning Inspectors
CORE_021 - Adopted London Plan (2016) - Added to the Examination Library as requested by the Planning Inspectors
CORE_022 - Draft New London Plan Consolidated Changes Version (July 2019) - Added to the Examination Library as requested by the Planning Inspectors
CORE_023 - Local Development Scheme (WCC, March 2020)
CORE_024 - IIA Addendum Reasonable Alternatives (WCC, March 2020)
CORE_025 - Revised Schedule of Modifications (WCC, April 2020)(Superseded by CORE_025_V2)
CORE_026 - Addendum I - Post-submission Schedule of Changes to the Policies Map (WCC, March 2020)
CORE_027 - Post-submission Draft Policies Map I (WCC, March 2020)

CORE_025_V2 - Revised Schedule of Modifications (WCC, April 2020)(Supersedes CORE_025)
CORE_025_V3 Revised Schedule of Modifications (June 2020)(Supersedes CORE_025_V2)
CORE_025_V4 Revised Schedule of Modifications (WCC, Sept 2020) (Supersedes CORE_025_V3)
CORE_027_V2 Post-submission Draft Policies Map (WCC, July 2020) (Supersedes CORE_026 - changes related to amendments set out in the Council's response to INSP5)
CORE_026_V2 Addendum I - Schedule of Changes to the Policies Map (WCC, Sept 2020 - changes related to amendments set out in the Council's response to INSP5)

Statements of Common Ground

SCG_001 - Statement of Common Ground - Sport England (Submission document)
SCG_002 - Statement of Common Ground - Historic England (Submission document)
SCG_003 - Statement of Common Ground - Mayor and TfL (Submission document - Superseded by SCG_003_V2)
SCG_004 - Statement of Common Ground - Mayor and neighbouring boroughs (Submission document - Superseded by SCG_004_V2)
SCG_005 - Statement of Common Ground - Lambeth (Submission document - Superseded by SCG_005_V2)
SCG_006 - Statement of Common Ground - Thames Water and EA (Submission document - Superseded by SCG_006_V2 and SCG_006_V3)

Evidence

General

EV_GEN_012 - City Plan Viability Report – raw data
EV_GEN_013 - Authority Monitoring Report 2018-19 (WCC, March 2020)
EV_GEN_014 Policy 10 Tariff Viability Review

Housing

EV_H_013 - Housing Supply Topic Paper (WCC, March 2020)
EV_H_014 - Draft 5 Year Housing Land Supply (WCC, April 2020)

EV_H_014_V2 Draft 5 Year Housing Land Supply Statement (WCC, April 2020) (Supersedes EV_H_014 – planning application reference numbers have been corrected, no other changes)
EV_H_015 Policy 10 Topic Paper

Environment

EV_ENV_022 - Westminster Waste Data Study (WCC, March 2020) (Superseded by EV_ENV_022_V2)
EV_ENV_022_V2 - Westminster Waste Data Study (WCC, March 2020) This document replaces EV_ENV_022 as the Statement of Common Ground (SCG) with Kent County Council at Appendix G has now been signed and further negotiation is required on the SCG with Wokingham.

Matters, issues and questions statements

Matter 1

Westminster City Council
Cafe No 1
Historic England
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Maida Hill Neighbourhood Forum

Westminster City Council (Question 18)
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (Question 18)
Marks and Spencer PLC (Question 18)
BMO Real Estate (Question 18)
Shaftesbury PLC (Question 18)
Westminster Property Association (Question 18)
London First (Question 18)
Cafe No 1 (Question 18)
Sara Cafe (Question 18)
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum (Question 18)

Matter 2

Westminster City Council
Historic England

Matter 3

Westminster City Council
British Land
BMO Real Estate, Appendix
Church Commissioners for England
Grosvenor Britain and Ireland
Historic England
Houses of Parliament Restoration
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
London First
Marks and Spencer PLC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum
The Crown Estate
Transport for London Commercial Development
Travis Perkins
Unite Students
Westminster Property Association

Matter 4

Westminster City Council
British Land
BMO Real Estate
Church Commissioners for England
Greater London Authority
Grosvenor Britain and Ireland
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
John Lewis Partnership
Landsec response, Appendix
Lazari Investments Ltd
London First
Maida Hill Neighbourhood Forum
Marks and Spencer PLC
Shaftesbury PLC
The Crown Estate
The Pollen Estate
Transport for London Commerical Development
Unite Students
Westminster Property Association

Matter 5

Westminster City Council
British Land
BMO Real Estate
Church Commissioners for England
Grosvenor Britain and Ireland
Houses of Parliament Restoration
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Landsec response, Appendix
London First
Marks and Spencer
Marylebone Cricket Club
Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum
Shaftesbury PLC
Soho Society
The Crown Estate
The Pollen Estate
Westminster Property Association

Matter 6

Westminster City Council
Church Commissioners for England
Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum, Appendix
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum
Port of London Authority
Transport for London
Westminster Property Association

Matter 7

Westminster City Council
Historic England
Houses of Parliament Restoration
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Westminster Property Association

Matter 8

Westminster City Council
British Land
BMO Real Estate
Church Commissioners for England
Grosvenor Britain and Ireland
Historic England
Houses of Parliament Restoration
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
John Lewis Partnership
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Marks and Spencer
Multi-Forum combined response
Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum
Shaftesbury PLC
The Crown Estate
The Pollen Estate
Travis Perkins
Westminster Property Association

Matter 9

Westminster City Council
BMO Real Estate
Historic England
Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum
Marks and Spencer
Shaftesbury PLC
Westminster Property Association

5. Hearings

Guidance

City Plan Hearings - Privacy Notice
Planning Inspectorate Guidance on Joining a Virtual Event
Inspectors Privacy Notice for Teams Hosted Local Plan Examinations
INSP9 - Virtual Hearing Guidance Note

Agendas

INSP10 - Matter 1 Hearing Agenda
INSP11 - Matter 2 Hearing Agenda
INSP12 - Matter 3 (Policies 1 and 2) Hearing Agenda
INSP13 - Matter 3 (Policies 3 - 7) Hearing Agenda
INSP14 - Matter 4 (Policy 8) Hearing Agenda

6. Previous stages

Regulation 19 consultation

Prior to submission to the Secretary of State, the council consulted on a Full Regulation 19 publication draft City Plan 2019 - 2040 (PDF, 12MB) between 19 June 2019 and 31 July 2019.

Consultation Statement Submission Version (WCC, November 2019) (submission document CORE_010)
Reg 19 Full Representations document (submission document CORE_011)

During this process, the council also consulted on the plan’s draft Integrated Impact Assessment that has now been submitted.

Integrated Impact Assessment (submission document CORE_006)

Informal and Regulation 18 consultation

Following the completion of a number of separate revisions to Westminster’s City Plan (in respect of basements, mixed use, special policy areas and the policies map) and the change in leadership and key Cabinet Member positions at Westminster, the council decided to undertake a full review of the entire City Plan. This provided an opportunity to renew the council’s planning policy agenda, in line with its City for All vision. It reconsidered the strategic vision, objectives, and the direction that the plan should take on a number of important areas, as well as updating facts and figures, and progressing all remaining and previously consulted upon changes as part of a single comprehensive revision, which incorporates and updates policies currently ‘saved’ in the Unitary Development Plan (2007).

On 16 June 2017 the council issued a Regulation 18 notice to consult on the scope of the City Plan full revision. This consultation ran from 16 June to 28 July 2017.

Following this the council informally consulted on a full draft of a new City Plan between 12 November and 21 December 2018.

Further information about the Regulation 18 and informal consultation process has been submitted to the Secretary of State.

Consultation Statement (WCC, June 2019) (submission document CORE_009)

To support the full revision of the City Plan, the council also consulted on a new Habitats Regulation Assessment (consultation took place in June and July 2018) and a revised and updated draft scoping report for its Integrated Impact Assessment (consultation took place between 25 August and 29 September 2017).

Habitats Regulation Assessment in the Submission Documents page (submission document EV ENV 004)
Draft scoping report for the Integrated Impact Assessment (2017 consultation version)

Last updated: 24 September 2020

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Examination of City Plan 2019-2040

1. What is City Plan 2019-2040?

2. The examination process

The planning inspectors

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Planning Inspectorate guidance

The programme officer

Examination hearings

3. Submission documents

Core submission documents

Statements of Common Ground

Evidence

General

Housing

Economy

Connections

Environment

Design and heritage

4. Examination documents

General administrative documents

Other letters and documents

Core post-submission documents

Statements of Common Ground

Evidence

General

Housing

Environment

Matters, issues and questions statements

Matter 1

Matter 2

Matter 3

Matter 4

Matter 5

Matter 6

Matter 7

Matter 8

Matter 9

5. Hearings

Guidance

Agendas

6. Previous stages

Regulation 19 consultation

Informal and Regulation 18 consultation

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