North Northamptonshire Local Development Framework Local Development Schemes April 2007 to April 2010 Contents Page No 1: The Local Development Schemes 2 2: The Revised Development Planning System 4 3: Approach to the Local Development Framework in North 5 Northamptonshire Introduction 5 Conformity 5 Relationship with other Plans and Strategies 6 Figure 1: Relationship between the LDF and other key plans and 6 strategies New Local Development Documents 7 Schedule of Local Development Documents 8 LDF Programme 8 Adopted Documents 8 Saved Policies and Supplementary Planning Guidance 8 Figure 2: North Northamptonshire: Joint Local Development 9 Framework – the suite of Local Development Documents 4: Managing the Preparation of the LDF 10 Joint Working 10 Resources 10 Project Management 10 Risk Assessment 11 Priorities 12 Council Procedures and reporting protocols 12 Evidence Base 12 Statement of Community Involvement & Participation Strategy 14 Sustainability Appraisal/ SEA 14 Monitoring and review 15 Appendix 1 Glossary of Terms 16 Appendix 2a Joint Committee LDS: Schedule of proposed Local 18 Development Documents to be prepared by Joint Planning Unit and either agreed by the Joint Committee or individual districts Appendix 2b Corby LDS: Schedule of proposed Local Development 22 Documents to be prepared and agreed by Corby Borough Council Appendix 2c East Northamptonshire LDS: Schedule of proposed Local 29 Development Documents to be prepared and agreed by East Northamptonshire Council Appendix 2d Kettering LDS: Schedule of proposed Local Development 34 Documents to be prepared and agreed by Kettering Borough Council Appendix 2e Wellingborough LDS: Schedule of proposed Local 41 Development Documents to be prepared and agreed by the Borough Council of Wellingborough Appendix 3 Summary timetable for the production of North 45 Northamptonshire DPDs 1 1 The Local Development Schemes 1.1 Planning authorities are required to submit a Local Development Scheme (LDS) to the Secretary of State. This is a public statement setting out what Local Development Documents are to be prepared and the programme for their production. 1.2 North Northamptonshire is not an administrative district in itself but is the name given to the combined area of the four districts/ boroughs of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough. The Local Development Schemes for North Northamptonshire, incorporating the Joint Committee LDS and the four district/ borough LDSs, set out a programme for the preparation of the North Northamptonshire Local Development Framework (LDF). Local Development Framework for North Local Development Documents (LDDs) for Northamptonshire Kettering Borough LDDs for East Northamptonshire LDDs Joint LDDs for prepared by Corby Joint Planning Unit LDDs for Wellingborough 1.3 North Northamptonshire falls within the Milton Keynes-South Midlands Growth Area identified in the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan (2003). The Milton Keynes and South Midlands (MKSM) Sub– Regional Strategy sets out more detail on where and how the growth should take place. This was subject to a public examination in 2004 and following consultation on proposed changes, was published by the Secretary of State in March 2005. It forms part of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East Midlands (RSS8). The sub-regional strategy encourages the Councils of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough to work together in a complementary way. It advises that joint planning documents should be prepared to reflect cross-administrative boundary issues that affect more than one district. 2 1.4 The four Councils resolved in the summer of 2004 to produce a joint Local Development Framework in order to coordinate the production of the plans needed to deliver sustainable development in North Northamptonshire over the period to 2021. This will include a Core Spatial Strategy, as well as land allocations for development. It will also include other policies setting out standards that will be required of new development and Area Action Plans setting out a framework for the development of particular areas expected to undergo significant changes in the future. 1.5 A Joint Committee has been established under section 29 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to agree elements of the LDF. This involves elected members from the four districts and the county council. A Joint Planning Unit has been established to coordinate the LDF and, in particular, to prepare joint Local Development Documents to be agreed by the Joint Committee and/ or individual councils. The Joint Planning Unit is part of North Northants Development Company, a partnership of public, private and voluntary sectors working to deliver sustainable communities for Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire. 1.6 This document is a compilation of the five LDSs covering the North Northamptonshire area. It specifies the Local Development Documents that together make up the North Northamptonshire LDF. The individual Local Development Schemes contained in this document are: 1 The Joint Committee LDS. A Local Development Scheme prepared in consultation with the individual councils, the Government Office and the Planning Inspectorate, and agreed by the Joint Planning Committee that has been established to carry out strategic planning in North Northamptonshire*. 2 Corby Borough Council LDS. Local Development Schemes prepared 3 East Northamptonshire District Council LDS through the Joint Planning Unit and agreed 4 Kettering Borough Council LDS individually by the four councils. These consider 5 Borough Council of Wellingborough LDS district/ borough specific planning issues. The five LDSs contained in the document are distinguished by the use of each individual authority’s logo as a header. 1.7 The Local Development Schemes serve as the starting point for stakeholders and the wider community to find out about the LDF for North Northamptonshire. The Local Development Schemes explain what each element of the LDF will look like, what it will aim to do, who will be responsible for preparing it and when the key stages will occur. 3 2 The revised development planning system What is a Local Development Framework? 2.1 The Local Development Framework (LDF) is the package of Local Development Documents that will set out how an area will be developed in the future. Together with the Regional and Sub-Regional Spatial Strategies, the LDF will replace Local Plans and the Structure Plan. 2.2 As a minimum, the LDF will need to comprise: • A Core Spatial Strategy, setting out the long term framework for the area • Site specific allocations for particular needs, such as sites for housing, employment, shops, schools, hospitals or for a mix of uses. • Area Action Plans for areas where significant change or conservation is needed; and • A proposals map, showing areas that will be protected, locations for future development and any other areas where certain policies may apply. 2.3 The new system of Local Development Frameworks bring with it new terminology. This is set out in Appendix 1. Further details of the new planning arrangements can be found on the Planning Portal (www. planningportal.gov.uk). 4 3 Approach to the LDF in North Northamptonshire Introduction 3.1 This section sets out the overall approach to the North Northamptonshire LDF. It presents the schedule of LDDs to be prepared through the Joint Planning Unit and agreed either by the Joint Committee and/ or individual Councils, together with those LDDs to be prepared and agreed individually by the four Councils. 3.2 The four Districts are currently covered by adopted Local Plans. The Local Plans of Corby, Kettering and East Northamptonshire provide planning guidance up to 2006. Similarly, most policies in the Borough of Wellingborough Local Plan have an end-date of 2006. This particular Local Plan, however, includes an alteration, adopted in 2004, which is essentially restricted to housing and employment policies as they relate to the town of Wellingborough and covers the period to 2016. Legislation states that adopted Local Plans will remain in force (“saved”) for a period of three years from the commencement of the new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (September 2004). All Local Plans will be superseded with new policy in the joint LDF as it emerges. Conformity 3.3 The joint LDF for North Northamptonshire will need to be in conformity with the Regional Spatial Strategy (formerly Regional Planning Guidance) for the East Midlands as well as the MKSM Sub-Regional Strategy. The LDF will be looking to implement those aspects of the regional strategy to 2021. This will be the end date for the joint LDF. Figure 1 below shows how these documents relate to one other. 3.4 Structure Plans have been abolished in the new planning system, but there are policies in the adopted Northamptonshire Structure Plan that in the interim period will continue to provide pertinent guidance. The East Midlands Regional Assembly, acting as regional planning body, will decide what elements of the adopted Structure Plan (1996 - 2016) need to be saved pending replacement by LDDs. 5 Relationship with other Plans and Strategies 3.5 The relationship between the LDF and Regional Spatial Strategy has already been discussed in 3.4, but there are other plans and strategies that also have a strong relationship with the LDF, as indicated in the diagram below. RSS/MKSM Sub- Regional & National Planning Policy Regional Spatial Sub- Statements Strategy Regional Economic Strategies Local Development Framework Community Local Strategies Transport Plan Figure 1 - relationship between the LDF and other key plans and strategies 3.6 The Councils and the Joint Committee will take account of these plans and strategies in preparing the North Northamptonshire LDF. Account will also be taken of technical work (see para 4.14) and of consultations undertaken prior to commencement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. 3.7 It is a particular requirement that the LDF should have regard to the Community Strategy, with a view to implementing those aspects of it that have a land use implication.