Work is underway to prepare a Local Development Framework (LDF) for the Borough, which will gradually replace the existing Borough of Darlington Local Plan. The LDF will comprise a number of separate documents.
The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the titles of the documents, their purpose and the timing of their preparation. The current Local Development Scheme 2007-2010 (PDF file, new window) took effect from 16 April 2007. A summary (PDF file, new window) is also available. A summary of the superseded LDS 2006-2009 (PDF file, new window) has been archived and remains available.
The Council intends to publish The Local Development Scheme 2009-2012 in Spring 2009. This will include a new timetable for preparation and submission of the Core Strategy and other LDF documents. As a result of comments received in response to the Core Strategy Preferred Options consultation, officers are considering whether further consultations will need to be carried out prior to pre-submission publication of the Core Strategy. If these are required, the following timetable to adoption is likely:
- Further Consultations: 2009
- Submission of the Core Strategy to Government: Summer 2010
- Public Examination: Autumn/Winter 2010
- Adoption: Winter/early Spring 2011.
The revised LDS 2009-2012 will clarify this.
The new planning system places greater emphasis on community involvement. The Council's policies for this are set out in the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), adopted in 2005.
Public participation on The Core Strategy: Preferred Options is currently planned for Autumn 2008.
The Council is working with the other local authorities in the Tees Valley to prepare joint development plan documents for Minerals and Waste Development. The elements relevant to Darlington will become part of the Borough’s LDF.
The first of the new-style SPDs is that on Affordable Housing, adopted in April 2007. The next will be on Design of New Development with consultation planned for Spring 2009.
The Local Development Framework will be supplemented by non-statutory planning policy documents adopted by the Council and supported by an evidence base to help identify opportunities, constraints and issues for Darlington.
An Open Spaces Strategy was adopted in March 2007.
Councils are required to publish an annual report outlining progress in preparing their LDF and in implementing existing planning policies. The Annual Monitoring Report 2007/08 [PDF file 453kb] for Darlington has recently been published (December 2008). The previous Annual Monitoring Reports for 2006/07 [pdf file 1.6mb], Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06 [PDF file 2.4mb] and Annual Monitoring Report 2004/05 [PDF file 443kb] have been archived and remain available.
All documents may be inspected at the Town Hall, within normal office hours (see visiting us).
Last Updated - 28/08/2008