The Uttlesford Council Local Plan Panel met to discuss updates to the Local Plan, including modifications suggested after the Examination in Public (EiP) hearings in June. The panel also was scheduled to discuss the next steps in the plan's adoption.

Local Plan Main Modifications

The Local Plan Panel was scheduled to receive an update on the Local Plan, which had been subject to Examination in Public (EiP) hearings in June. During the hearings, the examining inspectors noted a number of required modifications to the Local Plan. Following the hearings, the inspectors published a post-hearing note which set out their provisional conclusions and further 'main modifications' to the Local Plan. These modifications now form the basis of a public consultation.

The report presented to the panel was intended to brief them on those 'main modifications' (MMs). According to the report, further detail was to be provided verbally at the meeting.

The report stated that the main modifications required are a decision for the inspectors, and that the panel was not being asked to consider further changes to them. It also noted that main modifications must be subject to public consultation, but that this consultation would be without prejudice to the inspectors' final conclusions.

The schedule of main modifications was published for consultation. An update to the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment have also been produced to ensure the impacts of modifications are fully considered in those terms.

The report summarised some of the key main modifications:

• MM2: Updates the table in Core Policy 2 (CP2) with the latest housing completions and commitments figures, and reduces larger village and Newport allocations from 900 to 847.
• MM3: Adds a Local Plan review policy as CP2a in case an appropriate five-year land supply position is not demonstrated around six months after plan adoption.
• MM5: Adds a review mechanism (CP6a) so that if Newport Parish Council does not have a 'made' neighbourhood plan with sufficient allocations to deliver its housing requirement within two years after the local plan is adopted, then the council will instead make the allocations in either a Local Plan Review or other Development Plan Document.
• MM7: Deletes CP8, which seeks to safeguard land south of Saffron Walden for a future section of link road between Thaxted Road and Newport Road, because the inspectors do not consider the road is required to deliver any of the strategic site allocations included in the Plan at Saffron Walden, and there is no evidence that the land in question is under threat of development for other purposes.
• MM8 and MM9: Updates to the site template maps at Great Dunmow and Takeley. The Dunmow map is given greater clarity and the Takeley map removes the recently allowed Bulls Field application from the allocation.
• MM10: Updates the policy on Stansted Airport, separating aerodrome safeguarding from operational matters into a new Policy CP32a, modifying the reference to parking such that control over off-airport parking becomes part of general parking policies, and simplifying the airport designation in CP11.
• MM11: Amends CP13 to make provision for safeguarding land between Takeley 4 Ashes and Taylors Farm Employment Area for a shared use cycle/ walking facility, and routes between Takeley to London Stansted Airport. The land safeguarded for a potential road access from Taylors Farm to the A120 is unchanged.
• MM14: Deletes CP18, which proposes to safeguard an area of land adjacent to Forest Hall Secondary School to prevent other development precluding the potential for its future expansion, because the inspectors consider there is insufficient justification to show that there is a need to expand Forest Hall Secondary School during the Plan period.
• MM16: Reduces the housing numbers required in larger villages in CP19, because there have been more permissions and completions since Regulation 19¹.
• MM19: Makes a minor change to the wording of CP22, the policy on Net Zero.
• MM40: Amends CP60 to reflect that the council must prepare a separate Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document that will allocate new Gypsy and Traveller sites sufficient to meet the identified need.
• MM63: Changes the map in Annex 9 to remove the Airport's balancing ponds from the CPZ as required by the Inspectors.

The report stated that once the main modification consultation closes all responses will be sent to the Local Plan Inspectors to consider before they prepare their final report. In line with the government's examination process, comments should relate only to the identified wording changes in the schedule, and comments on other matters are not being sought.

The inspectors will consider all the representations made on the proposed main modifications before finalising their examination report. Further hearing sessions will only be held the inspectors consider them essential to deal with substantial issues raised in the representations.

Assuming there are no further hearings needed, the inspectors' final report is likely to be received before the end of the calendar year. It will set out the finalised main modifications, provide an assessment on 'soundness' and of 'legal compliance' and include an overall recommendation on whether the plan should be adopted with or without main modifications, or that it should not be adopted. Following receipt of the report a further meeting of the Local Plan Panel will be held (likely early in 2026) to review the inspectors' report and make a recommendation to Cabinet and Council. From there (and assuming the Inspectors consider the plan can be adopted), the matter will be put to full Council for adoption in accordance with the Local Development Scheme (LDS) Programme.

Minutes from Previous Meetings

The panel was scheduled to approve the minutes from their previous meeting.