You should note that under ‘Part 6 - Development plan documents' of the regulations there is no change to the process from examination onwards.
Independent examination
(Regulation 34)
The local authority is required to publish the time and place of the independent examination hearing sessions, along with the name of the inspector, on their website at least six weeks before the examination opens. They must also advertise the matter locally. Anyone who has made representations (and not withdrawn them) must also be directly notified of the details.
Publishing the inspector's recommendations
(Regulation 35)
The local authority is required to publish the inspector's recommendations and their reasons as soon as practicable after the day on which the plan is adopted by full council. The recommendations and reasons must be published on the local authority's website, made available for viewing at the locations where previous documents have been placed under new Regulation 27, and notice of them given to anyone who requested such a notice.
If the Secretary of State has given a direction to the local authority, then the publication of recommendations and reasons should be carried out as above as soon as reasonably practicable after the receipt of that direction.
Adoption of a development plan document
(Regulation 36)
The local authority must make an adopted development plan document, along with the adoption statement and sustainability appraisal report, available as soon as reasonably practicable after the local authority has adopted that plan. These should be advertised for inspection at the locations where previous documents were placed under new Regulation 27. The adoption statement must be published on the website.
Where the plan is adopted, a statement must be published outlining:
- how sustainability considerations have been integrated into the development plan document
- how the options and consultation responses received on the development plan document and sustainability appraisal reports have been taken into account
- the reasons for choosing the development plan document in light of other reasonable alternatives
- monitoring measures.
An advert must also be published that contains the adoption statement and the availability of the plan for inspection (including the places and times at which the document can be inspected).
The adoption statement must also be sent to anyone who requested to be notified of the adoption of the development plan document, the consultation bodies and anyone who made representations following publication. The development plan document and adoption statement must be sent to the Secretary of State.
Withdrawal of a development plan document
(Regulation 37)
If a development plan document is withdrawn by the local authority at any time prior to adoption, it must publish a statement of that fact on the website and give notice by local advertisement as soon as is reasonably practicable after the plan is withdrawn.
The local authority must also notify about the withdrawal anyone who was sent a copy of the proposed submission documents under new Regulation 27. There is also a duty to notify anyone who made a representation under new Regulation 28 and who had not subsequently withdrawn it.
All documents, matters and statements relating to the development plan document must be removed from the website and from any locations where such material was made available under new Regulation 27.
The local authority must also remove from the website all matters published in relation to the independent examination under new Regulation 32.