Documents
The existing statutory development plan for Central Lancashire includes the following key documents; all are made available here for download as PDF, or are linked to the corresponding document on the partner authority's website.
Key Documents (Existing)
Preferred Options Part 1
Part 1 Preferred Options
From 18:00hrs on Monday 19th December 2022 until 23:59hrs on Friday 24th February 2023 we consulted on our Local Plan Part 1 Preferred Options Document for Central Lancashire through a main consultation paper and accompanying Appendices. This consultation is now closed. The consultation is also supported by an integrated Assessment of the preferred sites and Policies Maps for each Council presented at both District and Ward level. These can all be accessed below:
The following table provides links to the Policies maps by District and broken down by Ward.
Local Development Scheme
Central Lancashire Local Development Scheme
Every Local Planning Authority in England has to prepare a Local Plan, which includes all of the local planning policies for that area. Any planning applications have to be decided in line with it unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The current system was put in place by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by Part 6 of the Localism Act 2011 section 111).
The purpose of the Local Development Scheme (LDS) is to identify new and revised planning policies that Councils are preparing to form the Local Plan. Under planning regulations, Councils are required to regularly update this document and post it on their respective websites.
This LDS is produced jointly to reflect the joint working between the three authorities, specifically the existing Core Strategy adopted in 2012 and the commitment to undertake a review of the Core Strategy and three Local Plans’ policies, in order to produce a single Central Lancashire Local Plan.
December 2022: The timetable for the preparation of the Local Plan is contained within the Local Development (LDS). The latest version of the LDS was approved by each Council during meetings held in December 2022
The latest LDS can be viewed here
Core Strategy
Central Lancashire Adopted Core Strategy
The Central Lancashire Core Strategy has been produced by the Central Lancashire authorities of Preston, South Ribble and Chorley, with assistance from Lancashire County Council.
The Core Strategy is a key document in Central Lancashire’s Local Development Framework. Its purpose is to help co-ordinate development in the area and contribute to boosting investment and employment. Above all it is a strategic policy document and will encourage sustainable managed growth, whilst protecting and enhancing green spaces and access to open countryside, enhancing Central Lancashire’s character as a place with ‘room to breathe’.
The Core Strategy is a clear statement of the positive benefits of joint working in Chorley, South Ribble and Preston. It is a single strategy for Central Lancashire, and the Councils are committed to applying the policies consistently. Joint working makes sense because the three Districts have much in common, including their transport networks, and shared housing, employment and retail markets.
Core Strategy Monitoring Report 17/18
Core Strategy Monitoring Report
The Joint Central Lancashire Core Strategy has been produced by the Central Lancashire authorities of Chorley, Preston and South Ribble and was adopted in July 2012; it is a key part of the Local Development Framework.
This is the Sixth Monitoring Report of the performance indicators of the Core Strategy (please see Appendix D of the Core Strategy) published in November 2018, containing data for Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Councils and covering the period April 2017-March 2018.
Supplementary Planning Documents
The Central Lancashire Core Strategy (also known as a Development Plan Document) is supplemented by the Local Plans for the three Authorities (see further details below) as well as a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs).
The SPDs add guidance in specific policy areas. Unlike Development Plan Documents (DPDs), SPDs do not require independent examination before they are adopted, but they must be prepared in consultation with interested parties.
The purpose of SPDs is to provide guidance on the interpretation and implementation of relevant planning policies, such as for affordable housing provision, particularly those in the Central Lancashire Core Strategy and Local Plans of each of the respective authorities within it.
Each authority also has their own area-specific SPDs relating to their individual Local Plans and not the Central Lancashire Local Plan, consult the respective planning policy pages for Chorley, Preston and South Ribble for more information.
Affordable Housing
This provides advice on how the councils' affordable housing policy as set out in Core Strategy Policy 7 (Affordable Housing) is to be implemented. It includes guidance on the range of approaches, standards and mechanisms required to deliver a range of affordable housing to meet local needs.
Controlling Re-Use of Employment Premises
This sets out the councils' approach to dealing with development proposals involving the re-use of existing employment premises and sites. It develops Core Strategy Policy 10 (Employment Premises and Sites) by setting out a balanced criteria based approach, including marketing and an assessment of the viability of employment use, under which all proposals for re-use will be assessed. It sets out the requirements of a marketing strategy and provides a marketing checklist.
Rural Development
This sets out the councils' approach to development in rural areas. Core Strategy Policy 13 (Rural Economy) sets out a number of specific ways local planning authorities may help to achieve economic and social improvement in rural areas. This guidance sets out specific considerations relevant to particular land uses including employment, tourism, equestrian development, community facilities; recreational development, and re-use, replacement or extension to buildings in the countryside.
Design Guide
A key objective of this document is to raise the level and quality of design of new buildings in the built environment and in doing so reinforce its unique character. This provides an overview of the design principles the Councils' will employ when considering planning proposals. It covers residential, commercial, public realm and shop-front developments as well as proposals for new infrastructure. The particular Core Strategy policies which relate to design are Policies 16 (Heritage Assets), 17 (Design of New Buildings), 18 (Green Infrastructure) and 27 (Sustainable Resources and New Developments)
Open Space and Playing Pitch
This provides advice on how the councils' will implement open space and playing pitch policies, including guidance on provision standards and how they will be applied. Core Strategy Policies 18 (Green Infrastructure), 19 (Areas of Separation and Major Open Space) and 24 (Sport and Recreation) are also relevant to this SPD.
Biodiversity and Nature Conservation
This relates to Core Strategy Policy 22 (Biodiversity and Geodiversity). This explains the Councils' approach towards conserving, protecting and enhancing biodiversity and geodiversity.
Employment Skills
This SPD has been driven by an aspiration to see additional benefits (known as social value) incorporated into housing and other development opportunities. Social value is defined as "the additional economic, social and environmental benefits that can be created when the Council purchases a good or a service from an outside organisation, above and beyond the value of that good or service". By integrating social value at the planning stage of a project, this can result in significant ‘added value’ benefits to the residents of Lancashire, particularly in the area of employment and skills (to which this SPD relates). It will also contribute to the Lancashire Employment and Skills Strategic Framework, which details the employment and skills needs within Lancashire. Core Strategy Policy 15 (Skills and Economic Inclusion) is also relevant to this SPD.
Local Plans
These Local Plans are part of the Statutory Development Plan for each respective partner authority within Central Lancashire.
Chorley Local Plan
'The Chorley Local Plan (adopted 2015) identifies the scale of development in each settlement and allocates sites to meet the development needs of Chorley up to the period 2026 in order to achieve the vision for growth as outlined in the Core Strategy. The Local Plan identifies key local issues and provides a set of policies to manage change which will be used by the Council to determine planning applications. The Local Plan is in general conformity with the strategic objectives of the adopted core strategy.'
South Ribble Local Plan
'The Local Plan (2012 – 2026) forms part of the statutory Development Plan for South Ribble. It identifies and allocates land required over a 15 year period in order to achieve the vision for growth as outlined in the Central Lancashire Core Strategy. The Local Plan was adopted at Full Council on 22 July 2015.'
Preston Local Plan
'This Local Plan was adopted by resolution of Full Council on 2 July 2015. It is a Development Plan Document produced under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (as amended) 2004. The Preston Local Plan forms part of the statutory Development Plan for Preston. The role of the Plan is twofold:
- To identify the scale of development and allocate sites to meet the development needs of Preston in order to achieve the vision for growth as outlined in the Central Lancashire Core Strategy.
- To identify key local issues and provide a set of policies to manage change which will be used by decision makers to determine planning applications. These are known as Development Management (DM) Policies.'
The Preston City Centre Plan is an Area Action Plan, and sits alongside the Preston Local Plan. It was adopted on 30th June 2016.
Preston City Centre Plan
'Preston City Centre is the main retail and service centre in Central Lancashire, and is ranked first in the Lancashire Sub-region for non-food shopping. It is a centre for commercial and administrative activity and is home to a major university. It has a railway station situated on the West Coast Main Line offering excellent commuter links locally and nationally.
Given this wide-ranging role, planning positively for the future of the city centre is crucial 'Preston is open for business'. The plan will provide a framework to deliver our aspirations for the city centre.'
The plan is split into four parts and has a policies map for reference:
Neighbourhood Development Plans
Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs) enable communities to take the lead in producing part of the statutory development plan for the area. Crucially, unlike a parish plan, these NDPs must be used to determine planning applications in a neighbourhood area. Neighbourhood Plans can be prepared by a town or parish council, or, when neither of these is present, a Neighbourhood Forum can be set up. NDPs should be initiated and led by the community with the local authority in a supporting and advising role. An NDP must be in general conformity with other local development plan documents including the Central Lancashire Core Strategy and emerging Local Plans.
Many neighbourhood plans in the partnership area are under various levels of proposal and consultation or exist as forums, a small number have been adopted or 'made'.
Barton Neighbourhood Plan (Preston City Council)
'On Thursday 14 December the Council resolved at full Council to 'Make' (adopt) the Barton Neighbourhood Plan (2019 - 2030) i.e., brought into legal force as part of the statutory Development Plan for Preston.'
Inner East Preston Neighbourhood Plan (Preston City Council)
'The Friends of Fishwick and St Matthews (FOFS) worked closely with us to produce the Inner East Preston Neighbourhood Plan. This now forms part of the development plan for Preston.'
Penwortham (South Ribble Borough Council)
'Penwortham Town Council has prepared an NDP which covers the Penwortham Town area. Following examination, this Plan was subject to a referendum in February 2017 when 90.2% of those who voted were in favour of the Plan being used to help decide planning applications in the area. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires this council to "make" (adopt) the neighbourhood plan if more than 50% of those voting voted in favour. This was done by Full Council in March 2017.'
Broughton-in-Amounderness (Preston City Council)
Following a positive referendum result on 18 October 2018, Preston City Council has made the Broughton-in-Amounderness Neighbourhood Plan part of the Development Plan for the purposes of managing development in the Broughton Neighbourhood Area. This decision was made by Cabinet on 12 December 2018.
Core Strategy Monitoring Report 18/19
Core Strategy Monitoring Report 18/19
The Joint Central Lancashire Core Strategy has been produced by the Central Lancashire authorities of Chorley, Preston and South Ribble and was adopted in July 2012; it is a key part of the Local Development Framework.
This is the seventh Monitoring Report of the performance indicators of the Core Strategy (please see Appendix D of the Core Strategy) published in November 2019, containing data for Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Councils and covering the period April 2018-March 2019.
Issues and Options Consultation Papers
From Monday 18th November 2019 until Friday 14th February 2020 we consulted on our Local Plan Issues and Options for Central Lancashire through a main consultation paper, summary paper, youth and equalities surveys and a part 3 Call for Sites consultation, along with 7 Annexes to the main consultation paper. These can all be accessed below:
Within the Annexes to the main Issues and Options Consultation Paper can be found the site submissions received for Chorley, Preston and South Ribble during the Call for Sites Parts 1 and 2 in 2018/19. Within Annex 1 are Site Suggestions proposed by Chorley Council.
Within each Annex is a list of all sites broken-down by electoral ward. The four site Annexes (1, 3, 4 and 5) are presented below.
You can enter your postcode here to find out which ward you live in, or refer to these indicative ward maps for Chorley, Preston or South Ribble.
The three other Annexes that do not present site options but do contain other important expanded information from within the main consultation include:
Issue and Options Outcomes Report
Issues and Options Outcome Report
Appendix 1: List of Respondents to the Survey by Type
Appendix 2: List of Consultation Event and Venues
Appendix 3: List of Sites Responses Received Against Specific Sites in Questions 64, 65 & 67
Appendix 4: List of Consultation Deposit Points
Appendix 5: Detailed Response Analysis by Question
The Central Lancashire Local Plan Issues and Options consultation ran for 12 weeks from Monday 18th November 2019 until Friday 14th February 2020. The consultation was in the form of an Issues and Options Document, supported by a series of detailed Annexes, 4 of which contained information on the site suggestions received for each of the 3 Councils.
We received over 1,600 responses to this consultation which have been logged and reviewed by the Central Lancashire Local Plan team. The responses received have been used in the preparation of a consultation outcomes report, and will be used to help develop the Preferred Options Document.
Alongside the main questionnaire a youth questionnaire was completed receiving over 600 responses the findings have been published in a separate report here.
Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment Methodology Statement October 2021 (SHEELA)
Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment Methodology Statement October 2021 (SHEELA)
The SHELAA methodology sets out the procedures which will be followed when assessing the sites submitted and identifying those which are considered suitable.
Following comments made through the Issues and options Consultation, a review of the Central Lancashire Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) has been undertaken to ensure all available land was captured in this work. Through this work a number of changes have been be made to make sure potential sites are not excluded prematurely from consideration.
The Central Lancashire Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) October 2021, was reported to the Joint Advisory Committee on the 18th November and endorsed for use.
Core Strategy Monitoring Report 19/20
Core Strategy Monitoring Report 19/20
The Joint Central Lancashire Core Strategy has been produced by the Central Lancashire authorities of Chorley, Preston and South Ribble and was adopted in July 2012; it is a key part of the Local Development Framework.
This is the seventh Monitoring Report of the performance indicators of the Core Strategy (please see Appendix D of the Core Strategy) published in November 2019, containing data for Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Councils and covering the period April 2019-March 2020.
Preferred Options Consultation Statement
Preferred Options Consultation Statement
The Central Lancashire Local Plan Preferred Options consultation ran for 10 weeks from Monday 19th December 2022 until Sunday 26th February 2023. The consultation was in the form of a Preferred Options Part One document which outlined strategic policy directions for the emerging Local Plan. Development requirements for housing and employment, along with potential site allocations to meet these uses were also consulted on.
We received over 928 responses to this consultation which have been logged and reviewed by the Central Lancashire Local Plan team. The responses received have been used in the preparation of a Consultation Statement and will be used to help develop the Local Plan.
