Local Plan examination hearings to resume this week

The Local Plan is the council's principal planning policy document and sets out the vision, objectives, spatial strategy and planning policies for the district. Once adopted, it will provide the basis for determining planning applications and managing development across the district up to 2041.

The Secretary of State has appointed three Planning Inspectors to examine the council's submitted Local Plan.

As part of Stage 2 of the examination, hearing sessions will take place over three days from 10 November, before resuming for a further three days from 24 November and continuing into the week commencing 1 December 2026.

A timetable for the hearing sessions has been prepared by the Planning Inspectorate. As the programme may be amended by the Inspectors, anyone wishing to follow proceedings is advised to check the timetable regularly for any changes.

The hearing sessions will consider matters previously raised during the Regulation 19 consultation stage of the Local Plan process. The Planning Inspectors have invited the council and respondents who submitted representations on the matters under discussion to provide statements and participate in the sessions.

No further representations are being invited by the Planning Inspectorate at this stage. The hearing sessions are not public participation events and attendance, whether online or in person, is for observation only unless individuals have been specifically invited to take part by the Planning Inspectors through the Programme Officer.

As capacity in the Council Chamber is limited, members of the public are encouraged to follow proceedings online. The hearing sessions will be livestreamed and can be viewed at: www.harborough.gov.uk/council-meetings

The timetable for the hearing sessions can be viewed at: www.harborough.gov.uk/info/20004/planning_strategy/643/hearing_sessions

Further information about the examination, including correspondence from the Planning Inspectorate and hearing arrangements, can be found on the council's dedicated Local Plan Examination webpage at: www.harborough.gov.uk/info/20082/local_plan_examination