Sport England

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Creating Local Policy

Planning for Sport and Active Recreation
Creating Regional & Sub-Regional Policy
Spatial Planning and Sport:Guiding Principles
PPS12: Local Development Frameworks
ODPM: Creating Local Development Frameworks: A Companion Guide to PPS12 (2004)
The LDF Process

Local Development Frameworks are the principal means by which policy for sport and recreation will be delivered. The significant changes to the development of policy introduced by the Planning Act 2004 mean that the place of sport will have to be re-asserted in Core Strategies and attendant Development Plan Documents. The following sections outline how policies for sport and the representation of sports interests fit into the LDF preparation process – pre-production, production and examination/adoption.

Pre-Production	The pre-production stage should ensure that local planning authorities have a comprehensive understanding of the main issues to be addressed through their document(s). This should enable them to set out the spatial vision and spatial objectives for their area (paragraphs 4.8-4.11 of PPS12). The main activities include survey and evidence gathering, development and management of the evidence base, and establishment of a sustainability appraisal process which should be programmed in to key stages of the preparation and consultation process of the document. A number of strategic planning tools which have been developed by Sport England which could be used to assess demand and provision, these being:

Local Development Scheme (LDS)	The LDS outlines the programme and content of the LDF

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)	Sets out how the community and stakeholders will be involved throughout the LDF preparation process. It is subject to independent examination and consultation on each LDD needs to comply with what is said in the SCI.

The Evidence Base	The development and implementation of policies using a sound evidence base is a key objective of the new planning system. Click here for more detail on why this is important and how it applies to sport.

Production	Sport England has a long-standing record of engagement with local planning. In response to changes in the planning system, this response needs to evolve accordingly. The following pages present the elements of the Local Development Framework (LDF) which is being drawn up in every local planning authority, identifying their characteristics and how sport should be represented within them. Where appropriate, examples of good practice are given, and these will be updated as experience with the new system grows. This guidance is aimed at those with an interest in how sport should, and potentially could, be represented in local planning documents. The emergence of spatial planning and the connections to be made with sport are covered in a introductory guidance note: Spatial Planning for Sport and Active Recreation. The advice offered here builds on this introduction.

Core Strategy	Sets out a spatial vision, strategic policies and framework for sustainable development at local level. The Core Strategy needs to be in conformity with the Regional Spatial Strategy, and all other development plan documents prepared by the LPA need to be in conformity with it.

Site Specific Allocations	Sets out precise areas of land to which proposals and policies will apply. Allocation of land for specific uses must be set out in a development plan document.

Area Action Plans (AAPs)	Cover areas of significant development, or urban expansion, or regeneration opportunities, or “sensitive areas”, or areas which are the focus of various area based initiatives (ABIs). AAPs should focus upon implementation.

Proposals Map	Shows on an OS base all the policies and proposals set out in the various LDDs

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)	They could deal with various subjects such as design guides, site development briefs, issue and thematic based documents. These are not formal Development Plan Documents.

Generic Development Control Policies	Set out criteria against which planning applications will be considered.

Sustainability Appraisal	In preparing LDDs, Local Authorities are required to carry out a sustainability appraisal (SA) of their plans, policies and programmes. SA assists in promoting sustainable development through integrating sustainability considerations into plan making. Through the establishment of objectives for sustainable development, sport and recreation should be recognised as an important part of the sustainable development of a local authority area. The interests of sport and recreation can be used to help advance sustainable development with in the LDF, particularly through establishing connections between policy areas where it has perhaps traditionally been difficult to do so.

Examination & Adoption	All development plan documents will be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination. The tests at examination which the development plan document will have to meet to be ‘sound’ are set out in PPS12 [Paragraphs 4.23 to 4.25 of PPS12]. Sport England will consider whether the impact of the DPD on their interests merits formal representations at the examination stage. Following the examination, the Inspector’s Report will set out recommendations for changes to the development plan document which will be binding upon the local planning authority. Once the authority has integrated the changes, it will adopt the development plan document and incorporate it into the local development framework. Upon adoption of the document, a statement of how the sustainability appraisal process has been taken into account should be made available to the public. The adopted DPD will become the operative part of the development plan against which planning applications will be determined under S 38 (6) of the 2004 Act.

Test of Soundness	The LDF and its components are subject to public examination part of which involves the application of a series of ‘tests of soundness’ These benchmark the expected content of the plan through asking a series of key questions and identifying appropriate supporting evidence. The role of sport and active recreation in helping to deliver a rounded plan should form part of the response to the Tests of Soundness. This could include the existence of a robust evidence base, consultation with Sport England over the development of policy and demonstration of the use of national and regional policy frameworks.

Annual Monitoring Report	The Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) provides an assessment of the implementation of the Local Development Scheme and the extent to which policies in Local Development Documents are being successfully implemented. The interests of sport and active recreation should be represented both directly in the form of specific indicators and indirectly through the contribution that sport and active recreation have to make to the realisation of complementary agendas such as health improvement, economic development and regeneration.

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