Examination of proposed Local Plan to begin this week

The independent examination of Harborough District Council's proposed Local Plan will begin this week, marking a key stage in the process to establish planning policies and guide future development across the district until 2041.

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 framework for determining planning applications and managing development across Harborough district up to 2041.

The Secretary of State has appointed three Planning Inspectors to carry out the examination of the submitted Local Plan. The examination process is led by the Planning Inspectorate, which is responsible for managing the timetable, hearing sessions and overall examination process.

The first stage of the examination will take place on Wednesday 12 August 2026. This focused hearing session will consider whether the Local Plan should be examined against the December 2023 National Planning Policy Framework under the transitional arrangements set out in paragraph 234(a) of the 2024 National Planning Policy Framework.

The Planning Inspectors have invited the council and those respondents who previously commented on this matter during the Regulation 19 consultation to submit statements and participate in the hearing session.

The consultation period for the Local Plan has now ended and the Planning Inspectorate is not inviting further submissions from any other parties at this stage. Other than information specifically requested by the Planning Inspectors, no further representations, evidence or written material should be submitted to the examination. There will be no opportunity to speak at the hearing session unless participants have been specifically invited in advance by the Planning Inspectors through the Programme Officer.

Following the hearing session on 12 August, the examination will continue during the weeks commencing 9 November, 23 November and 30 November 2026. Further details about the matters to be discussed during those sessions will be published in due course.

Anyone wishing to follow the progress of the examination can visit the dedicated Local Plan Examination page at: www.harborough.gov.uk/info/20082/local_plan_examination, which is regularly updated with correspondence from the Planning Inspectorate, examination documents and hearing arrangements.

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