Planning Now and in the Future (Policy)
Delivering a sustainable Ashford
The Council has an adopted Core Strategy (2008) which sets the
strategic vision and scale of planned growth for housing and jobs
within the Borough to 2021. This document is due to be formally
reviewed by the end of 2014 and will determine how the most
sustainable and deliverable pattern of growth can be achieved
within the Borough.
In December 2010 the coalition government published the Localism
Bill (currently going through Parliament) which sets out a series
of proposals to reform the planning system designed to shift power
away from central government and provide local communities with
greater rights and powers to influence shaping the places they
live. One of these proposals is to remove regional strategies (the
Regional Spatial Strategy for Ashford is the South East Plan) and
will allow local authorities to set their own targets for housing
and job numbers.
The National Planning Policy Framework (published in draft –
July 2011) is the government’s vision for sustainable development
and sets out a suite of national planning policies on issues such
as the economy, environment and society. These policies are design
to stimulate growth and there is a strong presumption in favour of
sustainable development. The government will require local
authorities to interpret and apply these policies locally and as
such the Council is taking a ‘jobs-led’ approach in deriving
housing delivery targets as part of the forthcoming Core Strategy
Review.
Until such time as the Localism Bill and the National Planning
Policy Framework are adopted by Parliament the current planning
system based on the Local Development Framework is in place.
Local Development Framework and timetable for production of
documents
The Local Development Framework contains a collection of local
development documents which together currently deliver the spatial
planning objectives and policies for the Borough. The Local
Development Scheme (LDS) sets out a three-year project plan of
documents that Ashford Borough Council will produce as part of the
Local Development Framework, a number of these have already been
adopted. Ashford Borough has an adopted Core Strategy which covers
the period to 2021 and is the principle document within the Local
Development Framework and all other documents must conform to it.
View the Local Development Framework webpage
for further information and to view the timetable
LDF Development Update August 2011
Statutory Development Plans for the
Borough
The statutory Development Plans in force for the Ashford Borough
are:
In addition to this:
Other DPDs and AAPs in progress
Supplementary Planning Documents
SPDs support the DPDs. All matters covered in SPDs must relate
to policies or proposals in a DPD or a saved policy from the Local
Plan.
To purchase copies of planning documents produced by Ashford
Borough Council please view our Publications List.
Consultation Portal
A consultation portal has
been launched which will enable residents, businesses and others to
have their say on key planning issues and future developments in
Ashford.
The online portal allows registered users to comment on Local
Development Framework Documents when they are out at public
consultation. To register please
visit the portal.
Current Consultations
Consultation on the Sustainable Design and Construction SPD -
Interim Review December 2011 (Draft) commences Friday 16th
December 2011 until 5pm on Friday 27th January 2012.
Further details can be found
here
For more information about Planning Policy, the Local
Development Framework or the consultation portal
please email Planning Policy.
This webpage was updated on
12/13/2011