Planning Policy documents and information can be found using the links on the left or immediately below.
Alternatively, summary information and useful links are given below.
Statutory Development Plans
The Planning Policy Team is responsible for preparing a range of policy documents that establish the criteria against which planning applications are assessed and hence the way the District will grow over future years. Previously these policies made up a single document, the South Derbyshire Local Plan that covered a range of planning topics. The District's Local Plan, together with the Derby and Derbyshire Joint Structure Plan and Minerals and Waste Local Plans prepared by the County Council made up the Development Plan.
What is the Local Plan?
The Local Plan is a document describing the Council's planning policies on:
- The Environment
- Transport
- Housing
- Employment
- Shopping
- Community Facilities
- Leisure, Recreation and Tourism
Broadly speaking, the plan details what developments are encouraged or discouraged, and where. The plan also includes maps showing areas designated as conservation areas, green belts and features such as scheduled ancient monuments. It shows proposed new roads, areas designated for new houses and industrial developments, and for leisure facilities such as playing fields and parks.
The Local Plan, along with the County's Structure Plan and the Supplementary Planning Guidance documents, which provide a greater level of detail to specific policies, are the basis for planning application decisions. (Over time the Structure Plan will be replaced by the Regional Spatial Strategy as the strategic document that will make up the Development Plan along with new Local Development Documents).
What is the status of the Local Plan?
The plan currently in use was adopted in 1998 after a period of public consultation. It was due to be revised in 2001, and two new drafts were drawn up, the first draft published in 2002, and the second in 2003. Following a public inquiry and publication of the Inspectors Report a legal challenge was lodged and the plan subsequently withdrawn. This means that the 1998 plan will remain in effect until the Local Development Framework is completed. However, as an interim measure, the Council has published a Planning Policy Position Statement. This sets out the various documents (including any weight that may be given to them) in the consideration of the determination of planning applications until such time as the Local Development Framework documents are adopted.
Adopted Local Plan - 1998
Notice of Withdrawal of Draft Local Plan - 2005
Planning Policy Position Statement
What is the Local Development Framework?
Following the introduction of The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, we are now preparing new style Local Development Documents which will make up the Local Development Framework for the District. The Local Development Framework is a collection of documents, which will replace the Local Plan, and the Supplementary Planning Guidance. This will include a core strategy, covering planning issues. It will also include area-specific documents, and topic-specific documents (Supplementary Planning Documents), which will replace the current Supplementary Planning Guidance.
The work programme setting out the key stages relating to each document and highlighting the opportunities for the community to become involved is set out in our Local Development Scheme (LDS). which a roadmap to the adoption of the new Local Development Framework, and contains more information about the changes being introduced.
The Core Strategy, Suite of Development Control Policies, Area Action Plans, Land Use Allocations etc will all be prepared as separate documents enabling them to be updated more easily.
An important difference between the old and new systems is the emphasis on involving the community at an earlier stage in the preparation of the policy documents, and ensuring your involvement is meaningful. In order to ensure that this happens in ways that are appropriate we have prepared a Statement of Community Involvement.
Conservation and Heritage
As well as focusing on future development we are also responsible for preparing guidance and providing advice on the historic environment.We administer the Council’s Historic Buildings Grants and Conservation Area Partnership Scheme (PSiCA) for Swadlincote Town Centre. Historical research and building recording is also undertaken and the District’s Heritage promoted through publication of South Derbyshire Heritage News and organisation of the Civic Trust’s ‘Heritage Open Days’ and other public events.
Land Use - Proposals
Parliament makes laws and sets out the legal framework for the planning system in England and Wales. The primary legislation for the planning system is the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 accompanied by other legislation such as the General Permitted Development Order 1995, the Use Classes Order 1987 and a range of statutory instruments. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 has introduced radical changes to the way that development plans are prepared and introduced a system that will ultimately see the introduction of a Local Development Framework and the disappearance of Local Plans.
However while Parliament makes the law the Courts have to interpret the legislation. Courts may be required to make judgements on planning matters and as a result case law has resulted. Planning Officers have to take into account both the primary legislation and case law when deciding planning applications and preparing Planning Policy documents.
The Government administers the planning system. They can:
Contact Details
South Derbyshire District Council
Planning Services
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH
Telephone: 01283 228706
Online: online enquiry form
E-mail: planning.policy@south-derbys.gov.uk
page ref: LGSL 599, 856, 674, 675, 594
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