Respond to formal consultations

As well as general engagement in the process, there will be a clear timetable that sets out several periods for you to submit formal comments or representations at various stages in the process.

The local authority has to publicise its proposals by

• Advertising
• Putting them on its website
• Displaying them at its main office.

Watch out for the publicity. Ideally, you should know in advance when this consultation is to take place.

Commenting on the local development scheme
Some local planning authorities may consult on their local development schemes, but they do not have to.

Even if you are able to contribute ideas to the local development scheme, you won't have a formal chance to comment on the final scheme.

However, you can write to the secretary of state, asking him to require changes.

Ask yourself the following

• Is there an area that will benefit from an area action plan, which will enable more detailed and site-specific policies and proposals?
  
  
• What has been left out?
• You may want supplementary planning documents on topics such as village design statements
  
  
• Have all the policies that are important or affect specific sites been included as development plan documents?
  
  
• Have adequate technical studies been proposed to provide the information base needed for preparing the documents?
  
  
• Are the chosen priorities right?
  
  
• Are the timescales for preparing documents realistic?
  
  
• Has your local planning authority clearly indicated its intention to review out-of-date policies and guidance?
  
  
• Commenting on proposals
  
  
• Study the proposals carefully and submit your comments within the period allowed: the law allows no leeway on late submissions.

Are there

• Issues you want included which are currently missing?
  
  
• Sites or areas of land that you would like to see removed or allocated (or not allocated) for a particular purpose?
  
  
• Different policies you would like to see, or changes to proposed policies
  
  
• Alternative options and ideas of your own?
  
  
• If you object to a proposal, be sure to give clear reasons why
  .
• Be as specific as you can
  
  
• What parts do you support?
  
  
• What has been missed out?
  
  
• What do you want changed?
  
  
• Documents are meant to be 'sound': does this document meet or fail that test?~
  
  
• How could it be made more sound?
  
  
• Do you want to present arguments for any of your changes in person at the public hearing?
  
  
• Use the local authority's response form if possible, with a separate one for each 'representation', or comments.

It is vital that you make it clear how you would like something changed, for example, whether something should be dropped, is missing or should be amended.

Giving evidence to a public hearing
There is a lot of information and advice available on giving written and oral evidence to public hearings. Use it before you take part.

There is no need to feel daunted!

Focus your evidence on issues of 'soundness', such as whether the evidence on which the proposals are based is flawed, whether the local authority followed its statement of community involvement and whether proposals contradict national policies.

Specifically invite the inspector in charge of the hearing to address these in his or her conclusions and recommendations.