Main Modifications consultation
Following the Hearing sessions Inspector Bridgwater proposed a number of changes to the Local Plan known as ‘Main Modifications’, which he considers are necessary to make the Plan ‘sound’ and/or legally compliant. The proposed Main Modifications have been subject to a Sustainability Appraisal by the Council and an Addendum report to the Sustainability Appraisal has been produced. A public consultation on the proposed Main Modifications took place from April 3 to May 15, 2025.
This consultation is on the proposed Main Modifications only and not on matters relating to other aspects of the Plan, which have already been considered by the Inspector during the Examination process and/or hearing sessions. Before issuing his final report, the Inspector will consider all relevant responses, and may make amendments to the detailed wording of the Main Modifications and/or add consequential modifications where he considers this necessary.
Please note that the questions at this final stage are technical in nature and relate to the legal compliance and soundness of the Plan. It’s helpful to have some prior knowledge of the Local Plan but you do not need to have taken part in previous consultations to respond. The proposed Main Modifications are accompanied by supporting consultation documents, all of which are on both the Examination document website and the consultation website.
Consultation Documents:
- Schedule of proposed Main Modifications and appendices
- Atlas of Change
- Sustainability Appraisal Addendum
Inspector and Hearing Sessions
We submitted our Draft Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate for examination on Friday 25 November 2022. On Friday 16 December 2022 the Planning Inspectorate appointed Jameson Bridgwater PGDipTP MRTPI to hold an independent examination of the Spelthorne Local Plan.
2023 and 2025 Hearing sessions
Week 1 of the Hearing Sessions were held between Tuesday 23 May 2023 and Thursday 25 May 2023.
Following the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 6 June 2023 where a motion was agreed to pause the remainder of the Local Plan examination hearings, the Chief Executive wrote to the Planning Inspector to put forward this request on behalf of the Council. The Chief Executive’s letter and the response from the Inspector can be found below:
The 2025 Public Hearing sessions covering Weeks 2, 3 and 4 were held 28 January 18 February 2025. The Programme of Hearing Sessions includes participants for each day.
Chief Executive’s letter to the Inspector – 7 June 2023
Inspector’s letter to Chief Executive – 8 June 2023
Programme Officer
The Programme Officer is responsible for the day to day administration of the examination before, during and after the hearing sessions; their role is to provide administrative support to the examination and provide the channel of communication between the Inspector, the LPA and the other participants in the examination outside of the hearing sessions.
Our Programme Officer is Charlotte Glancy
The Programme Officers contact details are:
Charlotte Glancy
Local Plan Programme Officer
C/O Banks Solutions
80 Lavinia Way
East Preston
West Sussex
BN16 1DD
Tel: 01903 776601
M: +447519 628064
What happens during the Examination process?
The Planning Inspectorate has produced a helpful series of short videos which explain the the Local Plan preparation and Examination process. These can be viewed on their YouTube channel by following the links below:
Further information about the examination process can be found here:
Procedure guide for Local Plan Examinations
Local plans: taking part in examinations
