Arun District Council Local Development Scheme 2023-2025

1. Introduction

1.1 This further update to the Local Development Scheme (LDS) is necessary to explain that the pause to the Local Plan Update has been lifted through Full Council resolution on 19 July 2023.

1.2 The updated LDS 2023 has been prepared in conformity with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (The Act), as amended by section 111 of the Localism Act 2011. The local planning authority must resolve that the scheme is to have effect and specify the date from which it will do so. The LDS will be adopted and come into effect following resolution of Full Council, on 8 November 2023.

1.3 The Act (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) states that a Local Development Scheme must specify:-

  • the local development documents which are to be development plan documents;
  • the subject matter and geographical area to which each development plan document relates;
  • which development plan documents, if any, are to be prepared jointly with one or more other local planning authorities;
  • any matter or area in respect of which the authority has agreed (or proposes to agree) to the constitution of a joint committee [with other local planning authorities]; and
  • the timetable for the preparation and revision of the development plan documents

 

1.4 The LDS therefore, sets out the current Development Plan and introduces the scope and timeframe for preparing the emerging local Development Plan Documents (DPDs), which will form the Development Plan.

Recent Changes to the Planning System

1.5 The Local Plan must be prepared in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which was revised and published in July 2021. The NPPF must also be read alongside Planning Policy for Traveller Sites August 2015. In additional updates to the Government’s Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) were published in August 2022 (Flood Risk and coastal Change). This may impact on existing and emerging Development Plan Documents. Further signalled changes are set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill progressing though Parliament.

1.6 The Localism Act 2011 allows for communities to draw up Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs). Arun’s Local Planning Authority Area is parished with 21 Parish/Town Councils. Up to 15th November 2022, there are 17 ‘made’ (adopted) NDPs in the District, prepared in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. Several of these made NDPs are undergoing a review. There are 2 Parish Councils not preparing NDPs. The Table below shows the current position with regard to made NDP, those subject to review and those updated. Once NDPs are adopted (‘made’) by the Council, they will sit beside the Arun Local Plan and become part of the statutory Development Plan which guides decision-making in the district.

1.7 The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations came into force in 2010 and have been amended successively, the latest amendment being in September 2019. The approved Arun CIL Charging Schedule was implemented coming into effect on 1 April 2020.

2. Arun District Council’s development plan

2.1 All planning applications in Arun District Council must be considered against the Development Plan within the Arun local planning authority area (i.e. outside of the South Downs National Park area – SDNP - that falls within part of Arun District) currently consists of the following adopted plans:-

  • Arun Local Plan 2018
  • West Sussex Joint Minerals Local Plan 2018 (i.e. prepared by West Sussex County Council and South Downs National Park Authorities)
  • West Sussex Waste Local Plan (2014)
  • Made Neighbourhood Development Plans
  • Marine Plan
Parishes and status of NDP

 

‘Made’ NDP

Currently Preparing a

NDP

Currently reviewing or updating ‘Made’ NDP

Updated NDP ‘Made’

Aldingbourne

Y

N

N

Y

Aldwick

N

N

N

N

Angmering

Y

N

Y

N

Arundel

Y

N

N

Y

Barnham & Eastergate

Y

N

N

Y

Bersted

Y

N

N

N

Bognor Regis

Y

N

N

N

Climping

Y

N

N

N

East Preston

Y

N

N

N

Felpham

Y

N

N

Y

Ferring

Y

N

N

N

Ford

Y

N

Y

N

Kingston

Y

N

N

N

Littlehampton

Y

N

N

N

Middleton – On-Sea

N

Y

N

N

Pagham

N

Y

N

N

Rustington

Y

N

N

N

Walberton

Y

N

N

Y

Yapton

Y

N

Y

N

Lyminster & Crossbush

Y

N

N

N

Poling

N

N

N

N

Arun Local Plan (2011-2031)

2.2 The Arun Local Plan was adopted by Full Council on 18 July 2018 (incorporating Main Modifications), and it replaces the Local Plan 2003 (in its entirety within Arun local planning authority area) and all of the saved policies from the 2003 plan. Decisions on planning applications will need to accord with the Adopted Arun Local Plan 2018 unless other material circumstances indicate otherwise.

West Sussex Minerals Local Plan 2018

2.3 The West Sussex Joint Minerals Local Plan (JMLP), which was adopted in July 2018, ensures the supply of minerals to at least 2033. It sets out the vision, objectives and strategy for mineral land-use planning in West Sussex and provides 10 strategic policies and 15 Development Management policies to provide a policy framework for determining mineral planning applications. It also sets out minerals safeguarding areas and facilities, and site allocations for minerals development. The JMLP replaces any saved policies and development management decisions must accord with the statutory development plan for West Sussex unless material circumstances indicate otherwise. The JMLP can be found on the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) website:-

www.westsussex.gov.uk/mwdf.

The West Sussex Waste Local Plan

2.4 The West Sussex Waste Local Plan (WLP) (2014) was adopted on 11 April 2014. It sets the vision, objective and strategy for waste planning in West Sussex until 2031. It includes Use-Specific Policies, Development Management Policies and Waste Site Allocation policies. The allocation policies aim to ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet identified shortfalls in transfer, recycling and recovery capacity across the county.  The WLP includes two strategic sites within Arun District at Hobbs Barn, near Climping and Site north of Wastewater Treatment Works, Ford. These are included in the Arun Local Plan Policies Maps. In accordance with national policy, the West Sussex Mineral Planning Authority reviewed the WLP 2014 in 2020 and concluded that the policies were fit for purpose and did not need updating.

Neighbourhood Development Plans

2.5 There are 17 Neighbourhood Development Plans within the Arun District that have been ‘made’. These give communities the power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. They include the location of new homes, shops and offices. They influence what those new buildings should look like and inform what infrastructure should be provided. The Arundel Neighbourhood Plan is the first ‘made’ NDP to be reviewed and pass a referendum (December 2019) and was ‘made in January 2020.

3. Emerging plans

Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations Development Plan Document

3.1 The adopted ALP 2018 provides policies for allocation and safeguarding sites to accommodate both Gypsy and Traveller and Traveller Showmen households based on needs identified and updated with successive publications of the ‘Joint Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment May 2015 (GTAA) commissioned by the SDNP and authorities within West Sussex County under the ‘duty to cooperate’.

3.2 The ALP 2018 also provides that, because of changes to the national policy during plan preparation, work should commence immediately on a separate ‘Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites Allocation DPD’. Preparation should follow an update of the evidence base (jointly with SDNP, WSCC, Worthing Borough and Adur District and Chichester District) to ensure that accommodation provision meets the requirements of the Planning for Traveller Sites Policy (August 2015). Further details regarding the timetable for the preparation of this DPD are provided in Appendix 1.

Arun Local Plan Update DPD

3.3 On 15 January 2020 Arun District Council resolved to update the Arun Local Plan following a review of housing policies and housing delivery performance (in 2019). In addition, the council declared a ‘Climate Change Emergency’ which included the need to develop a new planning framework to improve the level of sustainability and infrastructure and to revise the existing development management policies.

3.4 The ‘Climate Change Emergency’ is a priority requiring the impact and mitigation of climate change to be considered and incorporated into all policies, key decision making and officer’s work. The Arun Environment and Leisure Working Group is tasked with producing an action plan with milestones to make the activities of the council carbon neutral by 2030.

3.5 Consequently, preparation of a Non-Strategic Sites Allocations DPD (NSSA DPD) to support the existing ALP 2018 was abandoned to ensure that the resources and timetable for the Local Plan review are prioritized within the context of the Climate Change Emergency and key priorities of the council.

3.6 The ALP 2018 commitment to provide at least 1,250 dwellings for the period to 2031 will mean that contributions from Neighbourhood Development Plan reviews will be expected to deliver a proportion of the ALP 2018 dwelling requirement to 2031 as currently agreed with those Parish Neighbourhood Development bodies.

3.7 The council does not have a 5-year housing land supply and has failed the Government’s Housing Delivery Test published in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. For those Parishes not preparing NDP reviews (or NDPs) that would have been subject to development allocations via the abandoned NSSDPD the council will operate a policy of inviting applications from deliverable Housing Sites within the HELAA. This is set out in the Action Plans published in 2019 and 2021 and an ‘Interim Housing Statement’ published in 2021. Applications will be determined in accordance with presumption in favour of sustainable development (set out in paragraph 11d) of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019, until a 5-year housing land supply is re-established and or the Local Plan update or NDPs preparation and review, together, identify planned provision to meet requirements.

3.7 In October 2021 the council paused work on the Local Plan update because of signaled changes to national planning policy and the need to ensure that plan-making was fit for purpose and cost-effective. The pause was reconsidered but maintained until June 2022. However, in July 2023 the council resolved to lift the pause to the Local Plan update on the basis that the impending changes are broadly understood and there was a need to progress plan-making to address the significant housing economic and infrastructure needs of the area sustainably. The Adopted Arun local plan 2018 is now 5 years old (July 2023). Further details regarding the timetable for the preparation of this DPD are provided in Appendix1.

4. Supporting documents

Supplementary Planning Documents

4.1 As well as programming work on the DPDs, the council may also choose to prepare SPDs. Adopted SPDs do not form part of the statutory development plan but following public consultation and, once adopted are a material consideration for development management decisions. Recently adopted SPD include: -

  • Open space, Playing Pitches, Indoor and Built Sports Facilities SPD
  • Arun Parking Standards (including eVehicles) SPD
  • Arun Design Guide SPD

4.2 Under the Planning Act 2008 there is no longer a requirement for SPDs to be included within the LDS. For reference, the authority has prepared: -

  • single local list of non-designated heritage assets
  • masterplan principles such as for the Strategic Allocations at Barnham Eastergate and Westergate and at West of Bersted

Infrastructure Funding Statement

4.3 The Local Plan identifies what infrastructure is needed within the District over the lifetime of the Plan, when it will be provided and how much it will cost.  This is set out within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP). The IDP sets out infrastructure that is to be provided by s.106 contributions and via Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) receipts.

4.4 The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations (‘CIL Regulations‘) were introduced in April 2010 and have been amended. Arun implemented and approved an Arun CIL Charging Scheduled on 1 April 2020. However, it should be noted that the CIL charging schedule is not part of the development plan. Under the CIL Regulations (as amended) Arun will be required to prepare an Infrastructure List together with an Infrastructure Funding Statement to monitor CIL income and spend for the calendar year annually. Arun approved a 3-year CIL Infrastructure Investment Plan in March 2022.

Statement of Community Involvement

4.5 The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out the council’s process for undertaking consultation on both planning policy documents and as part of the Development Control process.

4.6 The SCI was adopted in 2018 to take into account amendments to legislation. Public consultations and engagement must be carried out in accordance the SCI. At the time of writing the SCI is being reviewed and will be updated following the report to the Planning Policy Committee on 21 September and a period of public consultation. A revised SCI is anticipated for Full Council approval in the new year 2024.

5. Process and procedures

Resources

5.1 The Planning Policy and Conservation Team (7 FTE) are leading the production of the Local Plan and supporting DPDs, SPD and monitoring including of housing delivery. The CIL officer FTE post is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of CIL receipts and spend. Two vacant posts are difficult to recruit i.e. 1 FTE Monitoring & GIS Officer and 1 FTE Principal Planning Officer. Neighborhood Plan support is grant-funded. It will be necessary to fill vacancies or cover those posts as a priority through procuring consultants (e.g. through commissioning a Statement of Works contract where resource time constraints require it) to produce work for which specialist expertise is required. It may also be necessary at particular times to draw in staff from other parts of the council to help with particular pieces of work.

5.2 A project management approach, for example, Project Initiation Document or PID, is being employed in the preparation of the documents listed above to ensure that the timescales set out in this document are met. This will enable the continual review of all of the risks associated with delivery and the effective management of resources. A risk assessment is provided in Appendix 2.

Monitoring and Review

5.3 The Localism Act removed the requirement for Local Planning Authorities to submit Annual Monitoring Reports to the Secretary of State. Instead, authorities are now required to prepare an Authority Monitoring Report and make this available to the public. This report monitors details such as the progress of the preparation and implementation of Local Development Documents including the Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents (all data to be included within the authority’s monitoring report is set out in Regulation 34 of the Town and Country Planning, (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.  Arun District Council’s most up-to-date monitoring report can be seen on our evidence and monitoring webpage. 

Reviewing the Local Development Scheme

5.4 The council may produce a revised Local Development Scheme during the period if required to reflect any changes in the documents to be prepared. This could be as a result of changes in the planning system, legislation or resource constraints.

Appendix 1 - Development Plan Document Profiles

Arun Local Plan Review Development Plan Document

Geographical Area

All parts of Arun district excluding that part within the South Downs National Park Boundary

Subject to Independent Examination

Yes

Produced jointly with other authorities

No, although Parish and Town council’s may wish to assist and update their NPs accordingly

Timetable

  • Regulation 18(1) consultation Issues & Options - Spring/Summer 2024
  • Reg 18 (2) Draft DPD consultation - Spring/Summer 2025
  • Regulation 19 Publication consultation - Spring 2026
  • Reg 22 Submission - Summer 2026
  • Examination - Autumn 2026
  • Inspector’s Report Received - Winter 2026
  • Adoption - Winter 2026

Resources

The document will require significant input from the Planning Policy Team and officers from other council departments

Review

Once adopted, the policy and delivery strategy will be monitored in the Authority Monitoring Report

Gypsy and Traveller Sites DPD

The Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites DPD will meet needs identified 2018 – 2036 by the joint Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA 2019). The DPD will identify a supply of specific deliverable sites for years 1 to 5; specific developable sites or broad locations for year’s 6 to 10; and where possible years 11 to 15 of the plan period.

Geographical Area

Arun district but excluding that part within the South Downs National Park Boundary

Subject to Independent Examination

Yes

Produced jointly with other authorities?

No, although related background evidence has been produced jointly with the Coastal West Sussex authorities and West Sussex County Council. The approach for transit provision has been agreed countywide.

Timetable

  • Regulation 18 (1) consultation - Summer 2019
  • Reg 18 (2) draft plan consultation - Winter 2020
  • Regulation 19 Publication - Summer 2023
  • Submission - Autumn 2023
  • Examination - Winter 2023
  • Inspector's Report Received - Spring 2024
  • Adoption - Spring 2024

Resources

The document will require significant input from the Planning Policy Team and officers from other council departments

Review

Once the Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites DPD is adopted, the policy and delivery strategy will be monitored annually in the Authority Monitoring Report.

Appendix 2 - Risk Assessment

Risk assessment

High to low 1-11

Risk

Impact

Actions

1

Elections cause delays in decision making.

  • Causes slippage in programme.

  • Possible change in emphasis in document.

  • Ensure that timetable is flexible to adapt and adopt new requirements and priorities.

  • Plan Local Plan preparation around processes external to Planning Policy Team.

2

Loss/recruitment difficulties - key staff.

Slippage in programme.

  • Recruit to vacant posts as quickly as possible or consider contracting support, secondments.

3

Updates to evidence base studies and new reports undertaken by external specialists are delayed or take longer than anticipated.

  • Causes slippage in programme.

  • Sections of the Local Plan cannot be completed due to lack of evidence.

  • Ensure briefs for consultants are clear on inputs and output requirements.

  • Hold regular project progress meetings.

  • Set clear deadlines for consultants.

4

Policy Team required to do other unforeseen work, including additional appeals/work on other corporate projects

  • Diverts team from LDF causing a slippage in programme.

  • Service Business Plan to make Local Plan corporate priority and other work minimized or stopped.

  • Consider additional resources/using staff from other services.

5

Lack of in-house skills for specialised areas of policy work/Sustainability Appraisals/background studies.

  • Slow progress causing a slippage in programme.

  • Objectives on quality compromised.

  • Evidence base is challenged/undermined

  • Ensure financial resources available to commission work

  • Take prompt action to fill vacancies.

  • Ensure working arrangements between teams are clear.

6

Volume of work greater than anticipated e.g. on submitted representations.

  • Causes slippage in programme.

  • Ensure timetable is realistic but has some flexibility built in.

  • Monitor progress against LDS.

  • Consider additional resources.

  • Use a project management approach e.g., PID with Project sponsor and Board.