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Local development frameworks
The planning system in England and Wales is plan-led. This means that planning authorities create long-term spatial plans for how an area will develop. Once adopted, all planning decisions made by local authorities must follow the plan for the area, unless other material considerations apply.
Local Development Frameworks
Local Development Frameworks lie at the heart of how planning will be controlled locally in your area. They form a key part of the government's new plan-led system.
Some of the most important elements of the e Local Development Framework is a folder of documents which include:
Local development documents
These make up the development plan for your area and outline what sort of development will take place, how it will be managed and when it will take place.
Local development scheme
A kind of project plan for the Local Development Framework (LDF), which sets how the local authority will produce the LDF. The LDS will act as a roadmap for Local Development Framework documents coming into force.
Statement of community involvement
This explains how the local authority will engage the community in the development of the Local Development Framework.
In addition, the Local Development Framework for your area must conform to the strategic spatial plans for your region (such as North-East England, South-west England, London etc). You can learn more about Local Development Frameworks on the Planning Portal.
Regional Spatial Strategies
Planning matters in a region are managed by a regional planning body. Each regional planning body has to produce a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), which will outline the spatial plans for the area and feed into the local plan.
This RSS sets out things such as how many homes are needed to meet the future needs of people in the region, or whether the region needs a new major shopping centre or an airport.
An RSS outlines how a strategy for region should look in 15 to 20 years time and possibly longer.
The RSS identifies the scale and distribution of new housing in the region. It also offers areas for regeneration and expansion. It also lists priorities for the environment, transport, infrastructure, economic development, agriculture, minerals and waste treatment and disposal.
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