The local plan sets planning policies in a local authority area.
Local planning authorities must prepare a local plan known as a Local Development Framework (LDF) which includes Development Plan Documents (DPDs). These are very important when deciding planning applications. Independent planning inspectors must look at all DPDs that local authorities in England prepare for an examination. The examination is the last stage of the process for producing a DPD. The process should have fully involved everyone who has an interest in the document and they should have had the chance to comment.
The LDF also includes Supplementary Planning Documents, which expand polices set out in DPDs or provide additional detail; a Statement of Community Involvement; the Local Development Scheme (which sets out the programme for the production of documents) and the Annual Monitoring Report.
Within the Local Planning Authority’s LDF, DPDs must be ‘sound’ (section 20 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004) both in terms of their content and the process by which they are produced. They must also be founded on a robust and credible evidence base. This is the focus of the examination.
The Examining Development Plan Documents: Learning from Experience document and the Key Points: Learning from Experience Leaflet reflect our experiences in light of the 200+ DPDs that were submitted for examination by September 2009.
Planning Policy Statement 12: ‘creating strong safe and prosperous communities through local spatial planning’ was published on 4 June 2008. PPS12 puts in place the national policy framework for creating local development frameworks.
The DCLG Plan Making Manual is an on-line only resource aimed at providing guidance and best practice on LDFs. The plan-making manual is updated on a regular basis in order to capture emerging best practice, and also to publish additional advice on aspects of the revised plan-making process.
Letter to Chief Planning Officers - Preparation and Monitoring of Local Plans 30 March 2011
Letters to notify the Planning Inspectorate of your publication dates should be sent to:-
Plans and Major Casework Team
4/03 Kite Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Bristol
BS1 6PN
General Advisory Guidance (August 2009) has been created for Local Authorities submitting Development Plan Documents (DPDs) to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.
The Examining Development Plan Documents: Procedure Guidance Revised August 2009 deals with the procedural aspects of dealing with the examination of development plan documents (DPDs) after submission and is aimed at all those involved in the process of examining a DPD. In addition to the guide, a further table has been produced which shows the estimated timescale for examinations where an Inspector decides that no pre-hearing meeting is required.
Following on from the Royal Assent of the Localism Act we are currently updating our guidance - Notably in relation to the duty to co-operate and the revised examination provisions.
Revised fees for Local Development Framework (LDF) examinations, intended to recover from local planning authorities the cost of providing Inspectors, were introduced on 3 January 2007.
The fees for LDF examinations were set under the Town and Country Planning (Costs of Inquiries etc) (Standard Daily Amount) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/3227), following consultation with planning bodies (the Local Government Association, the Planning Officers’ Society, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Under the LDF system the examination commences on submission of the SCI/DPD.
Read the list of the Development Plan Documents that have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.
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