Duty to co-operate

In March 2012, as required by the Localism Act 2011, public bodies have a duty to cooperate on planning issues that cross administrative boundaries.  Local authorities are expected to demonstrate evidence of having co-operated with a range of bodies prescribed by the regulations where it is appropriate to do so in order to enable the delivery of sustainable development.  Furthermore, local authorities are required to document the outcome of such co-operation and to identify both those that have been dealt with and how, as well as those that remain and any unresolved issues.

For the majority of instances, co-operative planning is undertaken through the Coastal West Sussex and Greater Brighton Planning Board.  This currently includes Chichester, Arun, Worthing and Adur, Brighton & Hove, Lewes, Mid Sussex, Horsham, SDNPA, West Sussex CC and East Sussex CC.  Evidence and documents produced through this route can be seen under the Other Activities tab below. Importantly the council also engages with Members through the Planning Policy Sub-committee, the Parish Councils and other service providers.  The information relating to each of these activities/groups can be seen using one of the first two tabs below.

Statements of Common Ground and Memorandums of Understanding that were agreed during the Local Plan examination can be found on the other activities link below or within the evidence and supporting documents page.

Chichester District Council

Arun District Council continues to engage with Chichester District Council (CDC), on respective plan making activities and strategic cross boundary planning matters. The following list of correspondence has been sent in responses to Chichester’s further work in preparation the Regulation 19 publication plan:-

Waste water - water neutrality and nitrate neutrality

The council continues to engage with Southern Water, Natural England and the Environment Agency on waste water treatment capacity of the authority’s water catchment areas, including water quality, nitrate pollution and ground water abstraction. In Arun’s neighbouring authorities, the issues of nitrate pollution and water abstraction have generated emergent environmental issues for sensitive internationally protected habitat designations. As a consequence, in some areas, there are restrictions on determining planning applications until nitrate and water neutrality can be demonstrated. While this is not currently an issue in Arun, the recent position statements issued by Southern Water, Natural England and the Environment Agency, will help to guide Arun’s approach to plan making in the future, in response to the effects of climate change.

Gypsy and Traveller and Traveller Showpeople development plan document - preferred options

The preparation of the Regulation 18 (II) Gypsy & Traveller and Traveller Showpeople Development Plan Document ‘Preferred Options’ consultation is supported by active and ongoing collaboration and joint work under the ‘duty to cooperate’. The following list identifies progress on securing Statements of Common Ground and clarifies the current position with regard to a number of bodies and local authorities:-

Chichester District Council [Signed]: 

Adur & Worthing Councils [Signed]: 

Horsham District Council Interim Position Statement [Signed]:

South Downs National Park [Signed]: 

Historic England [Signed]: Historic England [pdf] 2MB

Highways Agency: [Signed]:  Highways England [pdf] 241KB

West Sussex County Council and Environment Agency [Signed]: 

Southern Water [Signed]: Southern Water [pdf] 184KB

Useful links

Planning Policy Sub-Committee page.

Parish briefings.

Other activities.