Section 19: Preparation of local development documents

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 · 2004 c. 5View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 2: Local development

Development plan documents must be prepared in accordance with the local development scheme.

Development plan documents must (taken as a whole) include policies designed to secure that the development and use of land in the local planning authority's area contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.

Each local planning authority must identify the strategic priorities for the development and use of land in the authority's area.

Policies to address those priorities must be set out in the local planning authority's development plan documents (taken as a whole).

Subsection (1C) does not apply in the case of a London borough council or a Mayoral development corporation if and to the extent that the council or corporation are satisfied that policies to address those priorities are set out in the spatial development strategy.

If a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 has the function of preparing the spatial development strategy for the authority's area, subsection (1D) also applies in relation to—

In preparing a local development document the local planning authority must have regard to—

national policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State;
the local development documents which are to be development plan documents;
the regional strategy for the region in which the area of the authority is situated, if the area is outside Greater London;
the spatial development strategy if the authority are a London borough or if any part of the authority's area adjoins Greater London;
the regional strategy for any region which adjoins the area of the authority;
the National Development Framework for Wales, if any part of the authority's area adjoins Wales;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
any other local development document which has been adopted by the authority;
the resources likely to be available for implementing the proposals in the document;
such other matters as the Secretary of State prescribes.

In preparing the local development documents (other than their statement of community involvement) the authority must also comply with their statement of community involvement.

But subsection (3) does not apply at any time before the authority have adopted their statement of community involvement.

The local planning authority must also—

carry out an appraisal of the sustainability of the proposals in each development plan document;
prepare a report of the findings of the appraisal.

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision—

as to any further documents which must be prepared by the authority in connection with the preparation of a local development document;
as to the form and content of such documents.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.