Shaping The Future - Local Development Framework Update

Following the release of new Government advice, Dover District Council is taking the opportunity to make sure that major plans for the future of the district are being prepared in line with latest directions.

Dover District Council is currently developing a 20 year plan for the future of the district, known as the Local Development Framework (LDF). This new process has only recently been introduced by Central Government. The Planning Inspectorate has reported on the first examinations of soundness in other parts of the country and found Core Strategies to be unsound. This means that the authorities concerned will have to withdraw their Core Strategies and start again. The Government has now issued new advice.

Dover District Council is currently reexamining its proposals in light of this information to prevent costly and time-consuming delays, including an independent appraisal. Public consultation will begin as soon as this process is complete, but this does mean it will be delayed until later than previously anticipated. As soon as arrangements have been agreed they will be widely publicised. Consultation on a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which deals with affordable housing, is not affected and consultation on this is expected to begin later this year.

Cllr Nicholas Kenton, Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Planning, said "We were nearly ready to start consultation, and had stated that the consultation was intended to run in October and November, and we are disappointed that this Government advice may well mean a pause. However, it is important to get it right and we will do our best to keep any delay to a minimum."