Candidate Site Assessment Methodology Consultation Draft

8. Examination – Adoption Stage

8.0.1 Following the Deposit Plan consultation, the Replacement LDP and its supporting evidence will be submitted for public Examination. An Inspector(s) will then be appointed on behalf of Welsh Ministers to carry out an independent Examination into the plan. The Examination will assess if the plan preparation requirements have been met and if the LDP meets the three tests of 'soundness' set out in Chapter 6 the Development Plans Manual (Edition 3).

8.0.2 The Inspector(s) will seek to ensure that the Replacement LDP is 'sound' and that all concerns have been considered. This will include consideration of whether the sites allocated in the plan are sustainable, deliverable, and viable.

8.0.3 The Inspector will also consider the representations made on the Deposit Plan that relate to the site allocations. This will include representations for amendment to the boundaries of an allocation, to propose the deletion of a site, or for the addition of new sites. Where the Inspector(s) is minded that a site should be deleted from the Replacement LDP then a 'Reserve Site' maybe selected in its place.

8.0.4 At the end of the Examination hearing sessions, the Inspector(s) will prepare a report on the 'soundness' of the submitted plan. The report will include any changes to the LDP and the reason for these changes. The findings in the Inspectors Report will be binding on the LPA which must make the changes recommended. The LPA must then decide whether to accept the changes and adopt the LDP within eight weeks of receiving the Inspectors Report.

8.0.5 It is only once the LDP has been adopted that the Replacement LDP will be able to be used in the determination of planning applications. It is at this point that submitted Candidate Sites that have successfully progressed through the process will be considered as 'allocated sites'.