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Why, What, When and How

The Local Development Framework - why, what, when and how

Why does the Council have to produce a Local Development Framework?
The government requires all local planning authorities to produce a series of documents which together are known as the Local Development Framework or LDF for short. The documents are known as Local Development Documents or LDDs. The process for producing an LDD is laid down in government guidance and/or regulations and must be followed.

How is this different from Local Plans?
Local Plans are large documents that take at least five years to prepare, are very complex and become out of date very quickly. Local Plans have been around since 1968 but some Councils in England have still not managed to adopt one. The new system is meant to tackle this problem. The LDF will comprise smaller policy documents which can be updated individually and much faster than the old style local plans. Updating will only occur where needed. Some documents will rarely change, others will be replaced every few years. In addition the new documents must also look at social and economic issues when proposing policies and strategies for an area.

What sort of documents will be in the LDF and HOW will they affect me?
Typical documents include the following:.

1. The Local Development Scheme - a three-year timetable for preparing the Local Development Documents. All local planning authorities have to produce a Local Development Scheme by the end of March 2005. The timetable will show the key dates for consulting the public. The Local Development Scheme must be reviewed annually and updated each time the Council proposes to begin preparing a Local Development Document.

2. The Statement of Community Involvement - the Council is required to involve the community in the preparation of Local Development Documents and decisions on very large planning applications. The Statement of Community Involvement tells you how and when you can get involved in planning decisions for your area.

3. Development Plan Documents - these replace the current Surrey Heath Local Plan 2000. A Development Plan Document is based around a specific land use or issue and could include Employment, Housing or Transport. These documents contain detailed policies setting out key land use objectives, uses for specific sites or listing the criteria used to determine planning applications. The documents will help you to understand where new development will be built, why some may not be built and why we might approve or refuse a planning application you submit.

4. Area Action Plan - this is a detailed document for areas of rapid change such as Camberley Town Centre and will include detailed proposals for the area.

5. Supplementary Planning Documents - a detailed document for particular sites or issues. These will set out in detail how the Council wants to see the policies in Development Plan Documents implemented. For example how much and what social affordable housing does the Council want developers to provide.

6. Annual Monitoring Report - the Council will monitor the performance of the above documents and produce an annual report to show how they are performing. This report will show whether the Council is achieving its targets and objectives.

How can I have a say when these documents are being prepared?
Documents 2 - 5. listed above are all prepared with input from the community. The Council has lists of local organisations and societies that have said they want to be involved. Documents are also published to make sure all local residents can get involved . The Statement of Community Involvement explains how and when you can get involved. At present we are still writing the Statement of Community Involvement. A draft document can be seen on the Surrey Heath website now.

When can I have my say on these documents?
The government has identified key stages at which you can get involved in the preparation of these documents. You can write to the Council at any time. However, if you want your views to be formally considered you must write in at the key stages. At these stages the Council will ask you to use the Comments Forms it produces. Using these forms will save the Council time in dealing with your views. The forms will include an explanation of how to comment.

At these key stages the Council will publish documents to help explain the issues being considered. Where needed (or requested) forums, meetings and exhibitions, which the public and/or local organisations can attend, will be held.

Where can I find out when the key stages will be?
The Local Development Scheme shows when the key stages are expected to occur for each document. The Local Development Scheme can be found on the Council's website and in local libraries, or you can write to the Planning Policy and Conservation Team and ask to be put on the mailing list. You will be notified by letter or e-mail at each stage of the process.

Where can I see these documents?
The Council will make the LDF documents available for inspection at local libraries, Parish Council offices, Surrey Heath House and on the Surrey Heath website. The Council will also sent out documents on request. There may be a charge for some documents.

What happens if I disagree with a document?
You can object to anything in a document, anything that it omits or how it has been prepared. If by the time the document has been submitted to the Secretary of State for approval, the Council cannot resolve objections, then these will be considered by a Planning Inspector. Objections can be considered either as written representations or at public examination. The Inspectors findings are binding on the Council.

Where can I find more information?
The guidance and regulations on the production of the documents within the Local Development Framework can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Opens in a new window and Her Majestys Stationery office (HMSO) Opens in a new window websites. There is also some guidance on the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) Opens in a new window website.