How to make a Representation on the Regulation 19 Consultation

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Background

South Gloucestershire Council’s new Local Plan, which will guide growth and development across the area for the next 15+ years, has now reached its Regulation 19 stage. This is a key part of the formal consultation process before the plan is submitted to the government’s Planning Inspector for examination.

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What is Regulation 19?

The Regulation 19 consultation is the final opportunity for residents, businesses, developers, and other stakeholders to provide feedback on the Local Plan. This stage focuses on the soundness and legal compliance of the plan, ensuring it meets national planning policies and supports sustainable growth in our communities, environment, and economy.

 

Consultation Period

The 6-week consultation runs from 28 February 2025 to 11:59pm on Friday 11 April 2025.

After this stage, the plan will be submitted for independent examination, where a government-appointed Planning Inspector will assess it based on the feedback received.

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Have Your Say

This is your last chance to shape the future of South Gloucestershire before the plan moves forward. Make your voice heard by submitting your comments before the deadline.

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Making a Representation

Anyone can make make a representation at this stage, but feedback must focus on the following three key areas:

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1. Is the plan sound?

The tests of soundness are set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Plans are sound if they are:

• 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 authorities 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 the NPPF.

 

2. Is it legally compliant?

The questions concerning legal compliance are asking whether the policies meet the legal requirements of 20(5) (a) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

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3. Has it been prepared in accordance with the duty to co-operate?

The Duty to Cooperate refers to the legal obligation (under the Localism Act 2011) of local planning authorities to work collaboratively with neighbouring authorities, relevant agencies, residents, landowners and other key stakeholders to address shared planning issues and challenges. 

When considering duty to cooperate, the Council wants to know if you believe that throughout the drafting of policies, the council has planned strategically, shared relevant information and engaged in meaningful dialogue and engagement with other bodies and stakeholders.

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Only Valid Representations will be Submitted

The Council says it welcomes representations from local people and other stakeholders and all valid representations (i.e. those meeting the above criteria) will be submitted with the plan for consideration by a Planning Inspector.

 

If you wish to make a representation seeking a modification to this section of the plan, you should set out clearly in what way you consider it is legally non-compliant or unsound, having regard as appropriate to the criteria.

 

The Council will use your feedback to make final changes to the plan and then submit it (together with your representations) for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.

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There's plenty of information on the Council's Regulation 19 website to help you to prepare your response to the three questions above.

 

Instructions for Submitting a Representation

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Please note that the Planning Inspector requires feedback to be submitted in a specific format in order for it to be considered.

1. It is not possible to save your submission part-way through

2. You cannot submit a representation anonymously

3. Your representation should be supported by evidence wherever possible

4. You should provide succinctly all the evidence and supporting information necessary to support your representation

5. If you have multiple points to make, you must submit them separately

6. Submit group representations as one single response

7. Decide whether you want to take part in a hearing​

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