Examination overview

The Portsmouth Local Plan was formally submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 18 March 2026.

The Secretary of State has appointed Inspectors Timothy Parton BA(Hons) MPLAN MRTPI, Darren McCreery BA (Hons) MA MRTPI, and Mark Philpott BA (Hons) MA MRTPI to hold an independent examination of the Portsmouth Local Plan.

The role of the appointed inspectors is to carry out an independent assessment of the overall soundness of the Local Plan and ensure that it satisfies the statutory requirements for its preparation. To do so, the inspector will assess the Local Plan, the evidence on which it was created, and all the representations submitted during the Regulation 19 public consultation.

The role of the Programme Officer is to independently undertake the administration of the examination under the direction of the appointed Planning Inspector(s). The Programme Officer will liaise between the Planning Inspector(s), Portsmouth City Council and the interested parties for the duration of the Local Plan examination. All communications are handled by the Programme Officer.

The Programme Officer can be contacted as follows:

Kerry Trueman

Programme Officer Solutions Limited

• Email: programmeofficer@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Phone: 07582 310364
• Post: Pendragon House, 1 Bertram Drive, Meols, Wirral, CH47 0LG

We will update the examination timeline once we have more information.

Following the submission of the Local Plan along with its evidence base and the Regulation 19 representations, the Planning Inspectorate aims to appoint an Inspector within three weeks.

In the initial weeks after the Inspector’s appointment:

• The Inspector makes an initial assessment of the plan and makes contact with the Programme Officer
• The Inspector looks for any fundamental flaws in respect of soundness or legal compliance and may write to the Council in the first instance if there are major concerns.
• The Inspector may write to the Council with questions on other matters.
• The Inspector determines the matters and issues for discussion at the hearings and prepares the initial hearings timetable and a guidance note for participants.
• If the Inspector considers it necessary, the Council (and other participants) are asked to submit information or statements on specific issues. These should not be submitted unless requested by the Inspector.
• The Inspector confirms the start date for the hearing sessions. The Council must advertise the opening of a hearing at least 6 weeks in advance.
• The Programme Officer publishes the initial timetable for the hearing sessions, the matters and issues for discussion and the Inspector’s Guidance Note.
• The Council and other participants are allowed 2-3 weeks to prepare any statements or other information requested by the Inspector and submit them to the Programme Officer.
• The Programme Officer checks that they have been received and placed on the examination website, so that all participants have access to them.
• The Programme Officer clarifies and confirms participants’ attendance at the hearings.

For further information on the examination process including how to take part in examination, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.