Local plan examination

The council is updating the Local Plan. It sets out planning policies to guide development until 2041. 

Submission and public examination

The Local Plan Partial Update and Proposals Map were submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 9 May 2025. This began the public examination process. An independent Inspector will now assess whether the Local Plan Partial Update and Proposals Map are sound, legally compliant, and meet the duty to co-operate.

Public hearings

The examination will include a series of public hearings. We will publish the details as soon as they are confirmed.

Evidence documents

Alongside the Submission Draft Local Plan Partial Update and the Submission Draft Proposals Map, a number of supporting documents have also been submitted. These form the evidence base for the Local Plan Partial Update.

The documents are listed below. Some are available to download, while others link to external pages. This list may change during the examination period.

Who to contact

The Secretary of State will appoint an Inspector in due course. The Council has appointed a Programme Officer, Jane Greenway, who is the main contact for the examination. You can contact her at Programme.Officer@reading.gov.uk or call 0118 937 4029.

For general enquiries about the Local Plan, contact the Planning Policy Team at planningpolicy@reading.gov.uk or call 0118 937 3337. 

Local Plan Documents

Reference numberLocal plan documents
LP001Local Plan Partial Update Submission Draft May 2025
LP002List of Changes to Submission Draft May 2025
LP003aLocal Plan Partial Update Pre-Submission Draft November 2024 (without tracked changes)
LP003bLocal Plan Partial Update Pre-Submission Draft November 2024 (with tracked changes)
LP004Local Plan Partial Update Pre-Submission Proposals Map
LP005Sustainability Appraisal of Local Plan Partial Update Pre-submission Draft
LP006Statement of Consultation on the Pre-Submission Draft Local Plan Partial Update
LP007 (1 of 6)Regulation 19 representations A to E
LP007 (2 of 6)Regulation 19 representations F to K
LP007 (3 of 6)Regulation 19 representations L to O
LP007 (4 of 6)Regulation 19 representations P to S
LP007 (5 of 6)Regulation 19 representations T to U
LP007 (6 of 6)Regulation 19 representations V to Z
LP008Local Plan Partial Update Consultation on Scope and Content November 2023
LP009Local Plan Update Sustainability Appraisal Reg 18 November 2023
LP010Statement of Consultation on Local Plan Partial Update Scope and Content
LP011Local Plan Review March 2023
LP012Full Habitat Regulations Screening Tables Reg 19

Other planning policy documents

Reference numberDocuments
PP001Local Development Scheme June 2024
PP002Statement Of Community Involvement Mar14
PP003Draft Statement of Community Involvement January 2025
PP004Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report Sep14
PP005Reading Borough Local Plan 2019
PP006Proposals Map Nov19
PP007Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule January 2015
PP008Annual Monitoring Report 2023-24
PP009Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023-24
PP010Affordable Housing SPD Adopted March 2021
PP011Residential Conversions SPD Adopted March 2023
PP012Sustainable Design and Construction SPD
PP013S106 Planning Obligations SPD

Other plans and strategies

Reference numberDocuments
OP001National Planning Policy Framework December 2023
OP002Reading Transport Strategy 2040
OP003Tree Strategy March-2021
OP004READING CLIMATE EMERGENCY STRATEGY 2020-25-Final
OP005Central and Eastern Berkshire Joint Minerals and Waste Plan 2023
OP006Reading Borough Council Climate Change Adaptation Framework
OP007Playing pitch strategy
OP008Reading Biodiversity Action Plan 2021

Evidence documents

Reference numberEvidence documents
EV001Duty to Cooperate Statement May 2025
EV002Local Plan Partial Update Background Paper May 2025
EV003Local Plan Partial Update Self Assessment Toolkits, May 2025
EV004Whole Plan Assessment of Viability Reading Local Plan BPS Chartered Surveyors
EV005Infrastructure Delivery Plan
EV006Commercial Needs Assessment Volume A Final Report February 2025
EV007Commercial Needs Assessment Volume B Appendices February 2025
EV008Commercial Needs Assessment Volume C Health Checks February 2025
EV009Commercial Needs Assessment Volume D Household Survey Results February 2025
EV010Employment Area Analysis April 2025
EV011Reading Housing Needs Assessment July 2024
EV012Housing Provision Background Paper November 2024
EV013Housing Provision Background Paper Addendum April 2025
EV014Housing Implementation Strategy April 2025
EV015HELAA Volume I Main Report 2024
EV016HELAA Volume II Detailed Tables 2024
EV017Transport Modelling Part 1 – Sustainable Connectivity and Vehicle Trip Distribution Study
EV018Reading LPPU Transport Modelling May 2025
EV019Reading LPPU Transport Modelling May 2025 Appendix A
EV020Reading LPPU Transport Modelling May 2025 Appendix B
EV021Reading LPPU Transport Modelling May 2025 Appendix C
EV022Reading LPPU Transport Modelling May 2025 Addendum A4 West Berkshire
EV023Reading Tall Buildings Strategy 0308
EV024Tall Buildings Strategy Update Note 2025
EV025Water Quality Assessment Update March 2025
EV026Sequential and Exception Test LPPU 2025
EV027Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 1 November 2024
EV028SFRA Level 1 Appendix 1 A- Fluvial Flood Map
EV029SFRA Level 1 Appendix 1 B- Fluvial Climate Change Flood Map
EV030SFRA Level 1 Appendix 2 – Surface Water Flood Maps
EV031SFRA Level 1 Appendix 3 – Main Rivers and Ordinary Watercourses
EV032SFRA Level 1 Appendix 4 A- Soils Map
EV033SFRA Level 1 Appendix 4 B- Bedrock Geology Map
EV034SFRA Level 1 Appendix 5 – Reservoir Flood Maps
EV035Reading Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Appendix 6
EV036SFRA Level 1 Appendix 7 – Flood Defence Maps
EV037SFRA Level 1 Appendix 8 – Development Sites for Local Plan Update v2
EV038Reading Level 2 SFRA covering report
EV038aThe Oracle Riverside East Level 2 SFRA
EV038bPulleyn Park Level 2 SFRA
EV038cReading Boat Club Level 2 SFRA
EV038dNapier Court Level 2 SFRA
EV038e20-22 Duke Street Level 2 SFRA
EV038fNorth of the Station Level 2 SFRA
EV038gPart of Tesco Car Park, Napier Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038hCaversham Lock Island Level 2 SFRA
EV038i2 Norman Place Level 2 SFRA
EV038jPart of Tesco Car Park, Portman Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038kRiverside Level 2 SFRA
EV038lReading Bridge House, George Street Level 2 SFRA
EV038m2 Ross Road and Meadow Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038nReading Link Retail Park Level 2 SFRA
EV038oLand South of Island Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038p132-134 Bath Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038q169-173 Basingstoke Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038r784-794 Oxford Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038sLand Adjacent To 17 Craven Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038tKenavon Drive and Forbury Business Park Level 2 SFRA
EV038uCattle Market Level 2 SFRA
EV038vLand at Portman Way Level 2 SFRA
EV038wWest of Caversham Road Level 2 SFRA
EV038xGreat Knollys Street and Weldale Street Level 2 SFRA
Last updated on 22/05/2025