‘Examination Update

 

Following the hearing which was held on 29 April, the Examiner has considered the procedures regarding the possible need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment. He has concluded that while the intentions of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Regulations 2004 (EAPPR) have been followed to a very large extent, in the screening report carried out in October 2013 and amplified in Appendix A to the Council’s letter of 22 January 2015, the procedure that has been followed has not fully complied with the regulations.  Although the Parish and Borough Council, and statutory consultees are of the opinion that the Earls Barton Neighbourhood Plan would not have significant environmental effects, neither council has made a formal determination in accordance with regulation 9, nor followed the requirements for publicity for any determination in regulation 11 of the EAPPR.  The Examiner has therefore decided to suspend the examination of the Earls Barton Neighbourhood Plan to allow a determination in accordance with regulation 9 of the EAPPR.  As the determination and any other documents associated with it are in the list of documents to be submitted to the Examiner under regulation 15 of the Neighbourhood Plan Regulations they should first be published in accordance with regulation 16 for a minimum period of 6 weeks.  When the Examiner has received these documents he will resume his examination and complete it as soon as possible.’