Cherwell Local Plan - Independent Examination

Latest News and Updates

All the latest news and updates about the examination

Date Latest news and update
09/07/26 Due to work commitments, Inspectors  J Ayres BA Hons, Solicitor and D Hendley BA(Hons) MA MRTPI are no longer able to carry out the examination of the Cherwell Local Plan and Inspector D Spencer BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI  has been appointed in their place.  Inspector Spencer has written to the Council  concerning the next steps in the Examination of the Local Plan and his letter can be viewed in the Examination documents at CLPR/ED62.
20/05/26

The Inspectors have published a note on their Post Hearing letter. Their note can be viewed in the Examination documents at CLPR/ED61.

20/05/26 A number of Strategic Risk Flood Assessments Level 2 for proposed allocations have been submitted and can be viewed in the Examination documents at CLPR/ED60A through to CLPR/ED60G.
24/03/26 The Inspectors have written an interim post hearings letter to the Council which is available at CLPR/ED59 in the Examination documents.
03/03/26 The Council have submitted the documents requested by the Inspectors at the recent hearing sessions.  The documents can be viewed in the Examination documents at CLPR/ED47A and CLPR/ED55 through to CLPR/ED58 inclusive.  
17/02/26 The Council have submitted an updated schedule of proposed Modifications to the Local Plan and this can be viewed in the Examination Documents at CLPR/ED50
12/02/26 Further documents have been uploaded to the examination documents with the references CLPR/ED45 through to CLPR/ED48 inclusive. 
21/01/26 A Statement of common Ground between Cherwell DC, National Highways and Oxfordshire County Council is available in the examination documents at CLPR/ED44
20/01/26 A Statement of common Ground between Cherwell DC, National Highways and Oxfordshire County Council is available in the examination documents at CLPR/ED44.
14/01/26 The Council has submitted a group of documents that can be viewed in the Examination Documents at CLPR/ED30 through to CLPR/ED40 inclusive. 
09/01/26 The Programme and Participants List for the hearing sessions in February is now available on the Hearing Sessions page.
05/12/25 The Inspectors have confirmed that the first week of hearing sessions will take place w/c 16 February 2026.  Please see the Hearing Sessions page for further information. 
24/11/25

The Council have submitted the information requested by the Inspectors in their initial letter to the Council - CLPR/ED2.  The documents are available in the Examination documents with the reference numbers CLPR/ED4 through to CLP/ED25 inclusive

Week Commencing 16 February 2026 has been provisionally identified for the first week of hearing sessions.  Please see the Hearing Sessions page for further information. 

22/10/25 Council's reply to the Inspectors' initial letter at CLPR/ED3
10/10/25

The Inspectors have written to the Council with their initial questions.  Their  letter can be accessed in the Examination documents at CLPR/ED2

28/08/25 Inspectors J Ayres BA Hons, Solicitor and D Hendley BA(Hons) MA MRTPI from the Planning Inspectorate have been appointed by the Secretary of State to conduct the examination of the Local Plan.
31/07/25

Cherwell District Council submitted its Cherwell Local Plan Review 2042 to the Secretary of State for Independent Examination on 31 July 2025.