'REAL TIME INFORMATION'
1. New Development Plan Production Programme:
A new programme for replacing Babergh's Local Plan (adopted in 2006) is under preparation. This will replace the programme set out in Babergh's Local Development Scheme (LDS - adopted in July 2007) which is now out of date. There is a need to produce an interim new LDS to plan and reflect the programme for delivering our immediate priority, the Core Strategy. Beyond that the intention is to produce a longer-term and more comprehensive LDS that will take into account staff integration with Mid Suffolk District Council, the substantially reduced resources context and the need for the new single team to prepare and produce new Plans for the two separate Councils (with these plans to be co-ordinated and produced jointly as far as is possible). Once the new programme has been finalised we will publish it on our website. In the meantime - and thereafter - please continue to refer to this 'Real Time Information’ page for the latest news.
2. Babergh Development Framework and Forthcoming Consultations:
Core Strategy (Submission Draft) - Important News - 10th October 2011
The most important development to date is the production of the Core Strategy. This will set out the general Spatial Vision, Objectives and Policies for delivery through the BDF and will cover the 20-year period (2011 - 2031) from when it is adopted - currently anticipated in 2012.
Work on an 'Issues & Options' document, as the first stage in producing the Core Strategy, was completed in mid 2009. However, following revocation of the Regional Spatial Strategy (and regional growth targets) the Council worked with local communities in 2010 to review future growth issues. That planning exercise - all about future growth - has been completed and the plan preparation process that was formally deferred on 1st June 2010 with the announcement regarding RSS's (though that revocation has since been reversed) has resumed. Babergh's Strategy Committee, at its meeting on 18th August 2011, agreed a proposed Submission Draft Core Strategy document. This was agreed by Full Council at its special meeting on 5th September 2011 - see Paper L55. (Note: Committee papers can be accessed via the Council and Democracy web-page). An 8 week public consultation exercise on the Submission Draft Core Strategy document is now underway. This started on Monday 10th October and will run until 4:30pm on Friday 2nd December 2011 (a full two weeks more than the minimum period required). Only written responses can be accepted and these must be received before the deadline.
How to get involved:
Full details on the Submission Draft Core Strategy and on how you can get involved have been published on a dedicated web-page.This page also contain a link to the Council's dedicated on-line consultation system. (See: Core Strategy (2011 - 2031) Submission Draft)
3. Website Updates - Watch This Space:
A copy of the latest Annual Monitoring Report (covering the year April 2010 - March 2011) has been published on our website, almost four months ahead of the Government's December deadline. AMRs are used to assess progress on the delivery of the BDF, to review policy effectiveness and to provide other local monitoring information.
4. What Happens to Babergh's Adopted Local Plan (from 2006)?
It is also important to note that the adopted Local Plan will be gradually replaced by the new BDF and other plans / policies. The emerging Core Strategy document will set out a schedule of those Local Plan policies that it specifically replaces. Although prepared to cover the period until 2016, the Local Plan's shelf life officially ended on 1st June 2009 (3 years after it was adopted in 2006), due to external changes in the planning system. However, since much of the Plan still provides a useful interim planning strategy and range of planning policies, Babergh 'saved' most of the policies beyond June 2009 until such time as they are either superseded or replaced by new plans / policies. Confirmation was given by the Secretary of State that most of the policies are 'saved'. (See the 'Saved Policies' web-page for more information).
Please note that the Core Strategy is generally not site specific (other than identifying proposed, strategic growth directions at the edges of the district’s three urban areas). The planned growth and sites allocated in the adopted Local Plan will remain in place and, therefore, are still allocated and generally unaffected by the Core Strategy.
5. Other Documents
The Employment Land Review has been completed and is available on the Haven Gateway Partnership website.
If you have any queries about these matters and for all routine planning policy enquiries, please contact the Planning Policy Team on 01473 826678 or email ldf@babergh.gov.uk
Page last updated on 12th October 2011
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