Gateshead Council
Local Development Scheme
Local Development Scheme
The Local Development Scheme (LDS) identifies what planning policy documents apply to Gateshead, and their status. It sets out a programme of planning policy documents which the council will prepare and the timetable for its preparation.
This LDS, which supersedes the previous version adopted in 2017, covers the period from 2023-2028.
It will be updated as necessary to reflect the progress being made on the planning policy documents being prepared. It is noted that the Government are proposing significant planning reforms, including changes to the Local Plan making process and timetable. Therefore, the council will continue to monitor legislative changes to ensure the Local Plan is in accordance with any legal and policy changes.
In accordance with section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) councils are required to prepare and maintain a Local Development Scheme (LDS).
Section 19 of the Act (as amended) requires Development Plan Documents (DPDs) to be prepared in accordance with the LDS. As such, progress made against the LDS will be monitored and a report, known as the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR), will be published annually.
Currently all policies and proposals contained within a Development Plan Document will be subject to a Sustainability Appraisal and also a Strategic Environment Assessment and Habitat Regulations Assessment, where appropriate. This involves scoping reports and assessments throughout the preparation of the Local Plan to ensure an iterative approach to consider policies.
Assessing the impact of development, plans and policies, is going to change with the introduction of Environmental Outcome Reports (EOR). The intention is that Environmental Outcome Reports will replace the existing system of Sustainability Appraisals (SA), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and make the process simpler, using more consistent data and focused on measuring environmental effects against improving environmental outcomes.
Local Plans must be based on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence. In preparing the Local Plan, the council will bring together wide-ranging evidence documents to underpin and justify the Local Plan. This evidence base will continue to be reviewed and updated where necessary.
Councils are required to prepare a Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which sets out how we will involve people in preparing local plans and on planning applications. It includes details about who will be involved and consulted with, how this will be done and when. The latest SCI was published in 2020.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge on certain types of development in some locations within Gateshead. The money raised will help to pay for the infrastructure needed across the borough. CIL was adopted in November 2016.
The current statutory development plan for Gateshead is:
Development Plan Documents to prepare:
The plan period for the MetroGreen Area Action Plan has been extended up to 2045 to align with new Local Plan to allow sufficient time for the critical strategic infrastructure to be delivered at MetroGreen prior to development on the site.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) support policies within the Local Plan. They do not contain new policies, but give clarity and further guidance on policies within the Local Plan.
The following SPDs have already been adopted:
The following SPDs are currently in preparation or are proposed:
The Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) provides information on the implementation of the Local Development Scheme (LDS), and the extent to which planning policies set out in the Local Plan documents are being achieved.
Each year the AMR reports on a range of indicators and the progress of specific targets and is aligned to Gateshead’s Local Plan.
The council will use effective programme management techniques in the delivery of the Local Plan, evidence base and other planning documents.
The preparation of the Local Plan will be led and coordinated by staff within the Spatial Planning Team supported by other teams and directorates across the council as appropriate.
Where necessary, work will be commissioned from external consultants. Future resource requirements will be subject of ongoing monitoring.
The council expects to meet projected costs for future years from its budget. Costs will be met for the Independent Examination process in collaboration with the Planning Inspectorate to ensure that such costs are met at the appropriate times.
An assessment has been carried out of the factors that could affect the ability of the council to deliver the Local Plan in accordance with the indicated programme. Actions to manage these risks have been identified.