Local Plan As adopted by Council 3 July 2018 Publication Local Plan incorporating Inspector’s Final ‘Main Modifications’ as published May 2018 and ‘List of Council’s Additional Modifications to Local Plan Publication version’ as published December 2017; subject to additional minor modifications to the Plan to cover any necessary updates on adoption. July 2018 1 Foreword by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Sustainability – to be added 1 Introduction 1.1 Setting the Scene 1.1.1 The Council's Local Plan will set out policies and guidance for the development of the borough over the next 15 years. It looks ahead to 2033 and identifies where the main developments will take place, and how places within the borough will change, or be protected from change, over that period. 1.1.2 The Council's Local Plan forms part of the development plan for the borough. It has to go through an Examination in Public by an independent Government inspector before it can be adopted by the Council. The London Plan, prepared by the Mayor of London, also forms part of the development plan, and the Council's Local Plan has to be in general conformity with it. 1.1.3 The role of the development plan is to guide decision making on planning applications and inform investment in social and physical infrastructure. When planning applications are received, they are assessed against the development plan to see whether planning permission should be granted or not. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that “in making any determination under the planning acts, regard is to be had to the development plan; the determination shall be made in accordance with the plan unless material consideration indicates otherwise”. 1.1.4 The policies as set out in this Local Plan follow the approach of the presumption in favour of sustainable development and show how it is expressed locally. The Council will ensure that planning applications that accord with policies in the adopted Local Plan and the London Plan (and where relevant, with policies in emerging neighbourhood plans, such as the Ham and Petersham Neighbourhood Plan once adopted) will be approved without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 1.1.5 The Local Plan is prepared within a hierarchical framework of planning policy for England. At the top of the hierarchy are the various Planning Acts, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). Legislation requires that local authorities must take the NPPF into account when preparing their Local Plan. This means in practical terms that the Council should follow the guidance in national policy unless there is local evidence and circumstances that would justify a different approach. 1.1.6 Below national policy sits the London Plan, which is prepared by the Mayor of London. Legislation requires the Local Plan to be in ‘general conformity’ with the London Plan. This means that the Local Plan should be in line with the London Plan, unless there is local evidence and circumstances that would justify a different approach. The London Plan forms part of the development plan for the borough and provides the spatial development strategy for Greater London. 1.1.7 This Local Plan has been produced in line with the existing Planning Acts, national policy and guidance, including the NPPF and PPG, and the London Plan (including the 2015-16 Minor Alterations). In addition, other legislation, such as the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development (Amendment) Order 2016, has been referred to. It is acknowledged that during the lifetime of this Plan, national policies, guidance and other legislation as well as a new London Plan will be published. Where this 2 Plan refers to publications that are subsequently superseded by updated policies, guidance or changes to legislation, the updated context will be regarded as material considerations. 1.2 Existing Local Plan 1.2.1 The existing Local Plan for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames sets out how and where development in the borough will be delivered in the future and is currently made up of a series of documents, as shown in the table below. All existing Local Plan documents are available to view on the Council's website at: www.richmond.gov.uk/local_plan. Plan Function Status Core Strategy Vision and strategic policies Adopted in April 2009 Development Management Detailed policies for the management of Adopted in November Plan development 2011 Twickenham Area Action Plan Policies and proposals for central Twickenham Adopted in July 2013 Joint West London Waste Plan Planning for waste Adopted in July 2015 Saved Unitary Development Saved site-specific proposals Adopted in March 2005 Plan 1.2.2 The Core Strategy outlines the Vision and Spatial Strategy for the borough and includes 20 core planning policies on matters including climate change, housing, employment and retailing. It provides the framework for the development of other Development Plan Documents (DPDs) within the Local Plan. 1.2.3 The Development Management Plan (DMP) builds on the objectives and principles of the Core Strategy and includes more detailed policies for the management of development. The DMP was adopted in November 2011. 1.2.4 The Council adopted the Area Action Plan (AAP) for Twickenham centre in 2013, which sets out detailed policies and proposals for Twickenham centre. The NPPF was fully taken into account during the development of the AAP, and due to its relatively recent adoption, the AAP will not be reviewed or amended as part of this Local Plan. 1.2.5 The six west London Boroughs (Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hounslow, Hillingdon and Richmond upon Thames) and latterly the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, have jointly prepared the West London Waste Plan (WLWP). It sets out a strategy for the sustainable management of waste and also allocates sites for managing West London's waste over the period up to 2031. 1.2.6 The saved Unitary Development Plan has been largely replaced by the Local Plan (i.e. the Core Strategy, DMP and WLWP). The only parts of the UDP that remain saved and have not been superseded are the site- specific Proposals. 1.2.7 The Council commenced work on a Site Allocations Plan in December 2012 with a ‘Call for Sites’ consultation. Pre-publication consultations were undertaken in 2013 and 2014. The Council has decided not to pursue a separate Site Allocations DPD but rather take forward site-specific allocations alongside the review of the existing policies, and these have been incorporated into this Local Plan. 1.2.8 The Borough Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), although not a formal DPD, is of relevance to the Local Plan as it sets out the Council’s rates of CIL that apply to certain types of development in the borough. 1.3 Preparing the Local Plan 1.3.1 Between 4 January and 1 February 2016, the Council undertook a consultation on the rationale and scope for the review of the Core Strategy and DMP policies as well as the proposed sites to be allocated for development. This was an additional stage of consultation by the Council (not prescribed by the Town and 3 Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012) to provide the opportunity for early engagement with interested parties, including Duty to Cooperate bodies. 1.3.2 As part of the early consultation, the Council prepared an assessment of each existing planning policy of the Core Strategy and DMP against relevant national and regional policies and guidance, as well as local evidence and identified needs. This was used to indicate whether there was a need to review the policy and what that scope of the review might involve. 1.3.3 The Council received 80 responses to the scoping consultation. All responses have been analysed and considered as part of the preparation of this Pre-Publication version of the Local Plan. A record of all responses submitted including a full analysis of the consultation responses are available on the Council's website at: www.richmond.gov.uk/local_plan_review.htm. 1.3.4 Public consultation on the Pre-Publication version of the Plan took place from 8 July until 19 August 2016 in line with Regulation 18 of the Local Planning Regulations and the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement. The Council received 101 responses to the public consultation on the first draft of the Local Plan. All responses have been analysed and duly considered as part of the preparation of the final version of the Local Plan. A record of all responses submitted including a full analysis of the consultation responses are available on the Council's website at: www.richmond.gov.uk/local_plan_review.htm. 1.3.5 The indicative timetable for the Local Plan Review is set out in the table below. What When Consultation on scope of review of policies and draft site allocations 4 January - 1 February 2016 (completed) First consultation on the draft Local Plan ('Pre-Publication') 8 July - 19 August 2016 Second consultation on the draft Local Plan ('Publication') that the Council Winter 2017 (current stage) intends to submit to Secretary of State Submission of the draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State Late Spring/Summer 2017 Independent Examination in Public Autumn/Winter 2017/18 Adoption of the Local Plan Spring 2018 1.4 Consultation on this Plan and associated Documents 1.4.1 The following documents, which are available on the Council's website at www.richmond.gov.uk/local_plan_review, are all being consulted on at this stage: 1. Publication Local Plan (this document): this sets out the Council’s final version of the planning policies.