Erewash Borough Council has confirmed it will seek to formally withdraw its Core Strategy Review later this month, following intervention by the Planning Inspector overseeing the examination.
A letter now published by the council, dated 2 January 2026, shows that senior planning officers have accepted the Inspector’s position that the housing plan cannot proceed in its current form.
The letter, sent by Steve Birkinshaw, Head of Planning and Regeneration at Erewash Borough Council, to Planning Inspector Kelly Ford, confirms that councillors will be asked to withdraw the plan at the next full Council meeting on 22 January 2026.
Inspector Offered Two Clear Options
The Planning Inspector had previously written to the council on 12 December 2025, setting out her concerns with the Core Strategy Review.
In that letter, she offered the Local Planning Authority two options:
- Withdraw the plan immediately
- Or withdraw the plan after formally acknowledging that it is unsound
In his response, Mr Birkinshaw confirms that the council will pursue withdrawal, stating that authority will be sought from elected members at the upcoming Council meeting.
What the Letter Says
In the published correspondence, Mr Birkinshaw writes:
“Thank you for your letter of 12 December 2025 setting out your current views on the examination of the Erewash Core Strategy Review. You offer the Local Planning Authority two choices; to withdraw the plan now, or to withdraw the plan after you have written a report finding it to be unsound.
Consequently, I shall seek authority to withdraw the plan at the next meeting of Council, which is 22 January 2026.”
The letter confirms that the council has accepted the Inspector’s assessment and is no longer attempting to defend the plan through the examination process.
What This Means for Erewash and Ilkeston
The withdrawal of the Core Strategy Review is a major setback for Erewash Borough Council’s planning framework.
The Core Strategy Review was intended to set out where thousands of new homes would be built across the borough over the coming years, including significant development proposals affecting Ilkeston and surrounding areas.
Without an adopted and up to date local plan, the council remains more vulnerable to speculative planning applications, with developers more easily able to argue that proposals should be approved due to the absence of a sound housing strategy.
It also means years of work, consultation, and examination have not resulted in an adopted plan, raising further questions about how future housing targets will be addressed.
What Happens Next
If councillors approve the withdrawal on 22 January, the current examination will come to an end.
The council would then need to decide whether and when to begin work on a new local plan, a process that typically takes several years and involves fresh evidence gathering, public consultation, and examination.
For residents, community groups, and town councils, the decision is likely to reignite debate around housing numbers, site selection, infrastructure, and whether lessons have been learned from the failed review.
Ilkeston News will continue to follow developments closely and report on the outcome of the Council meeting later this month.
Timeline: Erewash Core Strategy Review
- 30 November 2022
Erewash Borough Council submits its Core Strategy Review to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination. - June 2024
Public examination hearings take place as part of the formal review process. - April – May 2025
The council carries out a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Core Strategy Review during the examination. - 26 June 2025
Erewash Borough Council publishes its Consultation Statement and updated Evidence Base relating to the amended plan. - 21 November 2025
The Planning Inspector writes to the council advising that the Core Strategy Review is likely to be found unsound and that withdrawal should be considered. - 12 December 2025
The Inspector’s INS11 letter and the council’s formal response (EBC18) are published in the examination library, setting out two options – withdraw the plan or proceed to a finding of unsoundness. - 2 January 2026
Senior planning officers at Erewash Borough Council write to the Planning Inspector confirming they will seek authority from councillors to withdraw the Core Strategy Review. - 22 January 2026 (scheduled)
Councillors are due to consider formally withdrawing the Core Strategy Review at a full Council meeting. If approved, the examination process will come to an end.
18 December 2025: https://ilkeston.news/news/planning/planning-inspector-tells-erewash-council-to-stop-arguing-and-make-a-decision-on-housing-plan/
8 December 2025: https://ilkeston.news/news/council/erewash-council-hits-back-at-inspectors-criticism-of-boroughs-housing-plan/
24 November 2025: https://ilkeston.news/news/council/erewashs-long-term-development-plan-hits-major-trouble-as-inspector-warns-its-still-not-good-enough/
One Comment
Jeez what a total waste of time and money. Why not listen to residents, Kirk Hallam experts in the first place