WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Harriett Baldwin has shared her concerns about the protracted inspection of the South Worcestershire Development Plan during a meeting with Planning Minister Brandon Lewis.
Harriett met with the Minister to urge him to ensure that local Planning Inspectors reflect the progress made to complete the local plan when judging on planning permission appeals.
The meeting follows an interchange of letters between Harriett and the Planning Inspectorate chief executive Simon Ridley about the progress being made to complete the examination of the SWDP.
Harriett commented: “I met with the Minister to raise concerns from my local district councillors about the inconsistent approach Inspectors take when looking at planning appeals.
“I have passed on my feedback on the progress of the SWDP and he offered his support as we try to bring the plan to the final stages of formal consultation.
“Simon Ridley has written to me this week to reassure me about the current delays to the plan. He was also confident that his Planning Inspectors will take the progress of the SWDP into account as long as it is clearly communicated in the evidence submitted to the appeal.
"The weight given to the emerging plan are exponentially greater the nearer the Inspector is to completing his work."