Examination

Introduction

The draft Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan (the 'Plan') includes policies on a range of matters including character, heritage, community uses, retail, offices, housing, cultural uses, transport and the environment.

If adopted, it will become part of Westminster’s statutory development plan and will be used alongside the Council’s own planning documents and the Mayor’s London Plan in determining planning applications in the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Area.

Referendum

To meet the requirements of the Localism Act 2011, a Referendum will be held on Thursday 18 October 2018 at Kent House Knightsbridge, Rutland Gardens, London SW7 1BX.

The referendum question will be:

'Do you want Westminster City Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for the Knightsbridge Area to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?'

Further information on the Referendum, including a copy of the referendum version of the Plan (which incorporates all of the Examiner’s recommended modifications), is provided below:

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum version)_WCC 030918

Referendum timetable_WCC 030918

Information Statement WCC 100918

Notice of Referendum_WCC_130918

Notice of Poll_WCC_101018

General information on planning and neighbourhood planning_WCC 030918

Please note comments made by the Examiner in her final report about Westminster's UDP 'saved' policies and that the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan explains that '...a number of policies in the Westminster Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 2007 have been 'saved' and form part of the development plan' (para 0.3 on page 7).

Further details regarding the Referendum will be added in due course.

Decision statement

On Tuesday 21 August 2018, the Council decided to accept all of the Examiner’s recommended modifications to the draft plan. A copy of the decision statement can be viewed below.

It is also available for inspection, alongside the Examiner’s report and the 'Referendum version' of the Plan, during normal opening hours at Mayfair and Victoria Libraries and at the Council’s offices at 5 The Strand and Portland House, Brassenden Place.

WCC decision statement 210818

The plan will now proceed to a Referendum.

Examination

The Council appointed Ms Jill Kingaby BSc (Econ) MSc MRTPI as independent examiner (the 'Examiner') for the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan.

The Examiner has now considered the draft plan and all submission documents, all representations received and subsequent modifications proposed to it. The examination into whether the draft plan meets the ‘Basic Conditions’ has now concluded, and the Examiner's recommendations are set out in the report below.

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan Examiner's Report dated 10 July 2018

Appendix 2_Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan 2017 to 2037

When the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan was originally submitted to the Council, it formed three parts – the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan, the Knightsbridge Evidence Base Document and the Knightsbridge Management Plan.

Following an initial review of the documentation submitted to her, the Examiner determined that the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan should be treated as a stand alone document and that the other documents comprise supporting, evidential material that should be treated separately and not be subject to Examination (see document ED08 Examiner's letter 18.04.18 below).

Nevertheless, the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum has updated the Knightsbridge Evidence Base Document and the Knightsbridge Management Plan to reflect comments received on them during the Regulation 16 consultation and to ensure consistency with the modifications made to the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan subsequent to their submission to the Council.

These supporting documents provide context for the policies in the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan and set out actions the Forum wishes to pursue over the plan period. The Forum has published the updated documents together with its best practice guidance on its website here.

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum version)_Summary 210818

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum version)_210818

Knightsbridge Evidence Base Document_210818

Knightsbridge Management Plan_210818

1. Westminster's webpage

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/NP-knightsbridge

2. Responses to the Regulation

Westminster's consultation on the Submission Version of the Plan ran from 20 December 2017 to 14 February 2018. 99 responses were received with over half coming from organisations including businesses. The majority of responses from residents, organisations and businesses were supportive of the Plan.

Responses 1-25

Responses 26-51

Responses 52-54

Responses 55-57

Responses 58-70

Responses 71-99

3. Submitted documents

Part One: Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan

Part Two: Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan

Part Three: Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan

Basic Conditions Statement

Consultation Statement