Below is a glossary of terms used within the Local Development Framework.
The Act: the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Annual monitoring report (AMR): part of the Local Development Framework, the annual monitoring report will assess the implementation of the Local Development Scheme and the extent to which policies in Local Development Documents are being successfully implemented.
Area action plan: used to provide a planning framework for areas of change and areas of conservation. Area Action Plans will have the status of Development Plan Documents.
Community strategy: local authorities are required by the Local Government Act 2000 to prepare these, with aim of improving the social, environmental and economic well being of their areas. Through the Community Strategy, authorities are expected to co-ordinate the actions of local public, private, voluntary and community sectors. Responsibility for producing Community Strategies may be passed to Local Strategic Partnerships, which include local authority representatives.
Core strategy: set out the long-term spatial vision for the local planning authority area, the spatial objectives and strategic policies to deliver that vision. The Core Strategy will have the status of a Development Plan Document.
Development plan: as set out in Section 38(6) of the Act, an authority's development plan consists of the relevant Regional Spatial Strategy (or the Spatial Development Strategy in London) and the Development Plan Documents contained within its Local Development Framework.
Development plan documents (DPD): spatial planning documents that are subject to independent examination, and together with the relevant Regional Spatial Strategy, will form the development plan for a local authority area for the purposes of the Act. They can include a Core Strategy, Site Specific Allocations of land, and Area Action Plans (where needed). Other Development Plan Documents, including generic Development Control Policies, can be produced. They will all be shown geographically on an adopted proposals map. Individual Development Plan Documents or parts of a document can be reviewed independently from other Development Plan Documents. Each authority must set out the programme for preparing its Development Plan Documents in the Local Development Scheme.
Issues and Options: produced during the early production stage of the preparation of Development Plan Documents and may be issued for consultation to meet the requirements of Regulation 25.
Local development document (LDD): the collective term in the Act for Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents and the Statement of Community Involvement.
Local Development Order: allows local planning authorities to introduce local permitted development rights.
Local development framework (LDF): the name for the portfolio of Local Development Documents. It consists of Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents, a Statement of Community Involvement, the Local Development Scheme and Annual Monitoring Reports. Together these documents will provide the framework for delivering the spatial planning strategy for a local authority area and may also include local development orders and simplified planning zones.
Local development scheme (LDS): sets out the programme for preparing Local Development Documents. All authorities must submit a Scheme to the Secretary of State for approval within six months of commencement of the Act.
Local strategic partnership (LSP): partnerships of stakeholders who develop ways of involving local people in shaping the future of their neighbourhood in how services are provided. They are often single non-statutory, multi-agency bodies which aim to bring together locally the public, private, community and voluntary sectors.
Local transport plan (LTP): 5-year strategy prepared by each local authority for the development of local, integrated transport, supported by a programme of transport improvements. It is used to bid to Government for funding transport improvements.
Minerals and waste development framework: in two-tier areas, counties will be responsible for producing Minerals and Waste Development Frameworks and Schemes. The latter will be the equivalent of the Local Development Scheme.
Preferred options document: produced as part of the preparation of Development Plan Documents, and is issued for formal public participation as required by Regulation 26.
Proposals map: the adopted proposals map illustrates on a base map (reproduced from, or based upon a map base to a registered scale) all the policies contained in Development Plan Documents, together with any saved policies. It must be revised as each new Development Plan Document is adopted, and it should always reflect the up-to-date planning strategy for the area. Proposals for changes to the adopted proposals map accompany submitted development plan documents in the form of a submission proposals map.
Regional spatial strategy (RSS): sets out the region's policies in relation to the development and use of land and forms part of the development plan for local planning authorities. Planning Policy Statement 11 'Regional Spatial Strategies' provides detailed guidance on the function and preparation of Regional Spatial Strategies.
The Regulations: Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004, and the Town and Country Planning (Transitional Arrangements) Regulations 2004.
Saved policies or plans: existing adopted development plans are saved for three years from the date of commencement of the Act. Any policies in old style development plans adopted after commencement of the Act will become saved policies for three years from their adoption or approval. The Local Development Scheme will explain the authority's approach to saved policies.
Site specific allocations: allocations of sites for specific or mixed uses or development to be contained in Development Plan Documents. Policies will identify any specific requirements for individual proposals.
Statement of community involvement (SCI): sets out the standards which authorities will achieve with regard to involving local communities in the preparation of local development documents and development control decisions. The statement of community Involvement is not a development plan document but is subject to independent examination.
Strategic environmental assessment (SEA): a generic term used to describe environmental assessment as applied to policies, plans and programmes. The European 'SEA Directive' (2001/42/EC) requires a formal 'environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes, including those in the field of planning and land use'.
Supplementary plan documents (SPD): provide supplementary information in respect of the policies in Development Plan Documents. They do not form part of the Development Plan and are not subject to independent examination.
Sustainability appraisal (SA): tool for appraising policies to ensure they reflect sustainable development objectives (i.e. social, environmental and economic factors) and required in the Act to be undertaken for all local development documents.
