Purpose

The review of the Local
Development Scheme has been carried out in response to a request
from the Secretary of State, in the Chief Planner letter dated 13
December 2024, that local planning authorities review their LDS, in
the light of the publication of the new National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF).
 
The Council’s current
Local Development Scheme was agreed in July 2024, shortly before,
but in anticipation of, the proposed changes to the NPPF, and to
the Plan-making process and related matters.
 
It is the recommendation of
officers that the work programme set out in the current LDS remains
valid.
 
There are two minor amendments
that need to be made to the table (section 3, p7)  in the published Local Development Scheme
(LDS).  These do not affect the list of
documents identified in the LDS; the scope of the documents; or the
overall timetable:
 
1. 
In relation to the Council’s Biodiversity
Strategy - as a result of some delays in obtaining some critical
species data, this work will now continue through the next year, so
the Biodiversity Strategy should be included in the list of tasks
identified for March 2025 - December 2025; and
 
2. 
In relation to the East Kent Design Code work - as a
result of changing Government guidance in relation to the
preparation of Design Codes, the references to different
“phases” should be removed. This is likely to be a much
more continuous process than previously envisaged.

Decision

Cabinet agreed the reviewed Local Development
Scheme to be published and details submitted to the Ministry of
Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG).