Planning Policy Wales - Brecon Beacons National Park

2.1 A plan-led system 1
2.1.1 In Wales, every local planning authority must prepare a local development plan (LDP) for its
area 2 . The LDP will be the statutory development plan for the local planning authority area (i.e. of
the county or county borough council and national park authority). On adoption it will supersede the
existing development plan which will be either the adopted unitary development plan, structure or
local plan(s).
2.1.2 LDPs should provide a firm basis for rational and consistent decisions on planning
applications and appeals. Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
requires that, if regard is to be had to the development plan for the purposes of any determination
to be made under the Planning Acts, the determination must be made in accordance with the
plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Conversely, applications that are not in
accordance with relevant policies in the plan should not be allowed unless material considerations
justify the grant of planning permission.
2.1.3 LDPs should be clear and concise, setting out a vision-based strategy for the plan area that
has regard to the Wales Spatial Plan. Local policies likely to provide the basis for determining
planning decisions, or for determining conditions to be attached to planning permissions, should be
set out in the LDP. Policies on non-land use matters should not be included.
2.1.4 It is for each local planning authority to determine the content of the LDP for its area,
in accordance with the legislation and having regard to national policy and to local circumstances.
However, national planning policies in Planning Policy Wales and Minerals Planning Policy
Wales should not be repeated. Instead the LDP should explain how they apply to the local area.
(See Section 2.7)
2.1.5 Local planning authorities must ensure that they have sufficient information on which to base
sound LDP strategies and policies and development control decisions.
2.1.6 LDP strategies and policies must be kept up to date so as to support the objectives of the
plan-led system to provide certainty, rational and consistent decisions and a reduction in the number
of misconceived planning applications and appeals. Annual monitoring and regular review are
mandatory 3 .
2.1.7 LDPs should give developers and the public certainty about the type of development
that will be permitted at a given location. If the strategy, policies or proposals contained in the
emerging LDP appear to conflict with national policy and appear not to be justified by robust
evidence of local circumstances, the Assembly Government will draw this to the attention of the
local planning authority at the pre-deposit and deposit stages. The examination into the LDP will
consider the soundness of the plan and as part of this process the appointed Inspector will consider
the representations of the Assembly Government. As a final resort, the Assembly Government will
consider intervening in the plan process by means of its powers to direct modifications to the plan
18
Planning Policy Wales Edition 3 - July 2010 - Chapter 2 Development Plans