The authority was asking for 12 to 15 months to readdress the document which includes housing provision.
The Government’s Planning Inspector previously acknowledged a lack of affordable homes in the borough.
She told the council the “exceptional circumstances do exist to warrant an element of green belt release.”
But the council says it was given an unrealistic six-month deadline to address the recommendations provided in her report.
It wanted 15 months to allow for public consultations on any schemes proposed but says this has been denied.
In her letter the Inspector says: “Whilst I acknowledge that you have specifically requested that I take a pragmatic approach, the Minister’s letter is clear that pragmatism should not be used where it would be likely to require pausing or delaying the examination process for more than 6 months overall, as would be the case here.”
The Inspector is referring to the letter from Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, setting out a very specific six-month only time period for councils to rework their draft Local Plans under examination.
The Inspector writes in her response to our request for a 12-15 month timetable: “This is well beyond the 6-month overall time period set out in the Ministers letter of the 30 July 2024.”
