Planning Policy

The planning system seeks to guide appropriate development to the right place and prevent inappropriate development taking place. It aims to secure sustainable development, which means being able to provide necessary homes, jobs and services in a way that protects and enhances the best qualities of our built and natural environment.

The Development Plan is the strategic framework that guides land use planning for the area. It is used to help determine decisions on planning applications. With the exception of some minor development, all development in the UK requires planning permission. In order to obtain planning permission, it is necessary to make a planning application to the local planning authority.  The Development Plan is used as the basis for determining planning applications. Responsibility for producing the development plan sits within the Policy and Regeneration team.

The Development Plan

The Development Plan for Wyre Forest District is changing. The Core Strategy Development Plan Document was adopted on 9^th December 2010 and is the main document within the Local Development Framework  which will eventually replace the Adopted Local Plan.  The majority of the 2004 Adopted Local Plan policies were ‘saved’ beyond September 2007, however, as a result of the adoption of the Core Strategy, a large number of these policies have now been superseded.  The remaining Adopted Local Plan policies will remain in force until they are superseded by subsequent DPDs. 

Planning policies for the District are therefore set out in the following documents:

Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD)

The Core Strategy DPD was adopted on 9^th December 2010.  The Core Strategy sets out the vision and development strategy for the District and a number of strategic policies.  The Core Strategy does not relate to specific sites.   Read more about the Core Strategy DPD

2004 Adopted Local Plan

Adopted on 9^th January 2004, the Local Plan sets out detailed policies to guide new development.  As part of the transitional arrangements for moving to the LDF system of local planning, a number of policies within the Adopted Local Plan lapsed on 27^th September 2007.  As a result of the adoption of the Core Strategy DPD, a number of the remaining policies have been superseded by Core Strategy policies. 

The Adopted Local Plan is available to view at the Kidderminster Hub, the Civic Centre in Stourport-on-Severn and at the three local libraries.

The Plan is available to purchase as a hard copy and is also available on CD-Rom.  Charges for these items can be found on the Planning Policy publications page. 

View the Adopted Local Plan

Learn more about 'Saved Policies

Former West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy

The Secretary of State announced the revocation of Regional Spatial Strategies on 6^th July 2010. RSS’s have been revoked under S79(6) of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and no longer form part of the development plan for the purposes of S38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.  A successful High Court challenge was undertaken against the decision to revoke the RSS.  As a result, the RSS still forms part of the Statutory Development Plan for the District, however, the RSS is expected to be abolished through the Decentralisation and Localism Bill, a draft of which has now been published.  The intention to revoke Regional Spatial Strategies is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.      

The Former West Midlands RSS did however, provide the regional context for the formulation of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy and can be viewed using the link below.

View the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy

Worcestershire County Structure Plan (2001)

View the Worcestershire County Structure Plan (2001)

County of Hereford and Worcester Minerals Local Plan (1997)

View the Hereford and Worcester Minerals Local Plan.

Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy

The County Council has published a Revised Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme which sets out the timetable for producing and consulting on the Waste Core Strategy as well as other Minerals and Waste LDF documents. Further information can be found on the Worcestershire County Council website.