Worthing Local Plan Submission & Examination

Update - March 2023: Worthing Borough Council formally adopted the Worthing Local Plan 2020-2036 at Full Council on 28th March 2023. To view the adopted Worthing Local Plan please see:

Previous update: The Inspector's report was issued to the Council on the 14th October 2022. The report concludes that, subject to the inclusion of a number of modifications listed in the report, the Submission Draft Worthing Local Plan is sound and legally compliant and provides an appropriate basis for planning in the borough.

On 8th November 2022, Members of the Joint Strategic Sub-Committee considered a report relating to the Inspector's findings. It recommended to Full Council (28th March 2023) the adoption of the Worthing Local Plan (including modifications) and Policies Map.

The Worthing Local Plan was formally submitted to the Secretary of State on Friday 11th June 2021 for independent examination.

Maps: Please note that due to the size and complexity of the maps they cannot be accessibility checked. If you need assistance with the map documents please contact the Planning Policy Team: planning.policy@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Notices and statements:

Schedule of Proposed Changes (Modifications)

Throughout the examination sessions, various changes to the Local Plan will be identified. The schedule will be kept up to date as the examination progresses (Note: the schedules of proposed changes linked below are now superseded by the schedules linked on the Main Modifications Consultation page of the Council's website. However, they have been retained here to demonstrate how this has been an iterative process):

Schedule of Proposed Minor Modifications:

Schedule of Representations & Officer Responses:

The Inspector

Steven Lee BA(Hons) MA MRTPI has been appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State to hold an independent examination of the Worthing Local Plan. The inspector's task is to consider the soundness of the submitted plan and whether it is legally compliant. The Programme Officer (see below) in due course will send out an Introductory Letter to all Duly Made Representors.

The consideration of the soundness of the local plan will be considered based on the criteria set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). These criteria are whether the plan is:

  • Positively prepared: providing a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the area's objectively assessed needs; and is informed by agreements with other authorities, so that unmet need from neighbouring areas is accommodated where it is practical to do so and is consistent with achieving sustainable development;
  • Justified: an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence;
  • Effective: deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground; and
  • Consistent with national policy: enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework.

Correspondence from the Inspector:

Council's Response to the Inspector:

Further Statements by Respondents:

Programme Officer (PO)

Mr Chris Banks has been appointed as the Programme Officer for the Local Plan examination and will deal with all procedural and administrative matters.

Chris Banks is independent of the Council and reports directly to the inspector. He will act as a channel of communication between the Inspector and all parties including the council officers and representors.

Any queries about the examination, accessibility or any correspondence to the inspector should be sent via email to:

By post to:

  • Chris Banks, c/o Banks Solutions, 64 Lavinia Way, East Preston, West Sussex, BN16 1EF

You can also contact Chris Banks by calling:

  • Tel: 01903 783722
  • Mobile: 07817 322 750

Examination Process

If you wish to find out more about how the examination will be carried out, the Planning Inspectorate has produced a useful guide.

Examination Library

The examination library contains a list of documents submitted for examination and background evidence documents that have informed the Worthing Local Plan Submission Version. It also contains documents relating to the examination and will be updated as the examination progresses.

Evidence Base

The Local Plan has been informed by a range of evidence based studies. Key studies include:

  • Strategic Housing Market Assessment
  • Worthing Employment Land Review
  • Worthing Town Centre Retail Study
  • Worthing Landscape and Ecology Study
  • Joint Sport, Leisure and Open Space Study
  • Strategic Flood Risk Assessment
  • Infrastructure Delivery Plan
  • Transport Assessment

All studies can be found on the Evidence Base webpage.

Duty to Co-operate

Supporting documents

Local Plan Route Mapper

The Route Mapper has been prepared by the Planning Advisory Service to assist Councils as they progress Local Plans. It provides advice on project planning and management which has helped in scoping and developing an approach to the Council's policies update which is appropriate and proportionate to Worthing. This work also provides a detailed assessment of conformity and soundness in line with the requirements of the NPPF.

Representations

Regulation 19: Submission Draft Worthing Local Plan Consultation (January 2021)

The Council undertook a consultation on the Submission Draft Local Plan for a period of eight weeks which commenced on 26th January and closed on 23rd March 2021. Representations received during this period have been submitted for examination along with the other submission documents as well as a summary of the main issues which were raised in each of the consultations.

Regulation 18: Draft Worthing Local Plan Consultation (October 2018)

The Council undertook a consultation on the Preferred Options Draft Worthing Local Plan in October 2018. Please note that representations submitted during this consultation have not been submitted for examination.

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Page last updated: 29 March 2023

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