1.4 Evolution of the SWLP and Next Steps

for development. 1.4 Evolution of the SWLP and Next Steps 1.4.1 Preparing a local plan is not a one-off event and there are a number of stages to its preparation. As shown in Figure 4 (below), we are currently at Stage 4 and this stage follows three previous stages of public consultation, namely Scoping, Issues & Options and Preferred Options. The content of this version has been informed by those previous versions. The timetable for the preparation of the SWLP is set out in the accompanying Local Development Scheme (LDS) for each council, Warwick LDS and Stratford-on-Avon LDS and in accordance with the approach agreed in the respective Statements of Community Involvement (SCI), Warwick SCI and Stratford-on Avon SCI. 1.4.2 The SWLP will form part of the statutory Development Plan and directly affect how land is used and therefore it is subject to a public inquiry known as a ‘Examination in Public (EiP). The Examination will be conducted by a government appointed Planning Inspector who will scrutinise the plan against a number of legal requirements known as tests of soundness (see Figure 5 overpage). Unlike the previous consultations, there are no consultation questions to be answered and comments (called representations) on this version of the South Warwickshire Local Plan must relate to these tests. If you do not believe that the plan meets the tests, you then have the opportunity to set out what changes should be made for the plan to pass. Figure 4: Legal Compliance and Tests of Soundness Plans are ‘sound’ if they are: (a) 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; (b) Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence; (c) 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 (d) Consistent with national policy – enabling the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in this Framework and other statements of national planning policy, where relevant. 1.4.3 In December 2025 the Government published a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for consultation with the update expected from summer 2026. The Government has allowed existing plans that are already in preparation and have significantly progressed to be examined under through the legacy plan making system against the December 2024 version of National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This conforms with the draft transitional arrangements in the NPPF consultation document, confirmed by the Government’s guidance1. Notwithstanding this, the SWLP is considered to be in broad conformity with the December 2025 consultation version of the NPPF . 1.4.4 Importantly, the South Warwickshire Local Plan will set the (new) planning context for the preparation of Neighbourhood Development Plans by parish councils. When subsequently made, these neighbourhood plans will also become part of the statutory Development Plan for their area. Neighbourhood Development Plans are available to view for Stratford-on-Avon District and Warwick District. 1 Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. Rollout of the new local plan -making system. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rollout-of-the-new-local-plan-making-system/rollout-of-the-new-local-plan-making- system#preparing-a-plan-under-the-existing-sys