Statement of Community Involvement - Previous News

Last updated 30 April 2007

A date has finally been set for the Independent Examination of the SCI. The examination will begin on June 13th, 2007 at 10am. While the Examination is likely take more than one day, The Public Hearing will be held on June 13th at 10am only. The venue is Room D at the Townhall, Peckham Road, SE5 8UB. Click here for a map.

Those who have submitted an objection at the last stage of consultation (which took place between may and June 2006) and have requested to present your objections at the Hearing of the Independent Examination, will have received a letter from Southwark Council announcing the appointment of the Inspector and the date of the Examination and Hearing.

If you believe you should but haven't been contacted by Southwark Council on this matter, you should contact them as soon as possible at planningpolicy@soutwark.gov.uk. Please note that only if you have submitted an objection and explicitely requested to take part in the Independent Examination, you can still be involved.

The purpose of the independent examination is to consider if the statement of community involvement is sound. The independent examination will include a public hearing where those who have requested to present their comments in person will be heard.

The inspector's Report will become binding upon the Council and give direction to either adopt, make changes or withdraw the SCI.

I have received a letter. What do I do now?

1. Get more information:

  • The Department for Communities and Local Government has published Policy Guidance on the Independent Examination of SCI. This is available as Annex D of the Planning Policy Statement 12 and as Chapter 9 of the Companion Guide to PPS12. Both are available for download at DCLG.
  • The Planning Inspectorate has also published two brief guides on the examination of the SCI and on the Test of Soundness. They are both available here.

2. Submit any further material in support of your objection to Southwark Council who will then forward it to the Planning Inspector.

  • You can submit any additional document that you would like the Inspector to receive prior to the Examination either by post to Southwark Council at
    Planning Policy
    Chiltern
    Portland Street
    London SE17 2ES)
    or by email to planningpolicy@soutwark.gov.uk
  • Please make sure that all correspondence clearly says 'SCI EXAMINATION'.
  • All additional material must reach Southwark Council by Sunday, May 20th 2007.

3. Be aware that the Planning Inspector may contact you before, during and after the process of the Independent Examination and ask you to clarify your objections. He will do so by referring to one or more of the tests of soundness.. Which questions do the Tests of Soundness ask?

What is the Statement of Community Involvement

The SCI is one of the documents that comprise the new Local Development Framework and is statutory: each local planning authority must adopt one.
The SCI sets the council's policy for community involvement. It should meet the minimum legal requirements for consultation while at the same time being tailored to the local authority’s circumstances.

Once adopted, failure to comply with it could result in Inspector recommending that a Development plan document be withdrawn or rejected.

Last updated 21 June 2007

Read more about the SCI