PART 2LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Local development plans
17Joint plans
1
Two or more councils may agree to prepare—
a
a joint plan strategy; or
b
a joint plan strategy and joint local policies plan.
2
This Part applies for the purposes of any step which may be or is required to be taken in relation to a joint plan strategy or a joint local policies plan as it applies for the purposes of any step which may be or is required to be taken in relation to a plan strategy or local policies plan.
3
For the purposes of subsection (2) anything which must be done by or in relation to a council in connection with a plan strategy or a local policies plan must be done by or in relation to each of the councils mentioned in subsection (1) in connection with a joint plan strategy or local policies plan.
4
Subsections (5) to (7) apply if a council withdraws from an agreement mentioned in subsection (1).
5
Any step taken in relation to the joint plan strategy or joint local policies plan must be treated as a step taken by—
a
a council which was a party to the agreement for the purposes of any corresponding plan strategy or corresponding local policies plan prepared by it;
b
two or more other councils who were parties to the agreement for the purposes of any corresponding joint plan strategy or corresponding joint local policies plan.
6
Any independent examination of a plan strategy or a local policies plan to which the agreement relates must be suspended.
7
If before the end of the period prescribed for the purposes of this subsection a council which was a party to the agreement requests the Department in writing to do so the Department may direct that—
a
the examination is resumed in relation to the corresponding plan strategy or corresponding local policies plan;
b
any step taken for the purposes of the suspended examination has effect for the purposes of the resumed examination.
8
In this section and in section 18—
a
a joint plan strategy is a plan strategy prepared jointly by two or more councils;
b
a joint local policies plan is a local policies plan prepared jointly by two or more councils.
9
The Department may by regulations make provision as to what is—
a
a corresponding plan strategy;
b
a corresponding local policies plan.