Planning in the Peak District
Keep up to date!
There's no point fighting against a development without understanding how if will fit future plans and policies. You could well be using a particular policy to argue your case against a development; for example, a countryside protection designation to oppose a housing development. But what happens to your argument if this area has been changed to a residential designation in, say, a new Local Development Framework...?
Regional Plans
Regional Plans are high-powered development plans, and all planning applications have to comply with them. They detail the strategic development of a region, identifying for each local authority
- broad areas of growth
- areas that should be protected
- housing targets
- employment targets
- minerals and waste targets
- renewable energy targets
The Peak District is in the East Midlands region, which adopted its Regional Plan in 2009. It covers up until 2026 - but will get regularly changed and amended.
Local Plans - soon to be Local Development Frameworks...
Local Plans are currently the main planning frameworks for determining planning applications. The Peak District National Park Authority, High Peak Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council all have Local Plans.
Currently, Local Plans identify sites where different types of development are allowed, for example employment, housing, retail, leisure or community facilities. They also identify where development is restricted, for example in the countryside or nature conservation sites.
Local Plans also contain written policies that control the details of a development, its appearance and environmental impacts. Policies often include guidance on affordable housing provision, use of materials and design, impacts on neighbouring properties and flood prevention. Even if a development is allowed within an area identified in the plan, it may still be refused if it does not comply with these written policies.
However, all Local Plans are being replaced by Local Development Frameworks in the next couple of years. Local Development Frameworks will consist of a whole bundle of related documents.
In the meantime, each planning authority has produced a Local Development Scheme to list and give a timetable for the documents that are being produced through the Local Development Framework, including dates for consultation about it. You can also ask to be added to your local planning authority's consultation database.
Core Strategies
As part of the new Local Development Frameworks, every local planning authority will have to produce a Core Strategy. This will include the main planning policies for the area. It will identify settlements and areas where housing and employment will be encouraged or restricted. Core Strategies will be backed up by a range of other documents that could include
- detailed sets of policy documents on things like urban design, open space, nature conservation and sustainability
- proposals maps identifying development sites
- detailed area action plans showing where areas need regeneration or strict management
Supplementary planning documents
Local planning authorities write supplementary planning documents to give more information about things that cannot be dealt with fully in their Local Plan. The new Local Development Frameworks will also include them. Supplementary planning documents often include methods of identifying adequate affordable housing provision, design guides, open space requirements and area design statements. They also influence the result of planning applications, so don't overlook them.
