Local development orders support project

We are working with local authorities to support and test the implementation of local development orders (LDOs).  There are currently seven pilots. We are sharing information below on the progress they are making. 

• Funding available
• Ideas for potential LDO projects
• Pilot projects
• Top tips
• Change to DPD requirements
• Community infrastructure levy (CIL) regulations
• Further reading

Funding available

We are looking for local planning authorities wishing to participate in the second round of our pilot support project to establish local development orders (LDO). The support project offers participating authorities the opportunity to work with other pioneering local planning authorities and to receive financial support to establish the LDO.

LDO support project: invitation to bid supporting information (PDF, 13 pages, 160KB)

This document includes:

• How to bid
• Selection criteria
• Background information on LDOs
• Business case template

If you think an LDO could help you achieve your policy objectives please email gillian.morgan@idea.gov.uk or call 07717 720682. Bids are welcome up until October 2010.

Project planning

We have also published a short guide to project planning your LDO based on a workshop we ran for the pilot authorities:

Project planning your LDO

Ideas for potential LDO projects

LDOs are an existing legislative tool. They are flexible and consistent with local determination, part of a move to remove bureaucracy and redefine the issues where planning really makes a contribution to the local area.  LDOs are a means for the planning system to incentivise development in a way that meets a whole range of locally specific policy objectives. 

LDO project ideas

Pilot projects

Cornwall Unitary Authority: community engagement
Cornwall are using an LDO in conjunction with a Parish or Town council based design guide to encourage greater engagement by the local councils in planning.

Devon County Council: dimension stone extraction 
Devon are using their LDO to promote the availability of very small quarries for important types of dimensional stones in the county.

London Development Agency partnership: energy
This partnership between the Thames Gateway Development Corporation, London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering are looking to use their LDO to support a district heating network.  The network will use waste heat that currently goes into the River Thames.

Hertsmere Borough Council: regeneration
Hertsmere Borough Council aim to help regenerate an employment area.

Southampton City Council: campus/health
Southampton, in partnership with the Southampton University Hospital Trust, is to base their LDO on a masterplan for the major refurbishment of the General Hospital. 

Swindon: environmental improvement and increased occupancy 
Swindon are trialling an LDO to improve occupancy rates and the environmental quality of a key gateway area.

Wycombe District Council: retail
High Wycombe is suffering from a high rate of empty shop units and Wycombe District Council is currently consulting on a policy to allow changes of use through an LDO. This will help regenerate a key historic quarter of the town centre.

Top tips

The pilot authorities have put together a list of top tips for other authorities considering using an LDO to encourage development in their area.
LDO top tips from the pilot authorities

Change to DPD requirements

On  23 June S188 of the Planning Act  2008 came into effect along with associated GDPO changes. This removes the requirement that LDOs must implement development plan documents. The Department for Communities and Local Government will publish a revised circular in due course that reflects this change.

Community infrastructure levy (CIL) regulations

The new community infrastructure levy regulations came into force on 6 April 2010. These cover development permitted under a local development order.

There will be a three year transitional period to 6 April 2013 before CIL will be charged on development enabled through permitted development orders (General Permitted Development Order, Local Development Orders, Enterprise Zones) (regulation 128).

CIL regulations - on the OPSI website

Further reading

• Circular 01/06 (Communities and Local Government): Guidance on Changes to the Development Control System
• LDO research report