The Local Development Framework and other Planning matters Presentation to the Bradford Property Forum 19 June 2007

What you’ll hear 1.The Local Development Framework (LDF) –What it is, how it’s different to the Unitary Development Plan and how you get involved 2.Supplementary Planning Documents –Planning Obligations - “Section 106 Agreements” –City Centre Affordable Housing 3.The Planning White Paper 4.Review of the Planning Service

1. The Local Development Framework Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 Purpose –Speed, Engagement, Transparency Will replace the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) Not a single document – more like a filing cabinet Regional Spatial Strategy Local Development Documents Local Development Scheme

The work programme –Approved by Council, submitted to Government Development Plan Documents (DPD) –Evidence, Issues and Options –Preferred Option - approved by Council, submitted to the Planning Inspectorate –Examination and binding Report by an Inspector is it ‘Sound’? sustainability appraisal Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)

Why the LDF needs to replace the UDP Sustainable Community Strategy Implementation framework The Economy and City Region Regional Spatial Strategy Homes Transport Regeneration Masterplans Climate change

What the differences are between the LDF and the UDP UDP set policies (over 400) and allocated land for development and protection in one document Consulted on the Council’s policies and proposals Inspector held a Public Inquiry Inspector reported to Council Council took the decision on what’s in the plan LDF is a ‘spatial’ strategy for the district Has regional policies LDF Core Strategy is a corporate document LDF documents get evidence and consult on issues and options first Inspector ‘examines’ the particular document and decides upon ‘soundness’ Inspector provides a binding report for the Council to adopt

UDP Q&A Can we ignore UDP policies now? –No. It’s still the starting point for Planning decisions until LDF documents replace it. Housing – can I get planning permission for my Phase 2 housing and safeguarded sites now? –No. PPS3 requires a clearly demonstrable 5 year supply at all times. We have; but the RSS will be setting new (and undeniably additional) requirements for us. We’ll still be looking at location and there’s no change in RSS from the ‘urban transformation’ agenda. What about housing density? –New PPS3 is clear that location, best use of land, previously developed land, remains as before - distinctiveness.

UDP Q&A (2) What about the Green Belt? –There’s not likely to be any change but the Core Strategy may have to look at the Green Belt if needed. My employment premises are redundant. Can I have planning permission for housing? –UDP is still the starting point. Clearly we want to assist the district economy and recognise that land assets may play a part in new investment. So we’ll discuss this case by case to see if we can reach a sensible planning outcome. An option could be some form of mixed use. What affect does the UDP have on city centre proposals? –The Council will take the city centre Neighbourhood Development Frameworks into account in planning decisions but we need to replace the UDP and are working on a new LDF document to do that.

Our DPDs and other documents Core Strategy – underway Allocations – will start late 2007 City Centre Area Action Plan – underway Shipley and Canal Road Area Action Plan – starting next month Waste – underway Statement of Community Involvement – with the Planning Inspectorate, decision late 2007 Annual Monitoring Report – completed 2005 and 2006

The Core Strategy This is the first DPD and sets out where the district wants to be in 20 years time expressed through what its places will be like and where development will take place The other LDF documents that follow the core strategy deliver the details The core strategy is not site specific but guides broad locations of development, change and areas of constraint A succinct written statement of spatial policies supported by a key diagram

Allocations DPD This is closest to what the UDP provides and will be recognisable to customers Explores possible detail site options within areas already proposed in the Core Strategy All sites are evaluated against the Core Strategy and Sustainability Appraisal Proposals are being received now and we will test them through both consultation stages with our evaluation of them The Area Action Plans will look at proposals in the particular area

Supplementary Planning Documents Council adopts Adopted - City Centre Design Guide To be adopted –Planning for Crime Prevention Consultation response being reviewed –Menston allocated sites In consultation –Planning Obligations, City Centre Affordable Housing, Shop fronts To be prepared –Affordable Housing – follows Housing Assessment

A “filing cabinet”, not a single document Regional Spatial Strategy Local Development Documents –Development Plan Documents Evidence, Issues and Options Preferred Option submitted to Planning Inspectorate Examination and binding Report –Supplementary Planning Documents Council decides Local Development Scheme Statement of Community Involvement Annual Monitoring Report

LDF Q&A Is this going to be any faster than the UDP? –It’s meant to be but practitioners (and Government) are still learning about how to do LDFs and the ‘soundness’ test means Councils are having to be cautious Should I wait until the Allocations DPD comes up? –The Core Strategy will decide the locations for development so the Allocations DPD will be too late to argue principles for a site Is the Council going to be held up by the Regional plan? –Government is on target to issue the RSS by the end of this year so this time around we hope to be in line. Is development going to be held up until the Council can implement its Transport plans? –Perhaps; so we’re preparing a new plan for Shipley and Canal Road to give as much evidence for investment as we can.

2. Supplementary Planning Documents Planning Obligations City Centre affordable housing Forum Sub Committee

Planning Obligations SPD Supplements Policy UR6 of the Replacement UDP Council review Purpose of obligations Ensures consistency, transparency and accountability Matters for contributions and associated thresholds Assessing viability Processes for identifying and agreeing obligations and role of the Planning case officer

City Centre Affordable Housing SPD Supplements Policy H9 of the Replacement UDP Balanced Housing Market and city centre housing dynamics Approach to provision of affordable housing –How appropriate are thresholds as an approach? –What choices of tenure are available and appropriate? –What is the contribution of social housing? –What is the role of the RSLs –On-site and/or off-site provision? –How reasonable are minimum standards for affordable units? Alternative approaches in the development context

3. Planning White Paper Unfinished business, responding to major reports, catching up with changes, making the 2004 Act work - comments by 17 August Major infrastructure – national policy statements – Independent Planning Commission Tidying up LDF processes New economic development PPS – is it a presumption in favour of development? New ‘town centres first’ policy to replace retail needs test Green belts not to be reviewed Carbon future – micro-generation on commercial development Other consultations –householder permitted development and consent review –increase planning fees

4. Review of the Planning Service A ‘root and branch’ review Performance What’s been done so far Customers and consultation Key issues Improvement Timescale

The Bradford Property Forum and the Planning Service Continuity Help get a Core Strategy that’s right for the district Support the Design agenda Improve the Service Raising our game