PRESS RELEASE Sevenoaks Neighbourhood Development Plan – Revised Timetable

Published: 25 March 2021

Prepare Final (Regulation 16) Plan for initial submission to Sevenoaks District Council (SDC).

By 31st March 2021

Seek Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) scoping opinion from SDC.

early April 2021

Sign off Final (Regulation 16) Plan with Neighbourhood Plan (NP) Steering Group / Planning Committee

April 2021

Prepare Consultation Statement and Basic Conditions Statement

April 2021

Submit the Neighbourhood Plan formally to SDC. (assuming that an SEA is not required)

Once the plan is submitted to SDC (with the Basic Conditions

Statement and Consultation Statement) they will be responsible for:

a) publicising the plan for a six-week period (Regulation 16).

b) notifying anyone referred to in the consultation statement that

the plan has been received; and

c) appointing an independent examiner.

Any representations received on the plan during the 6-week

consultation period will be passed to the independent examiner for

consideration. At this stage, the examiner will only be concerned

about whether the Plan meets the Basic Conditions (i.e., is in

conformity with planning policy) not any other comments about its

contents.

May 2021

Examiner’s report

At the end of the 6-week period the independent examiner will issue

a report to SDC and the Town Council and may make recommendations on modifications required to the plan prior to going to referendum.

July / August 2021

Modify Neighbourhood Plan in response to Examiner’s recommendations (if required)

August / September 2021

Referendum - Autumn 2021

Assuming that the plan is found to be satisfactory then SDC will organise a referendum. They will need to publicise these 28 working days before the referendum is held.

If more than 50% of those voting in the referendum vote yes to support the plan, then it becomes a part of the statutory development plan.