Local Development Framework

Latest news 

The Regional planning policy page has details of current consultations which have implications for the preparation of the Local Development Framework.

  • Public consultation on the partial review of the draft South East Plan.  Number of pitches to be provided for Gypsies, Travellers and  Travelling Showpeople, 1 September - 21 November 2008.

Local Development Framework

The Government has introduced a new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act which changes the way in which development plans are prepared. The Act came in to place in September 2004 and, as a result, the Council will replace its Local Plan with a Local Development Framework (LDF) in accordance with the new system.

Details of the new system can be found on the Planning Portal website.

Local Development Scheme

The Council has produced a Local Development Scheme (LDS) which sets out a full programme and timetable for producing the documents that will make up the LDF. The latest version of the LDS was approved by the Council's Executive at its meeting on 1 November 2007 and has now been submitted to and agreed by the Government Office for the South East.

Development Plan Documents

The Local Development Framework will consist of three Development Plan Documents (DPDs). The DPDs that the Borough Council will produce are:

Core Strategy - sets out the vision, objectives and spatial strategy for the area. All other DPDs must be in conformity with the Core Strategy. The Core Strategy will set out how the Borough Council will meet known and anticipated development requirements to 2026, including the number of dwellings required. It will also set out policies against which planning applications will be determined.

Site Allocations - this will identify and allocate specific locations in the borough where major development will take place in accordance with the vision and spatial strategy set out in the Core Strategy. The Council will start work on this document at the end of the year.

Statement of Community Involvement - this is the Council's service level agreement with stakeholders and the community, covering engagement in the plan-making process. The Council's Statement of Community Involvement was adopted in February 2007.

Proposals Map

The Council is required to include a Proposals Map in its Local Development Framework, which explains geographically the adopted policies and proposals of the Development Plan Documents.

Supplementary Planning Documents

The Council will also produce Supplementry Planning Documents (SPDs) to support DPDs. The number to be produced will become clearer as DPDs are produced. These will include:

Sustainability Appraisal

The Borough Council must undertake a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of each DPD and SPD. The purpose of SA is to ensure that sustainability considerations are integrated in to the preparation and adoption of these plans. SA will identify and report on the likely significant effects of a DPD or SPD and the extent to which implementation of the plan will achieve the social, economic and environmental objectives by which sustainable development can be defined.

Local Development Framework Research and Monitoring

The Council produces monitoring reports which are published periodically. A full list found on the publications page . A number of research projects have been undertaken by the Council in order to inform the Local Development Framework.