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Local Development Framework


 
Forest Heath District Council is preparing a Local Development Framework (LDF), to provide the policy basis for planning decisions over the next 15 years.

The LDF is made up of a suite of documents. The Core Strategy is the first and most important of these, since it gives the broad strategy for future development in the District. The Site Specific Allocations Plan will allocate sites for development for the period 2009 – 2021.

The Development Management Policies document will provide more detailed policies for particular types of development – housing, employment, shopping, leisure activities.

The Core Strategy was submitted to the Secretary of State (August 2009). The full range of ‘Submission documents’ are available on the Core Strategy page. In addition there are various past stages in its preparation, which can be downloaded from that page. The stage that followed after was an Inspector was appointed to prepare for an Examination in Public. The Examination took place between December 2009 and January 2010. 


 LDF Consultation Database 

 


 LDF Consultation Database



The LDF Consultation Database is Forest Heath’s list of all those to be consulted on LDF matters. This includes those residents and stakeholders who have already either expressed an interest in being involved in the development of planning policy or have been identified by the Council as being potentially important contributors to that process.

If you would like to be added to this database or have your current details updated please e-mail fp@forest-heath.gov.uk or log onto our online consultation system by following the attached link.  


Core Strategy and Site Specific consultation document (September 2006).


 Consultations and Latest Information 

 

The Proposed Submission Core Strategy Document has been prepared according to the Town and Country Planning (Local development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008.  The Proposed Submission Core Strategy is supported by an extensive evidence base, all of which can be downloaded from the website or viewed at the Council Offices.

The district council's Core Strategy ‘Proposed Submission document’ is now available to download from this site. The public consultation period was from the 31st March - 5th June 2009. 

It should be noted that the consultation period had been extended to 5pm on the 5th June 2009.  To allow consideration of amendments made to the indicative employment land allocations in policy CS1 and policy CS6 on 22nd April 2009.

Core Strategy 'Proposed Submission Document' March 2009 including employment land amendment
Final schedule of proposed amendments to the core strategy.  These amendments have been submitted to the Sectary of State with the Core Strategy Proposed Submission document (March 2009) in accordance with regulation 32.

Core Strategy Final Policy Option (August 2008)
Core Strategy Preferred Options (September 2006)
Core Strategy Issues and Options (2005)

Proposals Map

Proposal Map Legend

Final Sustainability Appraisal

Sustainability Appraisal: Final Policy Option
Sustainability Appraisal: Preferred Options
Initial Sustainability Appraisal: Issues and Options
Sustainability Appraisal: Scoping Report

Advertisement Notice (Regulation 27)

Representations Procedure Guidance (Regulation 27)

Representation Form

Core Strategy Statement of Consultation (Regulation 30 (1) (d))

Core Strategy Statement of Consultation (Regulation 30 (1) (e))

Copy of Letter to East of England Regional Assembly (Regulation 30)

EERA response to the Core Strategy Proposed Submission Document   
   
Letter from East of England Regional Assembly (5th May 2009)
 
Click here for the current online consultation - Currently there are no formal rounds of consultation


The district council's Core Strategy 'Final Policy Option' is now closed.

Forest Heath Core Strategy Leaflet

Core Strategy Press Advert (July 2008) 

Hard Copy Representation Form – Core Strategy DPD Final Policy Option Consultation

Letter to Parish Councils regarding Final Policy Option Consultation (July 2008) 

Letter to Consultees regarding Final Policy Option Consultation (July 2008)

Core Strategy Final Policy Option Document (August 2008)

The Local Development Scheme or 3 year work programme for the LDF is currently being revised and the draft document is available to view as interim guidance.



 Local Development Scheme



The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the timetable and project plan for the preparation of the policy documents on the Local Development Framework. It shows which documents will be produced and in what stages and when. It provides a starting point if you wish to become involved in commenting on the LDF documents.

Local Development Scheme (December 2009)

 

 Statement of Community Involvement

 
The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) explains how groups and individuals can be involved in the LDF process and how we will consult people on planning applications. The statement is still in draft form, as the document was never submitted for final approval.


The stages:

A Draft Statement of Community Involvement (October 2004) was prepared by the council and subject to a consultation period of seven weeks from 10th December to 28th January 2005.  Draft Statement of Community Involvement (October 2004)

The responses to the consultation on the draft SCI have been considered and a report was produced for the LDF Working Group on 19 May 2005.  LDF Working Group Report (May 2005)

In the light of the consultation responses the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) was amended to produce the Preferred Option SCI June 2005.

Consultation took place from 20 June to 1 August 2005.  The responses to this consultation have been considered and a report was produced for the LDF working Group on 29 September 2005.

A further consultation period ran from 26 September to 7 November 2005, but no further responses were recieved.  The Statement of the Proposals Matters provides details about this second consultation period.
Statement of Community Involvement - Preferred Options (June 2005)
LDF Working Group Report (September 2005)
Statement of the Proposals Matters


 Core Strategy 


The Core Strategy outlines the vision and overall objectives for development in Forest Heath up to 2021 and beyond to 2031. All other Development Plan Documents should conform with the Core Strategy.
 

The stages:


Core Strategy and Development Policies - Issues and Options Questionnaire: - COMPLETED

Forest Heath News Questionnaire: - COMPLETED

 Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Preferred Options: - COMPLETED

  • Core Strategy Final Issues and Options - WENT OUT ON CONSULTATION BETWEEN 04th AUGUST 2008 - 22nd SEPTEMBER 2008
  • Development Control Issues and Options - Late 2008
  • Proposed submission consultation - March/April 2009
  • Examination - January/February 2010
  • Adoption - June 2010

 

 Site Specific Allocations



The Site Specific Allocations Plan will identify which sites should be developed, in order to achieve the aims of the Core Strategy. It will include proposals for new housing, employment, shopping and other development, together with other uses of land such as parks and open spaces. One stage of consultation has already been carried out, and we have published a Strategic Housing Land Availability Appraisal (SHLAA) – details of these can be found on that page.

The stages:

 Development Control policies


At the start of the process we included these policies in the Core Strategy, so the early stages of consultation dealt with both. The Development Control Policies document will now be prepared and consulted on separately in 2010. It will bring forward policies for the type of development that will gain approval in Forest Heath. The Submission Core Strategy does not include such policies.


 

Sustainability Appraisal


Sustainable development is now the statutory purpose of planning.  To help deliver this, and at the same time satisfy the European Directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment, the Council must subject all its new Local Development Documents to Sustainability Appraisal.  In this way the Council will make the most sustainable choices in developing its planning policies.

We are currently consulting on the updated Sustainability Appraisal report for the Core Strategy 2008.

The Council's Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report was approved in March 2005 and sets out the Council's SA Framework.

Core Strategy preferred options sustainability appraisal report (2006)

Core Strategy preferred options sustainability appraisal appendices (2006)

Sustainability appraisal scoping report (March 2005)

Previous versions of the Sustainability Appraisal report for the Core Strategy incorporating Development Control Policies:

Sustainability Appraisal of the Issues and Options (July 2005)

Sustainability Appraisal of Core Strategy for the Forest Heath District Council Local Development Framework

Sustainability Appraisal of Core Strategy Final Policy Option Report (July 2008)

Sustainability Appraisal Representation Form (July 2008)


 
Annual Monitoring Report



The Annual Monitoring Report provides an important aspect of the process. It identifies changes that may trigger a review of the LDF policies. We will prepare Annual Monitoring Reports to asses the extent to which policy objectives are being achieved, or are failing to achieve their objectives.

Each Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs) are based on the period 1 April to 31 March.  They are submitted to the Secretary of State no later than the end of December each year.

Annual Monitoring Reports have been published each year from 2005.

Annual Monitoring Report (December 2008 - 2009)
Annual Monitoring Report (December 2007 - 2008)
Annual Monitoring Report (December 2006 - 2007)

Annual Monitoring Report (December 2005 - 2006)

 
Background studies / Evidence base


The documents below provide the evidence base for the preparation of Local Development Framework.

This list is kept up to date with the most recently published documents.

Index for Core Strategy

Parish Profile and Settlement Hierarchy (May 2008)

Environment
FH CS Habitat Regulations Assessment (March 2009)
FHDC Greenspace Study (Draft Nov 2008) - Final document due May 2009
FH PPG 17 and Built Facilities Audit (Draft Oct 2007) - Final document due May 2009
FH Green Space Built Facilities Overview (Nov 2009)
Playing Pitch Strategy (2002)
Supporting Statement: Natural Environment (March 2009)
Landscape Character Assessment (Draft Dec 2008)
Conservation Area Appraisals
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and Water Cycle Study

Retail
Retail and Town Centre Study (2006)
Supporting Statement: Retail Strategy (March 2009)

Housing
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (Draft Feb 2009)
FH Affordable Housing Strategy (July 2007)
Strategic housing Market Assessment (May 2008)

Affordable Housing Viability Study (November 2009)

FH Housing Needs Assessment (2005)
Housing Strategy (2007-2010)
Gypsy and Travellers Survey (May 2006)
Supporting Statement: Housing (March 2009)

Employment
FH Employment Land Review (Oct 2006)
Economic Development Strategy (includes Tourism as a sub set) SWAT analysis (Draft March 2009) - Final document due mid 2009
Final Report - Western Suffolk Employment Land Study (May 2009)
Appendix

Transport
Suffolk Local Transport Plan (2007) 
Support Statement: Transport (March 2009)
Transport Impact Study

General
West Suffolk Community Strategy 2006 - 2016
Forest Heath District Council Corporate Plan 2008 - 2012
Annual Monitoring Report 2007 - 2008
Newmarket to Felixstowe Corridor Study (2005)

Urban Capacity Study (2003) (Volume One)

Urban Capacity Study (2003) (Volume Two)

Mildenhall Healthcheck Report (2006)

 

 Supporting Documents

  



 


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