Planning policy

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draft Core Strategy January 2010

In January 2010, a summary leaflet was made available in the local press, and at various locations such as our offices, libraries, post offices, doctor's surgeries etc.  The leaflet also publicised a number of public exhibitions across the two districts throughout January and February, and a copy is attached below.

"Both councils have worked together to produce the draft Core Strategy, to address how northern Devon should look in the future.  This joint vision sets out the direction for development over the next 16 years, and looks to ensure we retain and build on our world class environment, not only for our towns, but also our rural communities.  Therefore, it's vitally important that everyone is encouraged to share their views on the proposals."
Des Brailey, Leader of North Devon Council, James Morrish, Leader of Torridge District Council.

The full document is available for viewing and comment using our online consultation portal by clicking on the link below:

The New Planning System

The way that the District Council will help local communities to plan for their future is changing with the introduction of a new planning system.

The existing North Devon Local Plan and the Devon County Structure Plan are to be replaced by a new North Devon Local Development Framework (LDF) and the South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).

North Devon Council is responsible for preparing the new LDF, which will be very different from the existing Local Plan.

How to be kept informed

Local Development Framework

The Local Development Framework (LDF) is a new planning system that will manage how development takes place in towns and the countryside.

We have establish an online consultation portal where you can find all the current LDF documents and make your comments.

We are actively encouraging anyone interested to comment via the portal.

Key benefits of making comments online include:

Local Plan

The North Devon Local Plan was formally adopted on 20 July 2006 and forms part of the development plan for North Devon.

In June 2009, the Secretary of State issued a direction that the Local Plan policies identified in the schedule be saved for an extended period beyond 6 July 2009.  Other Local Plan policies will no longer form part of the development plan.

Please contact us if you wish to purchase a copy of the plan. It costs £50 plus £10 postage.

The local plan page also includes the Inquiry documents and the Inspector's report.

Conservation

Our new conservation page is the place to find new maps of all the Conservation Areas in the district and also will enable you to keep track of the Appraisals and Management Plans prepared by our Strategic Conservation Officer.

Evidence Base

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

We are preparing a strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA) to identify sites with potential for housing development which should be published later this year.

Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) requires all Councils to maintain a '5 year land supply' - enough identified housing land to deliver required housing needs for at least the next five years.  Identified land must be suitable for housing, readily available and with a reasonable prospect of being built within 5 years.

North Devon Council has identified enough available housing land for at least the next 7 years. (pdf 9.87kb)

North Devon Council, Torridge and West Somerset District Councils and Exmoor National Park Authority are working together to ensure that there is enough suitable land available to deliver future housing requirements.

To do this, each authority will be preparing a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) for their area to identify sites with potential for housing development. It will estimate when sites are likely to be developed to help assess how the area can meet its future housing requirements.

The Authorities have prepared a draft methodology, based on national guidance, which sets out how they propose to prepare the SHLAA reports for their areas. We invited people to get involved in preparing these SHLAA reports by telling us whether the proposed methodology is appropriate.

A six-week consultation period ran from 22 January until 4 March 2009.  An amended methodology is now being prepared.

North Devon and Torridge District Councils also launched a public ‘call for potential housing sites’ between 18 February and 1 April 2009. This consultation allowed people to present potential housing sites to us so we can assess them as part of the SHLAA.

Housing Land Availability

If you would like to order a copy of the full Retail Study please email planning@northdevon.gov.uk for details.

Employment Land Review

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (pdf 2.75mb)

Report on the Identification of Local Nature Conservation Sites and Biodiversity Networks in North Devon. (pdf 6.71mb)
Produced by Devon Biodiversity Records Centre as part of the Devon Wildlife Trust in June 2001.

1994 Landscape Assessment (pdf 5.88mb)

Contact details

Planning Policy Team
North Devon Council
Civic Centre
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1EA

Telephone: 01271 388392
Fax: 01271 388333
Email:localplan@northdevon.gov.uk or ldf@northdevon.gov.uk

How to be kept informed