Examination Latest News

29 September 2026

• HDC20: Issues and Options Sustainability Appraisal

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24 September 2026

• Stage 2 of the Examination Hearing Sessions will commence at 10am on Tuesday 10th November 2026 within The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG. Key documentation for the Stage 2 Hearing Sessions is set out below:
  • ID11: Timetable for Examination Stage 2 Hearings 
  • ID10: Panel Note 9 - Examination Hearings Guidance Note
  • ID 9: Panel Note 8 - Stage 2 MIQs

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21 September 2026

• HDC19: TRP-NLP 4A Joint Transport Evidence Costing Mitigation - Updated Report (July 2026)
  * Unredacted version following publication of Blaby District Council’s Draft Local Plan (regulation 19) (August 2026).

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14 September 2026

• HDC18: Harborough and Oadby and Wigston Local Plan Education Delivery Strategy
  • HDC 18A: Appendix 1 Harborough Local Plan Allocations
  • HDC18B: Appendix 2 Oadby and Wigston Local Plan Allocations
  • HDC18C: Appendix 3 Estimated Primary Pupil Growth
  • HDC 18D: Appendix 4 Estimated Secondary School Growth 
  • HDC18E: Appendix 5 Early Years Provision

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14 September 2026

• HDC17: Housing Land Supply Small Site Summary Table
• HDC16: Water Cycle Study Note
• HDC15: Statement of Common Ground on Strategic Warehousing and the A5
• HDC14: Transport Topic Paper (Part Two) September 2026
• HDC13: Preliminary Scheme Design (Local Highways)
• HDC12: Updated Local Plan Viability
• HDC11: Updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan
  • HDC11A: IDP Infrastructure Delivery Schedule September 2026

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19 August 2026

• ID8 - Panel Note 7 - Transitional Arrangements Post Hearing Letter

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17 August 2026

• HDC10: Transport Topic Paper (Part 1) Aug 2026
• HDC 9: Leicestershire County Council Highways SoCG

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13 August 2026

• HDC 8: Director's Opening Statement for inclusion in Examination Library and for the Inspectors

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11 August 2026

• HDC 7: Planning Judgement Case - Judgment referred to in the Council’s evidence at the hearing on 12 August. The Panel was referred to paragraph 24. It is the Council’s position that it shows how the NPPF (including transitional arrangements) is guidance and therefore open to the Panel in the exercise of their own planning judgment to depart from this guidance (even when it is expressed in unqualified terms) when the circumstances justify that. Such circumstances include where doing so would be most consistent with achieving sustainable development, in accordance with national objectives.

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11 August 2026

• Local Plan Examination Stage 1 Hearing Wednesday 12th August 10am

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10 August 2026

• HDC 6: Council's response to Panel Note 6
  • HDC 6A: Stage 1 Baseline Infrastructure Needs Assessment July 2024

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03 August 2026

• HDC 4D: North of Market Harborough SoCG signed 31 July 2026

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22 July 2026

• ID7: Panel note 6 Transport and VA work

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21 July 2026

• ID6 V2: Timetable for Harborough Examination

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17 July 2026

• HDC 5: Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (December 2018)

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30 June 2026

• HDC4: Council’s response to Panel Note 2 (ID2)
  • HDC 4A: Open Space Strategy Review 2026
    • Accompanying appendices and supporting information
  • HDC 4B: Statement of Common Ground between Harborough District Council and Historic England April 2026
  • HDC 4C: Statement of Common Ground between the Local Authority Partners comprising Harborough District Council and Oadby & Wigston Borough Council and the ‘Development Partners comprising Homes England and Urban&Civic relating to the Land South of Gartree Road Strategic Development Area June 2026

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25 June 2026

• Stage 1 of the Examination Hearing Sessions will commence at 10am Wednesday 12th August 2026 within The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG. The Stage 1 hearing will consider whether the Plan should be examined against the December 2023 National Planning Policy Framework under the transitional arrangements in paragraph 234(a) of 2024 National Planning Policy Framework. Key documentation for the Stage 1 Hearing Session is set out below:
  • ID 4: Panel Note 4 Stage 1 MIQs
  • ID 5: Panel Note 5 Inspectors Stage 1 Guidance Note
  • ID 6: Timetable for Stage 1 Harborough Examination

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​19 June 2026

• HDC3: Council's response to Panel Note 3
  • Appendix 1: Reg 19 reps - Transition arrangements - Extract from S-NLP1

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​16 June 2026

• ID3: Panel Note 3 Preliminary Questions

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12 June 2026

• HDC2: Council's response to Panel Note 2
  • Appendix 1: Schedule of Proposed Modifications amended following PN2
  • Appendix 2:  Deliverable sites 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033 by category
  • Appendix 3: LP Allocations (Housing Land Supply Templates)
  • Appendix 4: Non allocation major sites (Housing Land Supply Templates)
  • Appendix 5: Leicester and Leicestershire Updated Housing Mix Evidence April 2026
  • Appendix 6: Explanatory Note - Leicester and Leicestershire Updated Housing Mix Evidence April 2026

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2 June 2026

• ID 2: Panel Note 2 Preliminary Questions
  • ID 2B: Annex to Panel Note 2 - Schedule of Proposed Modification (2 June 2026)
  • ID 2A: Annex 1 to Panel Note 2 - Housing Land Supply (2 June 2026)

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20 May 2026

• HDC 1: Council's response to Panel Note 1

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15 May 2026

• ID1: Panel Note 1 Introductory Letter to the Council

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5 May 2026

• Planning Inspectors R Barrett MRTPI IHBC, L Nurser BA (Hons) MA DipUP MRTPI and W Cooper BA (Hons) MA CMLI have been appointed to conduct an independent Examination of the Harborough Local Plan.

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17 April 2026

• The Harborough Local Plan 2020-2041 was submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government.