Main modifications consultation frequently asked questions
What is being consulted on now?
As part of the Local Plan examination process, the independent Local Plan Inspectors have identified Main Modifications that they consider necessary to ensure the Plan is legally compliant and sound. Only the Inspectors can identify Main Modifications. These are changes to the Regulation 19 Local Plan. The Council has identified some Additional (Minor) Modifications, which are provided for completeness only.
The consultation is focused on the Inspectors Main Modifications, with the accompanying updated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment, and not on the other contents of the Regulation 19 Local Plan. Comprehensive consultation has been completed prior to this consultation on the contents of the draft Local Plan. The Planning Inspectors are considering comments in line with the proposed Main Modifications in relation to their ‘legal compliance’ and ‘soundness’.
Any comments made during earlier stages of the Local Plan have been considered by the Inspectors during the examination process. Any comments made on the contents of the Local Plan that are not subject to Main Modifications will not be considered at this stage. The consultation is not an opportunity to re-state points previously made (these have been considered by the Inspectors during the Examination process), to raise new representations to the submitted Ashfield Local Plan 2023 to 2040, or to seek further changes to that document.
Modifications explained
Main Modifications are changes to the Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan that will affect the ‘soundness’ and ‘legal compliance’ of the plan.
The changes have been proposed by the Planning Inspectors as part of the examination process.
The Main Modifications propose changes that will enable the Local Plan to be formally adopted. The proposed Main Modifications consist of a Schedule of Modifications in the order that they appear in the plan.
The Inspectors undertaking the Local Plan Examination, Philip Mileham BA(Hons) MA MRTPI, and Graham Wyatt BA (Hons) MRTPI, have produced the Modifications, which the Council is consulting on.
This is without prejudice to the Inspectors’ ultimate conclusions and recommendations on the Plan.
Additional modifications are minor changes which do not affect the Plan’s ‘soundness’ or materially affect the Plan’s policies.
We have chosen to include a list of minor amendments to the Plan which are published alongside the consultation. There are separate schedules of modifications for both the Main and Additional modifications.
Please note that the Additional modifications have been published for completeness only and do not form part of the formal consultation.
We have produced a Schedule of main and additional modifications which details any changes to the publication Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan.
The modifications are set out in order of the Local Plan, with the policy reference and paragraph number in separate columns.
The proposed additions are recorded by highlighted underlined text and deletions are recorded through as strikethroughs in the text.
We have produced a Schedule of policies map modifications for information and the changes shown are either as a result of other changes proposed or are factual updates. The Schedule of policies map modifications should be read in conjunction with the Schedule of main modifications, the latter on which comments can be submitted.
The Schedule of policies map modifications shows any changes between the Policies map as previously submitted, and the modifications version in a visual form for ease of reference.
In December 2024 the government announced changes to planning as part of their commitment to increasing delivering of new homes, including a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). However, as the Council have already progressed to this stage in preparing the new Local Plan there are transitional arrangements. Therefore, the Examination continues under the 2023 version of the Framework under which the Plan was submitted.
The Inspectors are only looking for comments relating to the Main Modifications and the supporting consultation documents in relation to the ‘soundness’ of the plan and legal compliance, not in relation to recent government announcements on planning.
Commenting on the Main Modifications
Anyone can comment on the consultation, and the Council and the Planning Inspectors will review all consultation responses. We welcome comments from residents and stakeholders on the proposed Main Modifications and supporting consultation documents.
The Council will not be responding to the consultation responses, however a report on the Consultation will be taken to the Council’s Local Plan Development Committee and Cabinet in due course.
The Inspectors will consider the consultation responses when writing their final report on the Local Plan. All consultation responses on the Main Modifications will be considered and could lead to further modifications or if the Inspectors decide necessary further public hearings. The Inspectors will consider whether the Local Plan is considered to be sound prior to adoption.
A copy of the consultation and supporting documents, alongside the representation form and guidance note are available to view as follows:
- Online
- At the main Council office address:
Urban Road
Kirkby in Ashfield
Nottinghamshire
NG17 8DA
For office opening hours please see:
- link: Main office
- At the following locations across the District (excluding the Sustainability Appraisal Report Addendum and the Habitat Regulations Assessment):
- Sutton in Ashfield Library, Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton
- Kirkby in Ashfield Library, Ashfield Precinct, Kirkby
- Selston Parish Hall, Mansfield Road, Selston
- Hucknall Library, South Street, Hucknall
For library opening hours please see:
- website: Find a library - Inspire culture
We welcome your comments on the Main modifications. The consultation will run from 17 June to 30 July 2026.
No late representations will be accepted.
To respond to the consultation online please visit:
We encourage comments electronically to reduce the processing time for comments. Wherever possible we would appreciate submissions in Word format that allow us to cut and paste the representations. This will speed up our process of summarising the representations and passing on to the Inspectors.
Responses can also be made through post. Paper copies of the representation forms are available at the document viewing locations as detailed above.
Please include the relevant Main modification reference when making comments.
The consultation is only looking for comments relating to the Main modifications and supporting consultation documents in relation to the ‘soundness’ of the plan and legal compliance.
Please see the Main modifications consultation page for the list of documents the Council is seeking comments on:
Comments on any other part of the Local Plan will not be considered at this stage as there was opportunity to comment on this during previous rounds of consultation.
All comments made prior to this stage were considered during the examination period by the Inspectors.
There is no need to repeat comments that were made in previous rounds of consultation.
Legal compliance relates to whether the Local Plan meets legal requirements including the duty to cooperate with relevant organisations.
Soundness comprises 4 components:
- Positively prepared – the plan should be prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is practical to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development
- Justified – an appropriate strategy, taking into account the reasonable alternatives, and based on proportionate evidence
- Effective – the plan should be deliverable over its period (in this case 15 years) and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic matters
- Consistent with national policy – the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the Framework.
The Planning Inspectors will consider all comments received on the Main modifications consultation.
The Planning Inspectorate requires for respondents to give their details and therefore responses cannot be made confidentially.
Anonymous representations will not be considered.
Comments will be attributed to individuals and organisations and will be passed on to the Planning Inspectorate.
The representations will be made publicly available on our website for transparency.
Signatures, telephone numbers or email addresses will not be published on the website.
Alongside the Schedule of Main Modifications and Schedule of policies map modifications, the consultation is supported by an updated Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and the updated Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA).
Following the consultation, we will forward all representations to the Planning Inspectors for their consideration.
The Inspectors will consider all responses along with what has been presented throughout the examination period to determine whether the Local Plan is considered ‘sound’ and legally compliant.
The conclusions will be presented in a written report of their final recommendations including the Main modifications necessary to make the plan sound.
We can then move forward to adopt the Local Plan once the recommendations from the Inspectors have been included.
Page last updated 17 June 2026
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