INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WAREHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN

EXAMINER: Bob Yuille MSc DipTP MRTPI

Mr. K. W. T. Critchley

Wareham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

Sue Bellamy

Purbeck District Council

Examination Ref: 01/BY/WNP

25 February 2019

Dear Mr Critchley and Ms Bellamy

WAREHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN EXAMINATION

Following the submission of the Wareham Neighbourhood Development Plan (the Plan) for examination, I would like to clarify a number of procedural matters.

Examination Documentation

I can confirm that I am satisfied that I have received a complete submission of the Plan and accompanying documentation, including the Basic Conditions Statement, the Consultation Statement and the Regulation 16 representations, to enable me to undertake the examination.

Subject to my detailed assessment of the Plan, I have not at this initial stage identified any very significant and obvious flaws in it that might lead me to advise that the examination should not proceed.

Site Visit

I will let you know in due course when I intend to undertake a site visit to the Plan area. This will assist in my assessment of the draft Plan, including the issues identified in the representations.

The site visit will be undertaken unaccompanied. It is very important that I am not approached to discuss any aspects of the Plan or the neighbourhood area, as this may be perceived to prejudice my independence and risk compromising the fairness of the examination process.

Written Representations

At this stage, I consider the examination can be conducted solely by the written representations procedure, without the need for a hearing. However, I reserve the option to convene a hearing if I deem it necessary to ensure the adequate examination of an issue, or to ensure that a person has a fair chance to put a case.

Further Clarification

I anticipate I will, in due course, have a number of questions seeking clarification. However, I have delayed framing these, awaiting the outcome of discussions on a Statement of Common Ground between Natural England and Wareham Town Council. When I have received this, I will set out my questions.

Examination Timetable

As you will be aware, the intention is to conduct the examination (including the site visit) with a view to providing a draft report (for ‘fact checking’) within 4-6 weeks of submission of the Plan.

However, given I need to wait for the Statement of Common Ground, and I will need to allow time for any questions I may raise to be answered, the examination timetable will be extended. Please be assured that I will aim to keep any delay to a minimum. The IPe office team will seek to keep you updated on the anticipated delivery date of the draft report.

If you have any process questions related to the conduct of the examination, which you would like me to address, please do not hesitate to contact the office team in the first instance.

In the interests of transparency, may I prevail upon you to ensure a copy of this letter is placed on both the local authority and Town Council websites.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Your sincerely

Bob Yuille

Examiner