I would be grateful if you could confirm the position regarding consultation on the Statement of Community Consultation.

The invitation to local authorities to comment on a developer's draft SoCC is a formal part of the process as set out in the 2008 Planning Act. Section 47 requires that before preparing the SoCC, the developer must consult each relevant local authority about what is to be in the statement. The developer must set a deadline for the local authority's response which is not less than 28 days. The developer must then 'have regard' to any response received from the local authority during that period. I would highlight that the statutory requirement is upon the developer to consult local authorities, and there is no statutory duty upon LAs to respond, although it is of course encouraged.