Local development framework

Over the next three to five years, the Local Development Framework (LDF) will replace the Salisbury District Local Plan as the council's main planning policy document.

What is the Local Development Framework?

This framework will provide the guidelines and policies to control development that are currently provided in the Local Plan. However it will have a greater role in ensuring that community aspirations are pursued.

Sustainable development will remain as the fundamental principal upon which all planning policies in the Local Development Framework will be based. The key objective is to maintain an appropriate balance in the district between social inclusion, economic growth and environmental protection.

How will the new system be different?

The new Local Development Framework system has been designed to allow planning policies to be prepared and consulted upon on an issue by issue basis – providing much more flexibility.

This means that delays in controversial areas (particularly associated with new large housing developments) do not hold up progress on matters where concensus can be reached more easily. In a nutshell, delays in one area will not be able to slow progress in others.

The Local Development Framework is therefore like a folder – sections in this can be reviewed through shorter, separate processes. As policies become outdated, they will be replaced quickly and seamlessly with new policies that have been consulted on and agreed.

This differs significantly from the current system, where the Local Plan is a single document prepared through one long process, and taking seven years.

What are the details of the council's proposal?

Salisbury District Council intends to prepare its Local Development Framework with five main groups of policy documents:

Statement of Community Involvement

This document will not contain any policies relating to the use of land, but will set out the means by which the council will involve the public and other interested parties in the decision making process.

More details on the Statement of Community Involvement.

Core Strategy

This document will set out a strategic overview of development patterns in the district as well as key objectives which the council will seek to achieve through its detailed policy documents.

District Wide Policies

A group of five topic-based documents concerned with key areas such as the environment, economy and design.

Area Specific Policies

These policy documents will address the identification of specific sites or detailed policies which are applicable to a defined area of the district. One document is likely to relate specifically to Salisbury, where issues such as the historic environment, community development and transportation can be more clearly addressed.

Supplementary Planning Documents

These documents will be prepared through a less formal process. They will focus on adding detail to policies in either the core Strategy, District Wide Policies or Area Specific Policies.

Local Development Scheme

The Local Development Framework will contain a large number of separate documents, and there will be a variety of processes for creating each one.

To clarify the process, the council has produced a Local Development Scheme. This document sets out:

  • what areas of policy the council intends to develop or review
  • clear timetables for the process, explaining when people can give their views

More details on the Local Development Scheme.

Glossary of terms

The Local Development Framework introduces a number of new terms and abbreviations. You can find definitions in our glossary of terms

Documents

Related information

Useful links

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Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434362

email:
forwardplanning@salisbury.gov.uk...

Postal address:
Forward Planning & Transportation
Planning Office
61 Wyndham Road
Salisbury
SP1 3AH