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RESOLVED  
 
i)              
The Local Development Scheme 2025 attached as Appendix 1 be
approved

 
ii)             
That the Local Development Scheme is to have effect from 27
February 2025.

 
iii)            
The submission of the Local Development Scheme 2025 to the Ministry
of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) be
approved.
 
REASONS
 
i)              
Local Planning Authorities are under a legal duty to prepare and
maintain a document setting out the programme for the preparation
of planning documents. The Council’s current LDS was
published in September 2023, and has since become out of date due
to unforeseen delays to the progress of the Local Plan, hence an
update is necessary.

 
ii)             
It is a legal requirement that the local planning authority must
formally resolve to bring the LDS into effect and to specify the
date for this.
 
iii)            
The Chief Planning Officer for MHCLG has written to all local
planning authorities instructing that they produce an updated Local
Development Scheme (LDS) within 12 weeks of the publication of the
(December 2024) NPPF (deadline 6 March 2025).
 
 
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED AS
IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT
 
Under the duties conferred on the Council by
the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended), the
Council must produce and maintain a Local Development Scheme. There
is no other legal course of action available.
 
Alternatives to the LDS content presented as
Appendix 1 are limited. One alternative would be to assume
withdrawal of the current HDLP 2023-40, and immediately begin a
review. Under transitional arrangements, it is permitted to prepare
a local plan under the current system, but this would have to be
submitted for Examination in its final form by 12 December 2026.
Under this scenario, the ‘new’ Plan would be examined
under the current (December 2024) NPPF and therefore be subject to
the higher local housing need figure (currently 1,357 dwellings per
annum). Officers consider that the probability of achieving this
very tight timeline, in light of a much more challenging housing
target, and the consequent evidence base updates that would be
required is minimal and at this stage is not considered a realistic
option to pursue.