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 was the final stage before the council could adopt the City Plan 2019-2040 so it forms part of Westminster’s Development Plan, together with any made Neighbourhood Plans and the London Plan 2021.
The Planning Inspectorate, a government body, appointed two inspectors that led 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.
Throughout the examination process, the planning inspectors examined the City Plan and assessed whether it:
- had been prepared in accordance with the council’s duty-to-cooperate
- was legal
- was sound
- was well evidence based
- could be delivered
- was consistent with national and regional policy
The examination hearings were carried out virtually over Microsoft Teams. They took place between 28 September 2020 and the week commencing 16 October 2020.
The council received the Inspectors’ Report on the City Plan 2019-2040 on 19 March 2021. This ended the plan’s examination.
Charlotte Glancy was the appointed programme officer for the examination process. She was an independent officer working under the direction of the planning inspectors. Throughout the examination process, the programme officer dealt with all procedural and programming matters.
