Inspector Geoff Salter was asked to make a ruling on the legality of AVDC's sustainability appraisal, which calculates the merits of various plots of land around Aylesbury.

Objectors said the appraisal was legally flawed because it did not consider all of the sites on an equal basis and contained errors and updated information which did not inform their Core Strategy.

If Mr Salter had ruled in the objectors favour, it could have resulted in the suspension of the hearings.

But in a statement released at the weekend Mr Salter, who is charged with deciding if the council's plan is sound, said he considered the appraisal to be legally compliant.

He said: "I have come to the conclusion that the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) process for the Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) Core Strategy (CS) was legally compliant.

"The reasons for this decision, will be circulated in summary form on Monday.

"In essence, I have come to the view that the procedures and process carried out by the Council were not manifestly so unreasonable as to fail the legal test of compliance.

"This decision has been taken without prejudice to my consideration of the soundness of the CS on its substantive merits.

"I remain of an open mind about the merits of the strategy itself, which I will consider after due reflection when I have heard all the evidence of all parties on the questions identified in the hearings programme.

"The Examination Programme will proceed as programmed, including the revision agreed at session 3 for the Aylesbury Growth Arc."