Planning policies
This section is intended to help people looking for information about planning policies.
Parliament makes laws and sets out the legal framework for the planning system in England and Wales.
Key legislation for the planning system includes the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which are accompanied by secondary legislation such as the General Permitted Development Order 1995, the Use Classes Order 1987 and a range of statutory instruments.
However while Parliament makes the law the Courts have to interpret the legislation. Courts may be required to make judgements on planning matters and as a result case law has resulted.
In order to maximise the chances of any planning application you make being successful, you should ensure that it conforms to all relevant planning policies.
Planning Officers have to take into account legislation, case law, government guidance and Development Plan policies when deciding planning applications and preparing Local Plans.
The government administers the planning system
It can:
- issue guidance to local councils via national and regional planning guidance;
- set planning policy via Circulars, and Planning Policy Guidance Notes, now being replaced by Planning Policy Statements;
- make decisions on planning appeals and major planning applications via the Planning Inspectorate.
The Development Plan for the Borough
The documents that make up the Development Plan for the Borough are:
In addition, the emerging policies developed as part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) are a material consideration. These policy documents will form part of the Development Plan once they are adopted. The Core Strategy is a material consideration, as it has been approved by the Council as a policy document.
Core Strategy
Since the adoption of the Local Plan, the status of some policies have changed. See our Planning Policy Status Update section, including information on saved policies.
Further information
- for information on the Borough Local Plan, see our About the Local Plan section
- for information on the Core Strategy, see our Local Development Framework section.
Last updated : 03/09/2010
