Havant council may reconsider local plan following criticism

An authority is considering whether to resubmit its local plan after government inspectors said it needed to be scrapped and started again.

Havant Borough Council has been disputing the plan's viability with the Planning Inspectorate since November.

In a recent letter, inspectors said the draft local plan was not sound and recommended it be withdrawn and resubmitted.

In it they raised concerns about 900 homes planned for Hayling Island.

The scheme was described as unsound due to congested traffic on the weekends and peak tourist and day visits, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The letter from inspectors said: "The significant further work that is required is likely to result in the need to revisit all aspects of the plan.

"We most strongly recommend that the best course of action in achieving the council's aim of adopting a sound plan, as swiftly as possible, is to withdraw the current plan."

They said adopting such an approach would lead to a simpler, cheaper examination and less risk of legal challenges.

Leader of the council Alex Rennie said: "The inspector has indicated that he thinks we need to resubmit our local plan and we are currently considering if this would be beneficial.

"Officers are writing up the options for councillors and we cannot comment in advance of that advice being concluded.

"However, by resubmitting, it would give us an opportunity to carry out more detailed modelling, rerun the consultation and to have the latest information on our regeneration plans.

"We are currently looking at the detail and a report will be going to planning policy committee so that members can consider our next steps."

The full council will meet on 16 March to "formally consider" the local plan and the appropriate way forward.

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