Introduction
The Local Development Framework (or LDF for short) is the land-use and transportation planning framework being introduced in Newcastle. The system was brought in by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and related regulations and guidance.
You can go to the Communities and Local Government site for more background on LDFs generally and the Statutory Development Plan page on this site for an explanation of how the LDF relates to the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).
DPDs and SPDs
The LDF is commonly referred to as a 'folder' of documents. Some are policy documents and others are to do with process and monitoring. There are two main types of policy documents:
Development Plan Documents (DPDs), which are full parts of the statutory development plan, subject to two stages of formal consultation and independent examination by a planning inspector.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), which undergo a parallel but simpler and quicker statutory process, and have lower status. They cannot rewrite policy or allocate land, but present further information and guidance.
LDS, SCI and AMRs
Also in the LDF are:
The Local Development Scheme (LDS), which is in effect the ‘project plan’ for the LDF as a whole – the latest version came into effect in April 2007 but it is under comprehensive review as at summer 2009 and a formal revision will be brought forward in autumn 2009.
The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which sets standards for public consultation for all the other documents. We adopted ours as long ago as September 2006, but it still stands as a robust guide to how we engage 'stakeholders'.
Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs), which are produced by the end of December each year, reporting on the previous financial year. We have four in place as at the end of 2008.
The Local Development Scheme of 2007 includes a timetable for preparation of six DPDs. However, please note that as at summer 2009 this programme is under complete review. The full list of DPDs as proposed in the LDS of 2007 is as follows:
Core Strategy
Walker Riverside Area Action Plan
Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan
City Centre Area Action Plan
Site Specific Land Allocations
Development Control Policies
Useful web links
General:
Planning Advisory Service (PAS)
PAS - online Plan Making Manual - June 2008
Planning Officers Society (POS)
POS - Policies for Spatial Plans - July 2005
Planning Inspectorate (PINS)
PINS - pre June 2008 page on LDFs
PINS - post June 2008 page on LDFs
PINS - guidance on examination procedures - November 2008 (pdf, 650 KB)
Planning links page
CLG pages:
Planning White Paper - May 2007
PPS12 Local Spatial Planning - reissued June 2008
Planning Together: practical guide for local strategic partnerships and planners - updated April 2009
Legislation and regulations governing policy planning:
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
T&CP (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004
T&CP (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008
Regional planning in the North East:
Government Office regional planning page
Regional Economic Strategy
North East Housing Board and Strategy
Tyne and Wear Local Transport Plan
Contact
Rachael Ashworth
Policy Officer
Tel: 0191 277 7185
Fax: 0191 211 4806
Email: ldf@newcastle.gov.uk
This page last checked 18 August 2009.