The Head of Planning and Regulatory has submitted a report to endorse the consultation required by regulations for the Headington Neighbourhood Plan.

Recommendations: That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.    AGREE that the legal tests have been met.

2.    ENDORSE the consultation on the submitted Headington Neighbourhood Plan

3.    PROCEED with the neighbourhood planning process by submitting with the outcome of the consultation exercise, the draft plan for independent examination

The Head of Planning and Regulatory submitted a report seeking endorsement for the consultation required by regulations for the Headington Neighbourhood Plan.

Councillor Hollingsworth, Board Member for Planning and Regulatory Services presented the report. He thanked officers for the work done.  The timing of the decision was important to fit the election timetable, which is not absolute but as long as there are no legal challenges it should be met.

He reiterated that the Board was being asked to just endorse the process and it was not the time to comment on the document, but to agree that all legal hurdles had been met and the draft plan could move to the next stage.

The Planning Policy Manager explained that it was the first Neighbourhood Plan in the city.

The Vice Chair of the Headington Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee thanked officers for all the work they had done to assist the committee in the development of the draft plan.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    Agree that the legal tests have been met.

2.    Endorse the consultation on the submitted Headington Neighbourhood Plan

3.    Proceed with the neighbourhood planning process by submitting with the outcome of the consultation exercise, the draft plan for independent examination