A Local Development Framework (LDF) is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12. It is a set of documents that sets out a local authority’s policies and proposals for the development and use of land within its area. In most parts of the two countries, maintaining the framework is the responsibility of English District Councils and Welsh Principal Area Councils.
It replaces the previous system of county level structure plans and district level Local Plans, and Unitary Development Plans (UDPs) for Unitary Authorities. The frameworks were prepared within a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) prepared for each region by the Secretary of State (specifically the Deputy Prime Minister).
he local development documents taken as a whole must set out the authority’s policies relating to the development and use of land in their area. In the case of LDDs included in a minerals and waste development scheme, the LDDs together must also set out the authority’s policies relating to minerals and waste development.
Each framework will be a folder containing a number of inter-related documents. The Core Strategy, development plan documents and statement of community involvement are compulsory, with other documents being optional.
The Local Development Framework, together with the Regional Spatial Strategy used to provide the essential framework for planning in the Local Planning Authority‘s area, until they were abolished in 2010.
Statement of community involvement
The SCI should explain to the public how they will be involved in the preparation of the framework. They should set out the standards to be met by the authority in terms of community involvement, building upon the minimum requirements set out in the Regulations and PPS 12. Prior to the statement being adopted, local authorities must ensure that any plan preparation work meets these minimum requirements.
A key outcome of the SCI will be to encourage ‘front loading’ meaning that consultation with the public begins at the earliest stages of each document’s development so that communities are given the fullest opportunity to participate in plan making and to make a difference.
