Woking Borough Council

Stages of the Core Strategy

The Core Strategy was prepared over a number of years, and went through various stages of production. The later key stages are summarised below, in reverse chronological order.

Examination and Adoption of Woking Core Strategy

Following the Council's submission of the Core Strategy Publication Document on 16 December 2011, an examination was held (between 20 March 2012 to 4 April 2012) to consider the soundness of the DPD. Details of the Core Strategy Publication Document and all other Submission Documents are available to view here. A full archive of Core Strategy Examination Documents is available here.

Following additional time to consider comments made regarding the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and planning policy for Traveller Sites (available to view here), the Inspectorate published his report on 26 July 2012. The Inspectors Report can be viewed here. The report concluded that the Woking Core Strategy provided an appropriate basis for the planning of the Borough over the next 15 years, providing a number of modifications where made.

Consultation on the Core Strategy Publication Document and Sustainability Appraisal

Consultation on the Core Strategy Publication document and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Report ran for 9 weeks and finished on Friday 23 September 2011. The Sustainability Appraisal Report (SA) assessed the environmental, economic and social implications of the policies of the Draft Core Strategy. A summary of the SA process and key documents are available here.

Representations made at this stage should have related to one of the `tests of soundness'. To be `sound', the Core Strategy should be justified, effective and consistent with national policy. It must also satisfy the legal procedural requirements and be in conformity with regional planning policy. Meeting these requirements was the Planning Inspector's main consideration. All comments on the Core Strategy should have referred to these tests. The Statement of Representations Procedure is available to download for reference.

All of the responses received were submitted to the Secretary of State in December 2011 along with the Core Strategy Publication Document (see above).

Consultation on the Draft Core Strategy

Consultation on the Draft Core Strategy ran for nine weeks from 5 November 2010 to 5pm on Friday 7 January 2011. All of the responses were analysed, and the Council compiled a report which summarised the results of the consultation, along with the officer response to them and any recommended changes to the Core Strategy. All responses received were taken in to account and used to prepare the Core Strategy Publication document.

Core Strategy Issues and Options

An Issues and Options Document was published for public consultation in October 2009. The consultation process highlighted a number of different issues and options for the future of the Borough, as well as a questionnaire for respondents to complete. The overall process lasted 6 weeks, and the responses can be found in the summarising report and the officer responses and recommendations report that was presented to Councillors in January 2010. Key documents can be found below: