About this page
How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:
Policy background
- Relevant national policy or regulations
- National or regional trends
- Local situation and needs/li>
- How we have dealt with this issue in the past
- The thinking behind the policy
Policy options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest a variety of approaches:
- Keeping existing policy as it is
- Making small changes
- Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Policy option analysis
- A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.
View the Infrastructure Evidence Base to Draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.
Explore the policy
Select a section below to read more.
9.502 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2023) and associated Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) highlights the importance of the proper planning and delivery of infrastructure as part of the plan making process. The timely delivery of infrastructure required to support future development is also highlighted as one of the spatial priorities of the Local Plan.
9.503 The Council is working with and will continue to work with infrastructure providers, developers and other key stakeholders to support the delivery of the infrastructure necessary to enable the development set out in the Local Plan. The Council has prepared an Infrastructure Delivery Plan to accompany the adopted Local Plan, and this forms a baseline for future infrastructure needs which will arise from the emerging Local Plan policy requirements and site allocations set out in the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19). The Infrastructure Delivery Plan will be updated alongside the Draft Local Plan to ensure infrastructure information remains up to date and is monitored effectively.
9.504 In preparing this Options document we have engaged with infrastructure providers including the water companies, energy companies, NHS and internal services such as schools to understand the implications of growth and to identify how any infrastructure capacity constraints might have implications for the Local Plan spatial strategy.
9.505 The details of the infrastructure needed for new developments and that which is needed to reduce deficiencies in existing infrastructure will be highlighted in the relevant sections of the place chapters of the Local Plan. There will also be a general District-wide policy that makes sure that all new developments are supported by the necessary infrastructure. This will be additional to specific policies requiring for example green infrastructure, active travel requirements, and policy requirements for allocations which set out the infrastructure required to support development.
9.506 A Viability Assessment will be undertaken to assess the viability of all policy requirements such as Affordable Housing, green infrastructure and transport measures in order to inform the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19).
9.507 The existing Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which aligns with the current Local Plan will need to be updated to reflect the updated infrastructure requirements within the new Local Plan – policies and site allocations and the associated developer contributions. This is particularly important in the case of Affordable Housing which includes detailed requirements within the SPD.
9.508 An important issue that has arisen in the implementation of the adopted policy CP13 is the timing of infrastructure. It is important to ensure that infrastructure is delivered at the earliest opportunity to be in place for when developments are occupied. Notwithstanding this, the timing of delivery infrastructure in the programming of developments is a key issue for developers in terms of financing and viability.
9.509 We propose to retain a generic policy requiring that new developments must be supported by the delivery of the required infrastructure to provide balanced and more self-contained communities. It will ensure that infrastructure is delivered at the earliest opportunity and in a co-ordinated way prior to occupation of new development. The policy will refer to developer contributions and an updated Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document.
Option A
Retain policy CP13 with minor amendment to reference the timely delivery of infrastructure to ensure that infrastructure is delivered at the earliest opportunity.
Advantages of Option A
- This will aim to ensure that infrastructure is in place before occupation.
Disadvantages of Option A
- Viability may be an issue in terms of the cost of development finance for delivery of infrastructure at an early stage.