Local Development Framework - Sustainability Appraisal

There is now an international commitment to achieving sustainable development, and this has been incorporated into laws, guidance and advice. One of the means by which sustainable development can be achieved is through the land-use planning process. In line with planning legislation, Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) are being produced which contain plans, policies and guidance in relation to the type of development which can take place in an area. These plans and policies can help to achieve sustainable development if they are written to ensure that development meets the needs of people living and working in an area, whilst at the same time ensuring that it is developed in such a way as to protect the environment.

As economic, social and environmental needs are often conflicting, it can sometimes be hard to balance all these issues. In response the government has set out a requirement for a 'Sustainability Appraisal' of emerging Local Development Framework documents to be undertaken, to ensure that this balance of issues is achieved as far as possible.

In addition to the Government's requirement for a Sustainability Appraisal (SA), European Legislation also requires that an assessment of the environmental effects of certain plans and policies (including planning documents) is undertaken. There is a large amount of overlap between the European 'Strategic Environmental Assessment' (SEA) and the UK Sustainability Appraisal process, and they have therefore been combined into one process for the assessment of the Tandridge District Local Development Framework.

The Local Development Framework page has general information on the process of preparing the LDF; the Local Development Framework - Evidence Base page contains background information that was gathered to support the preparation of the Core Strategy.

The process

When the Core Strategy was being produced there were a number of stages undertaken in the SA/SEA process, the first was the Scoping Report and collection of baseline data. Following this, and in parallel to the production of the Core Strategy th actual SA process was undertaken, this culminated in the production of a Final Sustainability Appraisal Report to accompany the submission version of the Core Strategy.

Following the Examination in Public the Core Strategy was found to be sound, an effective SA helped achieve this result.

The Core Strategy was adopted in October 2008 and the Council has commenced work on subsequent Development Plan Documents (DPDs). There are four DPDs to be prepared:-

Development Management (Development Control)
Gypsies,Travellers and Travelling Showmen Site Allocations
Residential Site Allocations (being deferred as the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment shows adequate brown field land to meet the housing requirement)
Affordable Housing (being deferred until the housing market improves and until a viability assessment can provide realistic guidance on the level of affordable housing that can be achieved)

In addition there is a review of the Green Belt Settlements being undertaken, this will be included as part of the Development Management DPD.

As one of the first stages in the preparation of these three DPDs the Council has prepared the following documents:

For further information please contact Customer Services on 01883 722000 or e-mail planningpolicy@tandridge.gov.uk

Or write to us at:
Tandridge District Council
8 Station Road East
Oxted RH8 0BT

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Related Pages:

Local plans (land use)
Core Strategy (Pages)

Local Development Framework (Pages)

Local Plan (Pages)

Planning policy (Pages)

Supplementary planning guidance (Pages)

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