Local Development Framework
The Local Development Framework (LDF) is replacing the current
planning system and was introduced as a result of the Planning and
Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The Ashford Local Plan will be superseded with a
portfolio of local development documents, which will collectively
deliver the spatial planning strategy for the Borough.
The local development documents will include Development Plan
Documents (DPDs) that are geographical or issue specific, and
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) that detail core policy
issues included in the
DPD
s, so they can be interpreted
and implemented. Both types of document can be prepared and updated
separately and are subject to rigorous procedures of community
involvement.
The LDF
is sometimes referred to as a 'spatial' plan because it considers
and brings together land use implications of other strategies and
programmes such as the Community Strategy in areas such as
transport, health, education, waste and social inclusion. The new
planning system has been introduced to speed up plan preparation,
enhance community involvement in planning, strengthen policy
content, and achieve a better focus on implementation.
All policies and proposals contained within the
DPD
s must be appraised to ensure
they contribute to the aims of Sustainable Development. A document
called a Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SA/SEA) sets out the
results from these appraisals.
The Local Development Scheme and Timetable
The Local Development Scheme (LDS) is the starting point
for anyone wanting to find out about planning policies in respect
to a particular place or issue, the status of those polices, and at
what stage the public and stakeholders can get involved in the plan
making process. The LDS sets out a three-year
project plan for documents that Ashford Borough Council will
produce as part of the Local Development Framework.
Each local development document is profiled within the Scheme,
explaining the purpose of the document, its status, and how each
local development document relates to the
LDF
as a whole. The
LDS
will be reviewed
on an annual basis by the Annual Monitoring Report, to enable any
adjustments to be made, for example if timings need to be changed
to reflect changes in circumstances or to include any additional
Supplementary Planning Guidance.
The
LDS
was
approved by Members in January 2007 and has been submitted to the
Government Office for the South East and the Planning
Inspectorate.
Due to the Core Strategy
DPD
Examination continuing
longer than anticipated, most of the documents within the
LDS
have fallen
behind from the dates shown in the timetable. For an update on the
expected future dates for preparation of the documents please view
the 2006/2007 Annual Monitoring Report.
Tenterden and Rural Sites Development Plan Document - Issues
and Options Report - Public Consultation
The Tenterden and Rural Sites Development Plan Document is
available for public consultation from Friday 16 May to Friday 11
July 2008. This consultation is now closed. For further
information please view the Tenterden and Rural Sites webpage.
Ashford Employment Land Review
The Ashford Employment Land Review was commissioned by Ashford
Borough Council and SEEDA to
investigate the allocation of employment land in the Borough.
Further Information
Further information about the new planning system and regional
and planning guidance can be found at the Communities and Local Government
website or on the Planning Portal
website.
For more information about the documents currently being worked
on as part of the Ashford
LDF
please follow the links
below.
Who to Contact
For more information, please contact the Local Development
Framework Team (Planning Policy) on 01233 330229 or email
the Planning Policy Team.
This webpage was updated on 10/9/2008