Cabinet, at their meeting on 9th April 2025, granted approval to officers to proceed with the independent examination of the Littlemore Neighbourhood plan and also delegated the Director of Planning and Regulation authorisation to proceed with the referendum.

The City Council appointed an independent Examiner, Andrew Ashcroft BA (Hons), MA, DMS, MRTPI to examine whether the Littlemore Neighbourhood Plan met the basic conditions as set out in Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and whether the Littlemore Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a referendum. Following the conclusion of the examination, Mr Ashcroft has submitted a report, which recommended a series of modifications so that the Littlemore Neighbourhood Plan is able to comply with the ‘basic conditions’ and other relevant statutory provisions, and that the draft plan as modified can be submitted for referendum.

Having considered the recommendations made by the examiner’s report, and the reasons for them, the Director of Planning and Regulation takes the delegated decision to accept the modifications made to the submitted draft plan and proceed to the referendum stage within a reasonable timescale.