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.
Core Strategy: on 20th January, the Council published the Darlington LDF Core Strategy Revised Preferred Options for consultation. The consultation period closes on 28th February 2010.
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 2009-2012 [pdf document] took effect from 6 August 2009. Appendices to the 2009-12 LDS, [pdf document] and a summary table [pdf document]showing the timescale for the preparation and adoption of LDF documents are also available.
Summaries of the superseded LDS 2007-2010 [pdf document], and LDS 2006-2009 [pdf document], have been archived and remain available.
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).
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 Affordable Housing SPD was the first to be adopted by the Council in April 2007. The Design of New Development SPD was adopted in July 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..
Annual Monitoring Report 2008/2009 [pdf document, 1.3mb]
Annual Monitoring Report 2007/08 [PDF document 453kb]
Annual Monitoring Reports for 2006/07 [pdf file 1.6mb]
Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06 [PDF file 2.4mb]
Annual Monitoring Report 2004/05 [PDF file 443kb]
All documents may be inspected at the Town Hall, within normal office hours (see visiting us).