A local development framework is the

spatial planning Spatial planning mediates between the respective claims on space of the state, market, and community. In so doing, three different mechanisms of involving stakeholders, integrating sectoral policies and promoting development projects mark the th ...

strategy introduced in

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...

by the

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c 5) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was promoted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It substantially reforms the town planning and compulsory purchase framework in th ...

and given detail in

Planning Policy Statements Planning Policy Statements (PPS) were UK government statements of national policy and principles towards certain aspects of the town planning framework. In recent years they only applied to England. However, they still exist within the Northern Iri ...

12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining the framework is the responsibility of English district councils and Welsh principal area councils.

Background

Planning Policy Statement 12: Creating Strong Safe and Prosperous Communities through Local Spatial Planning (commonly abbreviated as PPS 12), is a document produced by the British Government that sets out the Government's policy on the preparation of

local development documents A local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining th ...

which will comprise the local development framework. The current version was introduced in June 2008 and replaces the original PPS 12: Local Development Frameworks which was produced in 2004. The local development framework replaces the previous system of

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

level structure plans and district level

local plan A development plan sets out a local authority's policies and proposals for land use in their area. The term is usually used in the United Kingdom. A Local Plan is one type of development plan. The development plan guides and shapes day-to-day dec ...

s, and

unitary development plan In United Kingdom planning law, a unitary development plan (UDP) is a development plan prepared by a metropolitan district, London Borough or some unitary local authorities. Background UDPs contains policies equivalent to those in both a str ...

s for

unitary authorities A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governme ...

. The previous system was perceived as being too inflexible and difficult to change in a timely manner. The local development framework system is intended to improve this situation by replacing the old plans with a new portfolio of

local development document A local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining th ...

s that can be tailored to suit the different needs of a particular area and can be easily updated. The frameworks were prepared within a regional spatial strategy (RSS) prepared for each

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

by the Secretary of State (specifically the

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president ...

). Local development frameworks were required to have regard to the RSS until they were abolished in 2010. All PPS were replaced by the

National Planning Policy Framework The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a land-use planning policy in the United Kingdom. It was originally published by the UK's Department of Communities and Local Government in March 2012, consolidating over two dozen previously is ...

in 2012. Chapter 3 sets out the requirements for plan-making.

Composition

The local development documents ''taken as a whole'' must set out the authority's policies relating to the ''development and use of land'' in their area. In the case of LDDs included in a minerals and waste development scheme, the LDDs together must also set out the authority's policies relating to minerals and waste development. Each framework will be a folder containing a number of inter-related documents. The Core Strategy, development plan documents and statement of community involvement are compulsory, with other documents being optional.

Local development scheme

This is a public 'project plan' which identify which

s will be produced, in what order and when. The local development scheme acts as the starting point for the community and stakeholders to find out about the local authority's planning policies in respect to a particular place or issue, and what the status of those policies is. It also outlines the details of, and timetable for the production of all documents that make up the local development framework over a three-year period. All local authorities submitted their local development schemes to the Secretary of State by the end of March 2005

Development plan documents

These include the

Core Strategy Document In the United Kingdom, a core strategy document is the key compulsory local development document specified in planning law. Every other local development document is built on the principles it sets out, regarding the development and use of land i ...

and the

Local Plan A development plan sets out a local authority's policies and proposals for land use in their area. The term is usually used in the United Kingdom. A Local Plan is one type of development plan. The development plan guides and shapes day-to-day dec ...

Statement of community involvement

The SCI should explain to the public how they will be involved in the preparation of the framework. They should set out the standards to be met by the authority in terms of community involvement, building upon the minimum requirements set out in the Regulations and

PPS 12 A local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining th ...

. Prior to the statement being adopted, local authorities must ensure that any plan preparation work meets these minimum requirements. A key outcome of the SCI will be to encourage 'front loading' meaning that consultation with the public begins at the earliest stages of each document's development so that communities are given the fullest opportunity to participate in plan making and to make a difference.

Annual monitoring report

The Annual Monitoring Report is submitted to

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...

by a local planning authority at the end of December each year to assess the progress and the effectiveness of a Local Development Framework, specifically: * Are policies achieving their objectives, and is sustainable development being delivered? * Have policies had the intended consequences? * Are the assumptions and objectives behind policies still relevant? * Are the targets set in the Local Development Framework being achieved? To achieve this goal, the Annual Monitoring Report includes a range of local and standard (Core Output) indicators.

Optional development plan documents

*Area Action Plan: an optional development plan document aimed at establishing a set of proposals and policies for the development of a specific area (such as a town centre or an area of new development) of a district authority. There is no limit on the number of area action plans that a local authority can develop. *Supplementary planning documents: established as part of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

law, SPDs may cover a range of issues, thematic or site-specific, and provides further detail of policies and proposals in a 'parent' development plan document. *

Local development order In the United Kingdom, Local development orders were introduced with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. They allow local authorities to extend permitted development rights for certain forms of development with regard to a relevant loc ...

s *

Simplified planning zone A simplified planning zone (SPZ) is an area of land in the United Kingdom earmarked for specific development where the planning process is relaxed in order to encourage development. Advice on SPZs is given in Planning Policy Statement 5 PPG 5 S ...

s Sometimes certain policies from an old document remain effective when that document is superseded. These policies are known as "saved" policies.

Legal requirements of all local development documents

They should be prepared in accordance with the

local development scheme A local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining th ...

and should have regard t

*National policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State, *The regional spatial strategy for the region in which the area of the authority is situated, if the area is outside Greater London. Also the RSS for any region which adjoins the area of the authority or the Wales Spatial Plan if any part of the authority's area adjoins Wales *The spatial development strategy if the authority is

London borough The London boroughs are the 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at ...

or if any part of the authority's area adjoins Greater London *The community strategy prepared by the authority and also any other authority whose area comprises any part of the area of the

local planning authority A local planning authority (LPA) is the local government body that is empowered by law to exercise urban planning functions for a particular area. They exist in the United Kingdom and India. United Kingdom Mineral planning authorities The role ...

*Any other local development documents which has been adopted by the authority *The resources likely to be available for implementing the proposals in the document *Such other matters as the Secretary of State prescribes. *They should comply with the statement of community involvement (once the statement is adopted) *The

must appraise the sustainability of each development plan document and report the findings. Development plan documents are subject to rigorous procedures of community involvement, consultation and independent examination. Once adopted, development control decisions must be made in accordance with the DPDs unless material considerations indicate otherwise. DPDs must be examined with a sustainability appraisal to ensure economic, environmental and social effects of the plan are in line with sustainable development targets.

Key government aims

#Flexibility #Strengthening community and stakeholder involvement #Front-loading sometimes –

local authorities Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

to take key decisions early in the preparation of local development documents. #Sustainability appraisal #Programme management #Soundness – local development documents must be soundly based in terms of their content and the process by which they are produced. The must also be based upon a robust, credible evidence base.

Criticism

In practice, many local authorities have found Local Development Frameworks difficult to implement. Although progress on Local Development Frameworks was made in the years 2012–2015, an assessment by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners has found any progress to be "marginal".

References

External links

Government Website on PPS12Making the system work better: planning at regional and local levels (ODPM)
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080828003725/http://www.pas.gov.uk/planmakingmanual PAS Plan Making Manualbr>Statutory Instrument (2004/2204) - Area Action Plans
{{UK planning United Kingdom planning policy