Local Development Scheme 2012 2016 The Local Development Scheme (LDS) is a project plan that outlines how and when the Authority will update its planning policies and other associated documents. It ensures that the public are aware of how the Authority intends to set a framework for planning decisions in the National Park. The Local Development Scheme was adopted by the National Park Authority in December 2012. The original version has been amended to take account of changes to the timetable for the Local Plan caused by the decision in September 2014 to undertake a selective review of housing policy, and also to embrace the preparation of a Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document. There are several requirements that need to be satisfied by the LDS, which needs to describe: what documents are being prepared; what subject matter they will cover; what geographical area they will relate to; whether any documents are being prepared jointly with other authorities; a timetable for the preparation of all documents. Each of these requirements will be dealt with in turn below. Before doing so, it is important to understand the framework of policies, guidance and procedures that are currently in force in the National Park. These are: POLICIES The National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) a set of national planning policies that our own policies have to have regard to. Given that the NPPF covers the whole country, its policies are broad, so there is still plenty of scope for local interpretation. If any of our older policies are in conflict with what the NPPF says, they will be given less weight in planning decisions. The weight given to these older policies depends on how much conflict there is with what the NPPF says. The Local Plan (April 2006) the original 2006 Local Plan contained 98 policies. In 2009 we reviewed these policies to see if they were still fit for purpose, which resulted in 90 being saved and 8 being cancelled. In 2012 a further 9 housing policies were superseded, leaving 81 policies that are still used for decision making. A list of these can 1
be found in Appendix 1. They cover all aspects of development with the exception of housing and minerals and waste (see below). The Minerals & Waste Local Plan (October 1998) this Plan originally contained 22 policies. In 2007 a review of the policies resulted in 9 being saved and the remaining 13 cancelled. A list of these can be found in Appendix 2. The Housing Development Plan (June 2012) this Plan contains 11 policies that replace the housing policies in the 2006 Local Plan. A list of these policies can be found in Appendix 3. SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENTS In addition to these policies, the Authority currently has three Supplementary Planning Documents that help to expand on the general content of some of the above policies: General Design Guide (2002) outlines the design principles that should apply to all forms of development in the National Park; Farm Buildings Design Guide (May 2007) provides design guidance for new agricultural buildings. Guide to energy production (June 2011) provides advice on energy efficiency and renewable energy generation in the National Park. PROCEDURAL DOCUMENTS Local Development Scheme (2012) this sets out the project plan for the preparation of future policies; Statement of Community Involvement (2012) this sets out how we will consult the public and other interested parties on planning applications and planning policies; Annual Monitoring Report (yearly) this reviews how policies are performing and identifies development trends in the National Park. FUTURE POLICY REVIEWS A new Local Plan will replace all of the adopted and saved policies in the 2012 Housing Development Plan, the 2006 Local Plan and the 1998 Mineral & Waste Local Plan. It will cover the period from 2015 to 2030 1. The Local Plan will be arranged into sections as set out in Appendix 4. 1 The new Local Plan is the only Development Plan Document the Authority is proposing to produce at this time. Development Plan Document is the term used in legislation to describe policy documents as opposed to Supplementary Planning Documents or procedural documents. 2
The whole of the National Park will be covered by the Local Plan although the policies map will give a particular spatial expression to some of the policies in the Plan e.g. sites/areas allocated for or protected against development. The Authority has a duty to cooperate with neighbouring local authorities and other public bodies to ensure cross boundary and strategic planning issues are addressed. Whilst the Authority occasionally collects joint evidence alongside other planning authorities, it does not intend to prepare any joint plans. The timetable for preparation of the Local Plan is contained in Appendix 5. There are several stages to the production of the Local Plan: Issues consultation (Nov 2012 Jan 2013) this public consultation established what people thought the Local Plan should cover and what the priorities were; Evidence gathering phase (Nov 2012 Dec 2013) a stage of gathering evidence to inform decisions about the next stages of the Plan; Options consultation (Sept 2013 Nov 2013) building on the outcome of the above stages, this document set out the preferred policy direction where it was known, or a series of options where it remained to be decided. It was about establishing the main policy principles, before embarking on the detailed policy content. Draft Plan (Nov 2013 June 2015) a full draft of the Plan, including all detailed policies, justification and supporting proposals maps, was consulted on in the summer of 2014. The consultation raised various key issues that were reported to the Authority meeting in September 2014. These issues will be resolved prior to Publication. Selective housing review (Sept 2014 June 2015) the Authority resolved to selectively review parts of the Housing Development Plan as part of the Local Plan. A public consultation on policy changes took place in March & April 2015. Final housing policies will then be incorporated into the Local Plan to present one coherent document with all the Authority s planning policies in. Publication (July 2015 Dec 2015) a formal stage at which the Authority declares what it believes to be a sound Plan. There is a further opportunity for public representations at this stage but only minor changes can be contemplated without triggering the need for further consultation and assessments. Submission & pre-examination (Dec 2015 Feb 2016) - the Plan is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate so that its soundness can be assessed. Examination & post-examination (Feb 2016 May 2016) an Inspector is appointed to assess the Plan and conduct an examination in public with formal hearing sessions. If 3
found sound following examination, the Authority can adopt the Plan (June 2016) and start using it in earnest for planning decisions. OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS The National Park Management Plan (2013) commits the Authority to reviewing the approach to design guidance. The process of developing a new Design Guide commenced in summer 2013. It is being developed in tandem with the Local Plan, so that it can build upon the overall design policies in the Plan and will have the status of a Supplementary Planning Document. It was consulted on alongside the draft Local Plan in summer 2014 so that members of the public and other interest groups had the full picture regarding design requirements and guidance. A further draft will be consulted on alongside the publication version of the Local Plan in the summer of 2015. It will replace all three current supplementary planning documents i.e. the General Design Guide (2002), Farm Buildings Design Guide (2007) and Guide to energy production (2011). A timetable for its production is included in Appendix 6. Communities can now produce their own Neighbourhood Development Plans which, if adopted, will become part of the overall Development Plan for the National Park, providing detail at a Parish level. At present the only proposal for a Neighbourhood Development Plan in the National Park relates to Gargrave Parish, only a small area of which is within the National Park boundary. Annual Monitoring Reports will continue to be published in May each year.. Contact Planning Policy Enquires about planning policy, strategy, information and monitoring 01969 652300 localplan@yorkshiredales.org.uk, Yoredale, Bainbridge, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 3EL 4
Appendix 1 Saved Local Plan (2006) Policies GENERAL POLICIES GP1 National park purposes GP2 General design policy GP3 Accessibility and safety GP4 Landscape enhancement schemes GP5 Major development GP6 Permitted development rights EMPLOYMENT E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 Employment land allocation New small-scale employment uses Existing employment sites Conversion of traditional buildings to employment uses Re-use of modern buildings Home-based working FARMING F1 F2 F3 Agricultural buildings and structures Farm diversification Residential lets and self-catering holiday accommodation COMMUNITY FACILITIES C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 Provision of community facilities Protection of existing community facilities Retailing and other services in key service centres Village shops Joint use of community facilities UTILITIES U1 U2 U4 U6 U7 Foul and surface water drainage Water resources Telecommunications Small-scale renewable developments Utility service lines NATURAL ENVIRONMENT NE1 The open upland NE3 Sites of special scientific interest 5
NE4 Limestone pavement NE5 Regional or local sites of nature conservation importance NE6 Regionally important geological/geomorphological sites NE7 Protection of species NE8 Preventing habitat fragmentation and species isolation NE9 Trees, woodlands and hedgerows NE10 Protecting trees at risk from development NE11 New or improved habitats BUILT HERITAGE AND THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT B1 Historic landscapes B3 Other sites of archaeological significance B4 Historic parks and gardens B5 Open spaces in settlements B6 Streets and plots B7 Building design B8 Conservation areas B9 Demolition within conservation areas B10 Shop fronts B11 Development within barns and walls conservation areas B12 The Settle-Carlisle Railway Conservation Area B13 Listed buildings B14 Extensions and alterations to buildings B15 Conversion of traditional buildings B16 Re-occupation of former houses B17 Changing land to domestic use B18 Signs and advertisements B19 Advance signs and advertisements ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EP1 Protecting the environment SPORT AND RECREATION SR1 Provision of community sport and recreation facilities SR2 Protection of existing community sport and recreation facilities SR4 Noisy sports SR5 Golf courses SR6 Equestrian centres SR7 Private equestrian developments 6
VISITOR FACILITIES VF1 VF2 VF3 VF4 VF5 VF6 Assessment of visitor facilities Bunkhouse barns Tented camp sites Sites for touring caravans Sites for static holiday caravans Holiday chalets TRANSPORT AND ACCESS TA1 Protection of public rights of way and access opportunities TA2 New or improved public rights of way and public access opportunities TA3 Pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians TA4 Public transport facilities TA5 Journey generating developments TA6 Protection of former railway lines TA7 Rail facilities along the Settle-Carlisle Railway TA8 Access tracks TA9 Capacity of roads TA10 Public road developments TA11 Design and construction of roads TA12 Access from the highway TA13 Public car and coach parks TA14 Parking standards TA15 Rail transport for quarry and other bulky products 7
Appendix 2 Saved Minerals & Waste Local Plan Policies (1998) Policy MLP2 Policy MLP6 Policy MLP8 Policy MLP9 Policy MLP17 Policy WLP1 Policy WLP2 Policy WLP3 Policy WLP4 New quarries and extensions to existing quarries Building Stone Reworking of Mineral waste Reuse and recycling of construction and demolition wastes After use and long term management of sites Disposal of household and non inert waste Disposal of Inert waste Civic Amenity Sites Local recycling sites 8
Appendix 3 Housing Development Plan (2012) Policies HDP1.. HDP2 HDP3 HDP4 HDP5 HDP6 HDP7 HDP8 HDP9 HDP10 HDP11 Presumption in favour of sustainable development Land for new build housing Change of use of non residential buildings to housing Housing outside development boundaries Rural exceptions sites Sub division Density and size Energy efficiency & generation in housing developments Replacement dwellings Residential caravans and mobile homes Gypsy and Traveller caravan sites 9
Appendix 4 Local Plan content and policies 1 Introduction 2 Strategic Policies SP1 Presumption in favour of sustainable development SP2 National Park purposes SP3 Spatial strategy SP4 Development quality SP5 Major development 3 Business and Employment BE1 Business development sites BE2 Rural land based enterprises BE3 Reuse of modern buildings BE4 New build live/work units BE5 High street service frontages BE6 Railway-related development BE7 Safeguarding employment uses 4 Community C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 Land for new build housing Rural exceptions sites Rural workers housing Sub-division Replacement Dwellings Residential caravans and mobile homes Gypsies and Travellers caravan sites Accommodation for the elderly and vulnerable adults Existing community facilities New or Improved community Facilities New and improved infrastructure Infrastructure needed to support development Important open space Waste Management 5 Cultural Landscape L1 L2 L3 L4 Heritage assets Conversion of traditional buildings - acceptable uses Conversion of traditional buildings - building treatment Demolition and alteration of 10 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 traditional farm buildings Heritage assets - enabling development Crushed rock quarrying Building stone Reworking mineral waste Mineral and railhead safeguarding The open upland 6 Tourism T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 Camping Touring caravan sites Sustainable self catering visitor accommodation Visitor facilities Indoor visitor facilities 7 Wildlife W1 W2 W3 Wildlife sites, species and networks Compensating for the effects of development on biodiversity Protecting trees and hedgerows and walls 8 Climate Change CC1 Renewable and low carbon energy CC2 Flood risk 9 Monitoring and Implementation Glossary of terms Appendices 1 Superseded policies 2 Special Qualities of the Yorkshire Dales National Park 3 Business development site allocations 4 Housing development site allocations 5 Local occupancy criteria 6 Securing affordable housing 7 Conservation levy
Appendix 5 Timetable for the Local Plan Stage 2013 2014 2015 2016 2012 Issues consultation N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J Preparation of options Options consultation Preparation of full draft Consultation on full draft Selective housing review and consultation Prepare publication document Publication Pre-submission changes Submission Pre-examination Examination & postexamination Adoption 11
Appendix 6 Timetable for Design Guide production Stage 2014 2015 2016 Consultation on initial draft J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J Amendments Consultation on second draft Final changes Adopt & publish 12