Further guidance on Local Development Frameworks

• Guidance on assessing the soundness of Development Plan Documents

Development Plan Documents (DPDs) form the major part of the Local Development Frameworks that local authorities in England are required to produce under the planning system introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. DPDs are subject to public examinations conducted by Planning Inspectors, whose role is to assess the whole document for legal compliance and soundness.

The Planning Inspectorate has produced two guides intended to provide best practice guidance for local authorities, planning agents and other interested parties including developers, organisations and local residents on the approach to be taken to public examinations of DPDs. The guides clarify the role of Inspectors, Local Planning Authorities, Government Offices, Regional Planning Bodies and the wider community. They set out the evidence requirements of the examination process, and provide model representation forms and guidance notes for local authorities to provide to anyone who wishes to make representations for the consideration of the Inspector.

View 'Local Development Frameworks: Examining Development Plan Documents: Soundness Guidance' (PDF 1.85 Mb)

View 'Local Development Frameworks: Examining Development Plan Documents: Procedure Guidance' here (PDF 681 kb) 

• Public Participation Guides

The Planning Inspectorate has produced a short guidance document aimed at members of the public wishing to participate in the Examination of Development Plan Documents (DPDs).

The Local Development Framework Lessons Learnt Examining Development Plan Documents document provides detailed guidance on the lessons which have emerged from experience of the early examinations. An updated lessons learnt document to reflect the new system will be published in Summer 2009.
A general advisory guidance leaflet has been created for Local Authorities submitting Development Plan Documents to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.

View 'A brief guide to examining development plan documents' (PDF 48.5 Kb)

View 'Local Development Frameworks: Lessons Learnt Examining Development Plan Documents' (PDF 980 Kb) 

View 'Development Plan Document Examination Procedural Advisory Notes' here (PDF 75 kb)

• PARSOL LDF Information

LDF XML Schema (ZIP 2 Mb)

LPA Authoring Guidelines (PDF 92 Kb)