Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 5
Core Values in the North East 
We all know that within the Profession opinions differ about the new LDF system. I myself have remained sceptical, retaining a certain fondness for the familiarity of single UDP and Local Plan documents, even though I regarded producing such Development Plans under the old set up as somewhat like being pulled through a thorny hedge very slowly indeed, only to find once you reached the other side that the world had moved on.
Over the past two years I have also attended several seminars and conferences on the new LDF system, including those organised as part of the Yorkshire Conference series. Furthermore I have written pieces for publication within the pages of Root and Branch (soon to change its moniker) summarising the views expressed and discussed at these various gatherings. Consequently, I am ashamed to admit that I never managed to attend either of last year's Examinations into our Region's first two LDF Core Strategies to reach that stage of preparation - Ryedale and Hambleton, despite them both being within relatively easy reach of my base in North Yorkshire.
However, in early February 2007 I rectified this situation and improved my knowledge of the Examination process by attending one of the last sessions of the Examination into the Core Strategy of a Local Planning Authority in a neighbouring Region - that of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, whose Examination by then had been open for a fortnight. Apart from generally wanting to see what happens at one of these things, there was another driver for my attendance. I had helped the Council as an external consultant with the production of Topic Papers and Examination Statements, so I had a strong desire to see if all my hard work was proving to be of any use!
So what was my experience on the day? Well, the first thing to say is that the session was run very efficiently by the Inspector, so much so that the six strategic issues on the agenda had been discussed in the round by all participants within the space of 40 minutes. The session opened at 10.00 am and closed at 10:40 am with everyone having had their say. This was a major revelation for me contrasting with my previous experience of lengthy and antagonistic UDP and Local Plan Inquiries in the 1990s.
The second significant thing that struck me was the way in which certain participants' cases unravelled very quickly because they had no evidence to show that the Council's proposals were unsound and they failed to offer any realistic alternatives supported by evidence. To be frank, these participants looked rather foolish and were rapidly exposed by the new format. It seems to me that objecting to a Core Strategy just because you have what you think is a slightly better wording for a policy or because you have wish to add some bells and whistles is pointless, especially if, fundamentally, a policy or set of policies will serve your objectives. Some participants failed to grasp this subtlety and probably thought that if they simply turned up and said their piece, this would magically win out over the Council's preferred options. The Inspector was incredibly patient and kind to these people - hopefully next time they won't bother attending such an Examination!
As a consultant advising private clients, what I took away from the Examination was the lesson that 'if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it' - in other words, if the plan is sound and you can live with it, leave it alone and don't bother objecting - write in and support it instead. Otherwise you will be wasting your time and involving your clients in unnecessary fees.
As a consultant advising local authority clients, what I took away from it was - make sure you have all the answers to the Inspector's questions and the evidence, the lesson here being 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail'. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council had the answers and the evidence. A well-prepared Core Strategy or other DPD will not simply just 'survive' a Examination - it should sail through. The session attended was nothing like the maulings I experienced as a Local Government Planning witness at old-style Development Plan Inquiries - it was civilised, quick and believe it or not, enjoyable. I certainly hope the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council get the green light on their Core Strategy - we need as many examples of how to do it right as possible given some of the early Reports that have emerged from Bristol. Good luck neighbours, fingers crossed!
Mick McLoughlin
MJM Planning
