Submission of the St Cuthbert's Local Plan

Cumberland Council submitted the St Cuthbert's Local Plan to the Secretary of State on 31 October 2025

On Friday 31^st October 2025, we submitted the St Cuthbert’s Garden Village Local Plan to the Government for examination. Our Local Plan sets out the long-term strategic planning framework to deliver approximately 10,000 homes, land for jobs, schools, shops and services set within an extensive network of strategic green and blue infrastructure.

The submitted Local Plan and full range of supporting documents are available to view on the St Cuthbert’s Garden Village website https://www.stcuthbertsgv.co.uk/Examination

The Local Plan, the Policies Map, the Sustainability Appraisal and the Regulation 22 Statement can also be inspected in person at Cumbria House,117 Botchergate, CA1 1RD and the Civic Centre Offices, Rickergate, Carlisle, CA3 8QG between the hours of 09:00 until 17:00 Mon – Thurs and 09:00 until 16:00 Friday. If you wish to view any of the evidence base documents or the representations made at Regulation 20, these can be viewed at the Civic Centre offices provided that you give us 24 hours’ notice.

Government has appointed an independent Planning Inspector to assess whether the Local Plan has been properly prepared, is effective, and aligns with national policies. We have also appointed a Programme Officer who will act as the contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination. The role of the Programme Officer is to work on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the examination process. All correspondence or queries relating to the Examination should be directed towards her on the following contact details:

Carole Crookes, Independent Programme Officer Solutions: 07397 909822. Email: [email protected]. 

The Planning Inspector is expected to begin the examination, which will include a series of public hearings, in the coming months. A final decision will be reached following the examination, in 2026, and if deemed sound, the Local Plan will then be presented to the Council for adoption.

Residents, community groups, businesses, neighbouring local authorities, statutory bodies, and other organisations have played a key role in shaping the document through consultations. We have published the “Schedule of Responses and Feedback Report” (October 2025) which responds to every comment made to the last round of consultation (namely the Regulation 19 stage) held between March to May 2025. The need for any changes to the policies or the policies map, including any changes that you have suggested, will be considered by the appointed Inspector during the forthcoming Examination alongside the comments that were submitted to the Regulation 19 consultation stage.

Consultation on the St Cuthbert's Local Plan has now closed St Cuthbert's Local Plan Examination: Appointment of Inspector