Dorset Council Planning Updates and Local Plan Summary
Updates from the Dorset Council Planning Meeting on 8th November 2023 include changes to the plan-making system, climate change initiatives, design codes, and updates on nutrient neutrality. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act received Royal Assent introducing new scope for supplementary plans and National DM policies. The Government's proposed changes to plan-making introduce new local plans produced over a 30-month period with three key rounds of consultation. The Dorset Council Local Plan has paused to reflect on issues raised and respond to national changes, with ongoing evidence gathering on various assessments and studies.
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Presentation Transcript
Title slide Dorset Council Planning Updates Larger Parishes and Towns Meeting 8th November 2023
Overview Changes to the Plan Making system Climate Change position statement Design codes Nutrient Neutrality update Neighbourhood Plans Planning Register
Levelling Up and Regeneration Act Received Royal Assent on 23 October 2023 Introduces scope for Supplementary Plans National DM policies Introducing duty to have special regard to the desirability of preserving or enhancing certain heritage assets Street Development Orders driven by local residents Enforcement: Abolition of 4-year immunity rule Infrastructure Levy to replace CIL becomes a requirement for LPAs and more scope for 3rd parties to deliver infrastructure Expected in 2023/24: New NPPF Regulations for new plan making system Consultation on National DM policies Uplift in planning fees including higher cost of retrospective applications
The Governments proposed changes to Plan Making New Local Plans Produced over a 30-month period Review every five years Slimmed down content with National Development Management Policies covering detail Focused on local issues only Use of templates and the digital methods for consultation Three key rounds of consultation: Initial Scoping stage (project initiation document) First mandatory consultation window (8 weeks) Second mandatory consultation window (6 weeks) Submission for independent examination
The Dorset Council Local Plan Summary of issues raised published (Jan 2023) Consulted on a draft Local Plan (Jan 2021) What we ve achieved - highlights Pause local plan to reflect on issues raised and respond to national changes Government proposals for changes to the plan making system Evidence gathering has continued: Housing Needs Assessment (Jan 2022) Gypsy & Traveller Needs Assessment (Oct 2022) Initial Viability Appraisal (Dec 2022) Town Centre Retail & Leisure Study (Jan 2023) Habitats Sites issues papers (Winter 2022)
The Dorset Council Local Plan Local Housing Need requirement set through Standard Method Reflects projected household growth and housing affordability data Currently Local Housing Need is for 1,900 homes per year across Dorset Housing need Changes to housing target Clarification about when deviation from Local Housing Need could be acceptable Five-year Housing Land Supply only required once Local Plan is more than five years old Removal of Duty to Co-operate
Planning for Climate Change What Recently consulted on three documents setting out how Climate Change will be considered in planning decisions Changes will now be made in response to comments received 1. Interim Position Statement Climate change will be given significant weight in planning decisions for new buildings and for renewable energy proposals Sustainability Checklist Questions for applicants to help demonstrate the climate change credentials of their proposal Listed Buildings What you can do for climate change Aims to explain what can be achieved to save energy whilst conserving a listed building s special interest 2. 3. Review approach to inform policies in Dorset Council Local Plan
Design What NPPF Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development: To provide maximum clarity all local planning authorities should prepare design guides or codes which reflect local character and design preferences. The Dorset Design Code: Currently in the baseline phase reviewing existing documents and developing a vision Review of quality of development in Dorset to identify recurring issues, key priorities, challenges and opportunities Next steps: Further engagement including with developers, parish councils Internal skills audit and capacity review Identifying partner organisations Understand the relationship between the Dorset Design Code, site- specific design work and design policies in Neighbourhood Plans
Nutrient Neutrality What Natural England advice March 2022 - Development must demonstrate that it is nutrient neutral Affects five catchments in Dorset Poole Harbour (N and P) Somerset Levels and Moors (P) River Avon (P) River Axe (P) Chesil& The Fleet (N and P) Levelling Up and Regeneration Act received Royal Assent This will reduce the nutrient burden Potentially removes need for phosphorus mitigation in Poole Harbour Awaiting confirmation of in-scope wastewater treatment works
Nutrient Neutrality What Mitigation for development can be delivered by developer by third party by Dorset Council Natural England delivering mitigation through national mitigation scheme Other third parties are proposing mitigation Dorset Council Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund bid to Government for Poole Harbour to assist in delivering mitigation Decision is expected in the next month or so (similar bids submitted for River Avon and Somerset Levels & Moors)
Neighbourhood Planning in Dorset
59 Neighbourhood Areas in the Dorset Council Area
32 made (adopted) Plans in the Dorset Council Area
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act proposes a number of changes relating to neighbourhood planning, including: increasing the weight given to neighbourhood plans in the decision-making process; the introduction of neighbourhood priorities statements designed to increase the accessibility of neighbourhood planning; amending the basic condition tests against which neighbourhood plans are examined; and the introduction of street vote development orders . Changes also proposed to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which would provide additional protection to areas with a made NP that meets its identified housing needs. Future changes to neighbourhood planning
Dorset Council, as the local planning authority for the area, is required to take decisions at key stages in the neighbourhood planning process (e.g. designating a neighbourhood plan area, at submission, examination and referendum stages). Also, provide advice/assistance to Town and Parish Councils and neighbourhood plan groups. Support is also available via an organisation called Locality. Locality administer applications for grant funding (up to 10,000 for the basic grant). Specific technical support packages also available including for design guidance/codes. Support available
Title slide Dorset Council Digital Planning Platform
Aims for a new set of registers 1. Update an outdated planning register 2. Make more information more easily available 3. Make something that works well for all our users 4. Give users a personalised experience 5. Join things up 6. Consult more effectively 7. Meet statutory obligations effectively
Search Simple search that can then be filtered further to help find what is needed. Card or table view for results depending what user prefers, with easy switch this image shows card view.
Register records Records for each application, appeal building notice, legal agreement, TPO or enforcement notice will follow a similar template including a map. Timeline on all record types showing key points in the process. Varied ways to access documents (download or view on screen) and sort lists e.g. related applications Dorchester Dorchester East Not applicable Not applicable
Main consultee account Each town/parish will have a single main account. Dorset Council will always send consultation requests to this email and account. This will use your main contact email address as now - usually the clerk s address. Other town/parish officers will be able to set up their own account if required.
Consultations list Your account will show a standard list of applications the town/parish has been asked to consult on. This will show your deadline and key information, plus a link to the application. The list will include requests you have completed, as a record. What time categories would be useful?
Automated reminders The system will send an automated reminder about the consultation request 3 working days before the deadline. This will go to the main town/parish email address. The reminder will not be sent if you have already responded to the request. Is three working days right for automated reminders if consultation not yet returned?
Alerts You can easily set up bespoke reminders for what your individual town/parish needs. For example, tree works notifications, or applications in a neighbouring area. You can opt in to receive email notifications for these as well or just decide to view them as a list within your planning online account. Would it be helpful to have some standard alerts for the town/parish you could opt into?
Delegation* *We are still working on this, but the current plan is: Add members or officers from your town/parish so they also receive alerts about the consultation request. You could also authorise them to submit a response on behalf of the town/parish e.g. planning committee chair. This will be in the control of the clerk (or main town/parish account user), not Dorset Council.
Searches and reports Standard searches/reports for all users Viewing reports Bespoke reports Template reports
Standard searches Weekly list of newly-validated applications Monthly determinations Map of active applications You do not have to log in to view these reports, they will be available to anyone.
Viewing reports All search results and reports will be available to view onscreen as a list or on a map. You will also be able to download these in a variety of formats e.g. PDF, csv (Excel). What format would work best for your town/parish for reports?
Bespoke reports You will be able to design any additional reports you need. This means you could make a monthly list suited to your committee deadlines, or produce a list only of a particular application type.
Template reports* *Still thinking about this one We think it would be helpful to provide some standard reports for town/parish users and Dorset Council ward members. We need to think more about how this would be achieved so they are both broad enough to be useful to all but detailed enough to suit individual towns/parishes/members. Would you find a small number of template reports useful?
Responding to consultations Consultation response process Document response Structured response No response required
Response process Consultees and interested parties will get same online response form but it will show variations depending on circumstance. Contact and application information will be auto-completed from your account or the planning register. Aim is to meet different ways users want to respond while still receiving effective information for planning officers to take into consideration.
Document response There is a simple option to add a response as a Word document or PDF if that is what works best for you.
Structured response It will also be possible to respond based on material consideration headers to help people shape a clear response. Also free text area for any general comments if needed, with an overall word-count for whole response (not for each section). Aimed at interested party comments, but also available for consultees. Would you find this helpful?
Response submission You will receive a confirmation by email that the response has been received, and a full copy of the response. Your consultations list will update to show the consultation has been responded to.
Responses online Responses will appear instantly, but may be subject to redaction once they have been reviewed by the team (as now). We are adding a prompt to make sure people have considered this before submitting a response.
No response required We have included a simple process if the consultee does not wish to submit a response, including a brief reason. This will be recorded on the register. If completed, the consultation will be moved from your pending consultations list.
Next/still working on Complexities of accounts e.g. to make sure they work easily for formal group parishes and all our statutory consultees. Map-based options in searches and reports. Turning designs into working prototypes that can be thoroughly user-tested.
