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 The Ashford Local Plan will be superseded with a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 (
DPD
s)
that are geographical or issue specific, and Supplementary Planning
Documents (
SPD
s) 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 (see below).
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 policies, 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 July 2008 and has now
been approved by the Government Office for the South East
and the Planning Inspectorate.
The Urban Sites and Infrastructure DPD
has fallen behind schedule and the Pre- submission publication
version of the document is now expected to be published in
September 2009.
Please note that we are also currently
running behind the LDS timetable schedule on the following
documents and do not yet have any anticipated dates for
consultation:
- Infrastructure Contributions SPD
- Residential Space and Layout
SPD
- Green Spaces and Water Environment
SPD
- Cheeseman's Green and Waterbrook
AAP
Statement of Community Involvement
The Statement
of Community Involvement (SCI) was formally adopted by us on
24 August 2006. The document sets out how we will involve the local
community and stakeholders in the preparation of all documents
contained within the Ashford Local Development Framework, including
arrangements for involving the community when considering planning
applications and major proposals for development.
Download the Adopted Statement of Community
Involvement 987Kb PDF
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.
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 5/21/2009
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