Local Plan Examination

The Darlington Local Plan 2016-2036 was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination on 22 December 2020.

All updates about the Local Plan Examination process, timetable and other relevant information will be made available on this page.

Planning Inspector

William Fieldhouse BA (Hons) MA MRTPI has been appointed by the Secretary of State on 4 January 2021 to conduct an independent examination of the Local Plan.

Programme Officer

Contact our Local Plan Programme Officer, Liz Sheard, by email at [email protected],by phone on 01325 406656 or by post at Town Hall, Feethams, Darlington, DL1 5QT.

Latest news and updates

View the latest news and updates

Hearing sessions

The  examination hearing sessions are now expected to start on Tuesday 25 May 2021 and take place over eight days as follows:

• Week 1: Tuesday 25 May and Wednesday 26 May 2021
• Week 2: Tuesday 15 June to Thursday 17 June 2021
• Week 3: Tuesday 22 June to Thursday 24 June 2021

Tuesday 29 June 2021 is a reserve day that could be used to continue discussion of one or more of the matters if necessary.

Due to uncertainties about what coronavirus legislation and guidance will apply at the time, and capacity issues at Darlington Town Hall, the hearing sessions will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams.  All of the sessions will be broadcast on YouTube.

The dates on which each matter will be discussed, and participants for each session,  will be set out in Inspector’s Note No. 4 which is due to be published in early April.

Examination documents

• IN1 Inspector’s Examination Guidance Note (14 January 2021) [pdf document]
• IN2 Provisional list of matters and dates for hearing sessions (23 February 2021) [pdf document]
• IN3 Preliminary questions to the Council (24 February 2021) [pdf document]
• IN4 Matters, issues and questions; participants; and hearing programme (1 April 2021) [pdf document]
• INV4 Annex 3 revised [pdf document]
• DBC1 Council’s response to the Inspector’s Preliminary Questions [pdf document]
• DBC2 Proposed Main Modification Table [pdf document]
• DBC3 Proposed Minor Modifications Table [pdf document]
• DBC4 Proposed Policies Map Amends [pdf document]
• DBC5 Statement of Common Ground between Darlington Borough Council and Historic England [pdf document]
• DBC5.1 Statement of Common Ground between Darlington Borough Council and Historic England [pdf document]
• OTH1 Study to identify boundaries of new and existing District and Local Centres

Core documents (CD)

• CD01 Darlington Proposed Submission (Reg 19) Local Plan 2016-2036 [pdf document]
• CD02 Darlington Proposed Submission (Reg 19) Local Plan Policies Map 2016-2036 [pdf document]
• CD03 Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 (Regulation 19) Sustainability Appraisal [pdf document]
• CD05 Statement of common ground including Duty to Cooperate [pdf document]
• CD07 Habitat Regulations Appropriate Assessment – Screening report [pdf document]
• CD08 Local Plan Viability Assessment [pdf document]
  • Appendix A-F [pdf document]
  • Appendix G Commercial Viability Testing [excel spreadsheet]
  • Appendix H-K [pdf document]
  • Appendix L Costar Office Lease Cops Table 2 years [excel spreadsheet]
  • Appendix M Costar Retail Lease Cops Table 2 years [excel spreadsheet]
  • Appendix N-T [pdf document]
• CD09 Draft Local Plan (Summer 2018) [pdf document]
• CD10 Darlington Borough Local Plan Issues and Scoping (2016) [pdf document]
• CD11 Darlington Local Plan 2016-2036 Sustainability Appraisal Framework [pdf document]

Procedural documents (PD)

• PD01 Consultation Statement [pdf document]
• PD02 Publication Representations
• PD03 Equality impact assessment [pdf document]
• PD04 Local Development Scheme 2020-2023 [pdf document]
• PD05 Statement of Community Involvement July 2016 Updated August 2020 [pdf document]
• PD06 Statement of Representations Procedure [pdf document]
• PD07 Summary of regulation 19 representations and Council response [pdf document]

Council topic papers

• Spatial Distribution of Development Topic Paper [pdf document]
• Climate Change Topic Paper [pdf document]
• Housing Topic Paper [pdf document]
• Transport Topic Paper [pdf document]

Supporting documents (SD)

SD01 One Darlington: Perfectly Placed. Sustainable Community Strategy for Darlington (2008-2026) (Amended 2014) [pdf document]

Design, climate change and construction

• SD03 Flood Risk Sequential and Exceptions Test (2020) [pdf document]
• SD04 Darlington Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment April 2019 [pdf document]
  • The Development Site Assessment and specific flood risk area interactive maps can be downloaded from the Local Plan microsite [external link]
• SD05 Tees Valley Authorities Local Standards for Sustainable Drainage (2015) [pdf document]
• SD06 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) 2008 [pdf document]

Housing

• SD07 Darlington 5 Year Housing Land Supply Position Statement (2020) [pdf document]
• SD08 Darlington Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 2020 [pdf document]
• SD09 Darlington Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 2017 [pdf document]
• SD10 Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)(2017) (including appendices) [pdf document, 76MB]
• SD11 Darlington Housing Strategy (2012-2017) [pdf document]
• SD12 Council’s Annual Caravan Count July 2017 [pdf document]
• SD13 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment Update (2017) [pdf document]
• SD14 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (2014) [pdf document]

Employment for economic growth

• SD15 Darlington Future Employment Needs Report 2017 [pdf document]
• SD16 Employment Land Review 2017 [pdf document]
• SD17 Employment Land Review 2012 [pdf document]
• SD18 Tees Valley Strategic Economic Plan (2016-2026) [pdf document]
• SD19 Darlington Economic Strategy (2016-2026) [pdf document]
• SD20 Experience Darlington: A Visitor Economy Strategy 2016-2026 [pdf document]
• SD21 Darlington Local Logistics Sector Study 2015 [pdf document]

Town centre and retail

• SD22 Darlington Town Centre and Retail Study, and Retail Study Update (2017) [pdf document]
• SD23 Retail and Town Centre Study (2014) [pdf document]
• SD24 Darlington Town Centre Strategy (2019-30) [pdf document]
• SD25 Town Centre Action Plan (2012) [pdf document]
• SD26 Town Centre Fringe Master Plan (2013) [pdf document]
• SD27 The Bank Top Station Masterplan [pdf document]

Environment

• SD28 Local Green Space Designation Report January 2020 Update [pdf document]
• SD29 Heritage Impact Assessment Update (2020) [pdf document]
• SD30 Heritage Impact Assessment, Solstice Heritage (2019) [pdf document]
• SD31 Landscape Sensitivity of Potential Housing Sites in Darlington Borough (2019) [pdf document]
• SD32 The Impact of Growth of Demand for Sports Facilities (2019) [pdf document]
• SD33 1825 Stockton and Darlington Railway: Historic Environment Audit (2019 revision) [pdf document]
• SD34 Heritage at Risk Register 2018 [pdf document]
• SD35 Darlington Landscape Character Assessment (2015) [pdf document]
• SD36 Darlington Playing Pitch and Sports Facility Needs Assessment and Strategy (2015) [pdf document]
• SD37 Northumbria River Basin Management Plan (2015) [pdf document]
• SD38 Darlington Green Infrastructure Strategy (2013-2026) [pdf document]
• SD39 Darlington Characterisation Study (2009) [pdf document]
• SD40 Tees Valley Local Biodiversity Species (2018) [pdf document]
• SD41 Open Spaces Strategy 2007-17 [pdf document]
• SD65 Blackwell Grange Park Statement of Significance [pdf document]

Transport and infrastructure

• SD42 Tees Valley Strategic Transport Plan 2020-2030 [pdf document]
• SD43 Tees Valley Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan 2020 [pdf document]
• SD44 Transport for the North: Strategic Transport Plan 2019 [pdf document]
• SD45 Spare reference number
• SD46 Darlington Local Transport Plan 3 (2017-2020) [pdf document]
• SD47 Darlington Local Plan Strategic Transport Modelling 2015 [pdf document]
• SD48 Tees Valley Strategic Infrastructure Plan (2014) [pdf document]
• SD49 Darlington Draft Sport and Physical Activity Strategy 2013-2018 [pdf document]
• SD50 A High Quality Place for Every Child, School Organisation Plan (SOP) 2013-2017 [pdf document]
• SD51 Third Local Transport Plan – Transport Strategy 2011-2026 [pdf document]
• SD52 Rights of Way Improvement Plan [pdf document]
• SD53 Spare reference number
• SD54 Spare reference number
• SD66 Strategic Transport Modelling Report (35MB) [pdf document]
• SD67 Coniscliffe Aimsun Modelling [pdf document]
• SD68 North Darlington Aimsun Modelling [pdf document]
• SD69 A66 Corridor Vissim Model [pdf document]

Adopted local plan documents (LP)

• SD55 Low Coniscliffe and Merrybent Parish Neighbourhood Plan (2019) [pdf document]
• SD56 Planning Obligations SPD (adopted January 2013) [pdf document]
• SD57 Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) adopted May 2011 [pdf document]
• SD58 Borough of Darlington Local Plan (1997, including adopted alterations 2001) [pdf document]
• SD59 Borough of Darlington Local Plan 1997 additional information [pdf document]
• SD60 Tees Valley Minerals and Waste Core Strategy SPD (adopted October 2011) [pdf document]
• SD61 Tees Valley Minerals and Waste Policies and Sites DPD (adopted October 2011) [pdf document]
• SD62 Revised Design of New Development SPD (adopted July 2011) [pdf document]
• SD63 Conservation Management Plan for Darlington Town Centre Fringe 2010 [pdf document]
• SD64 Tees Valley Highways Design Guide [pdf document]

Privacy notice

The Privacy Notice [external link] for the Local Plan.