Local development orders support project

Five bids for grants to help prepare Local Development Orders have been awarded following an invitation by PAS for local planning authorities to pilot the LDO tool. PAS will be keeping a close watch on the pilots and will regularly report on their progress. All pilots have reported against progress in October 2009. A further round of support is now open for expressions of interest until February 2010. 

• Project planning masterclass
• Additional funding available
• Pilot projects
• Top tips
• Change to DPD requirements
• Community infrastructure levy (CIL) regulations
• Further reading
  
  

Project planning masterclass

We are organising a masterclass to support planners in drawing up realistic plans for small scale projects. The course will help with estimating the resources needed and identifying key milestones in the context of working within local government. There will be an opportunity to work up an outline project plan for one of your own projects. We are using LDOs as a case study example as part of the day.

Book your place - 8 March 2010, Smithfield, London

Additional 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.

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.

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: town centre regeneration
Hertsmere Borough Council aim to help regenerate Borehamwood town centre and assist in the success of the television and film industry.

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. 

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 due to come into force on 6 April 2010 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