Contact the planning policy team

The local plan helps to make sure our district provides the homes, jobs, community facilities and services to meet the needs of our population in a sustainable way, while protecting and enhancing the district’s environment and heritage.

Planning proposals submitted to us should be determined on the basis of whether they are in accordance with the local plan unless there are material considerations to indicate otherwise.

For those therefore with either proposals they wish to submit in the immediate future or with longer term suggestions for changes in land use allocations in a local plan review, early discussions with the spatial policy and delivery team can be beneficial. It can result in an efficient local plan review process for you. It can also avoid lengthy, costly and potentially abortive work on promoting allocations that are unlikely to be acceptable in a future local plan.

For those at the pre-application submission stage, the spatial policy and delivery team’s interpretation of all relevant local plan policies and national guidance in the determination of an application can also be beneficial. It can result in improved submissions and avoid costly and abortive work on preparing proposals that would not be acceptable or require changes to be acceptable.

The spatial policy and delivery team therefore offers a paid for policy advice only service in which a member of the team can meet with you and subsequently provide written advice.

Request advice

To request policy advice, please email the following information to the spatial policy and delivery team

  • the site address (with attached location plan with site outlined in red at scale 1:1250 or 1:2500)

  • an explanation and description of the proposal
  • any relevant information about previous uses
  • any other relevant information known