Local Development Scheme 2025-2028

Introduction

The Development Plan for Wyre Forest

Supporting Planning Policy Documents

Monitoring And Review Of LDS

Planning Policy Document Structure

1. INTRODUCTION

1. Wyre Forest District Council is required by Section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) to prepare and maintain a Local Development Scheme (LDS). The LDS is a project plan which sets out the Local Planning Authority’s timetable over a three year period for preparing documents which form part of its Development Plan as well as other supplementary planning documents.

2. The LDS informs communities and other interested parties of the process and progress in preparing planning policy documents. Further information on community engagement in the planning process is set out in the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which is available on the website wyreforestdc.gov.uk.

3. This LDS covers the period March 2025 to March 2028. It will be kept under review to reflect any changes to planning legislation or policy-related matters.

2. THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR WYRE FOREST

1. The National Planning Policy Framework (2024) and National Planning Practice Guidance sets out the government's planning policies and advice for England. They provide a framework within which Development Plans, Neighbourhood Plans and Supplementary Planning Guidance/Documents are prepared.

2. The Development Plan Documents for Wyre Forest are shown in the table below:

3. A further 3 Neighbourhood Plan Areas have been formally designated, these are shown in the table below:

WYRE FOREST DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN

4. The Wyre Forest District Local Plan was adopted in April 2022 and covers the period 2016-2036. This covers the whole district and replaces the Core Strategy (2010), the Site Allocations & Policies Local Plan (2013) and the Kidderminster Action Plan (2013). It addresses the district’s needs and opportunities for housing, employment, community facilities, the built and natural environment and infrastructure. The accompanying Policies Map shows the location of the various designations and site allocations. Under current Government policy, the Local Plan needs to be reviewed at least every 5 years. As of April 2024, Wyre Forest District Council was able to demonstrate a 9.73 housing land supply and therefore unless the planning legislation is amended to require an earlier review, no work on a review of the Local Plan is timetabled during this LDS.

5. The Government have recently implemented changes to the NPPF which will affect the requirements for future Local Plans. As part of this, the Government require that Local Planning Authorities publish a Local Development Scheme for the period 2025 to 2028

6. The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent on 26^th October 2023. The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act aims to streamline the local plan-making process. A new set of national development management policies will also be introduced to cover common planning consideration such as Design, Green Belt and Flood Risk. Most of the sections in the Act which relate to plan making and development management will require secondary legislation. The next Local Plan for Wyre Forest will be very different with its content limited to allocating land for development, infrastructure requirements and strategic policies.

7. The Minerals and Waste Documents are the responsibility of Worcestershire County Council and work is being progressed on a Minerals Site Allocations DPD. Further information can be found on the County Council's website: worcestershire.gov.uk

8. With the adoption of the Local Plan (2016-2036), the focus of the Planning Policy section is continuing to work on the implementation of the Local Plan through publication of a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and working to bring forward the allocated sites in the plan.

9. However, with the implementation of the new NPPF and the Local Plan now at a mid-point since adoption, WFDC are now preparing to review its Local Plan and intend to publish an issues and options paper (Regulation 18) by June 2026.

Neighbourhood Plans

10. Neighbourhood Plans provides communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their local area and to shape its development and growth. The Local Planning Authority provides advice to communities that are preparing Neighbourhood Plans to ensure they are consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework.

11. Bewdley have set up a Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (established in 2015) and they have carried out public consultation and produced a draft Neighbourhood Plan (2020). This is now being revisited in the light of the adoption of the Wyre Forest Local Plan. Work continues on the neighbourhood plan, with the intention of the plan being made before 2027.

3. SUPPORTING PLANNING POLICY DOCUMENTS

Supplementary Planning Documents

1. Supplementary Planning Documents add further detail to Local Plan policies and provide guidance on particular sites or issues. The Local Planning Authority will consult on draft Supplementary Planning Documents for 6 weeks and then will consider representations received and finalise the SPD before it is adopted by Cabinet.

2. Once adopted, an SPD can be a material consideration in decision-making and should be taken into account in deciding planning applications or appeals. There are several SPDs currently being prepared or have been recently adopted, these are:

3. Health and Wellbeing SPD – Adopted July 2023
This SPD provides more detailed advice on the health and wellbeing related policies in the Local Plan. It was prepared in partnership with Worcestershire County Council’s Strategic Planning Team and the Public Health Team. It sets out how developers will be expected to demonstrate that their proposals reflect health and wellbeing principles through the use of Health Impact Assessments.

5. Housing SPD – Adopted April 2024
This document supports the implementation of policies in the Adopted Local Plan relating to housing. It provides guidance to help with the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans, inform pre-application advice on housing development and be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. It was prepared in partnership with Development Management and Housing colleagues.

6. Design, Amenity and Shopfronts SPD – Adopted July 2024
The Design Guidance SPD (June 2015) has been updated to reflect changes to both National and Local Planning policy. This document also includes a section on shop front design, which replaces the 2004 SPG on Shop Front Design Guidance within the Historic Environment.

7. Planning Obligations SPD
The Planning Obligations SPD 2016 will be updated to reflect changes in National and Local Planning policy. It will be adopted by Summer 2025.

8. Green Infrastructure SPD
This is a new SPD which will provide further detail on Policies SP.23 and SP.28 of the Adopted Local Plan. It is expected to be adopted by Summer 2025.

9. Biodiversity SPD
This is a new SPD which will provide guidance on the implementation of the Environment Act 2021 and further detail on Policies SP.23 and SP.28 of the Adopted Local Plan.

10. Severn Valley SPD
This is a new SPD which will provide guidance on SP.22 Landscape Character and the Severn Valley Regional Heritage Park.

11. The following table sets out the timetable for the production of Supplementary Planning Documents over the next 3 years.

Conservation Area Character Appraisals

12. Conservation Area Character Appraisals – The revised Stourport No.1 and Stourport No.2 was adopted in Autumn 2024. The timetable for the updating the remaining character appraisals is below:

Brownfield Land Register

13. The LPA is required to prepare, maintain and publish a register of previously developed (brownfield) land which is suitable for residential development. The register is made up of sites which have been assessed as having potential for residential redevelopment. The Brownfield Land Register is published on the Council’s website and reviewed at least annually to include new sites and make amendments to the details on existing sites, for example where redevelopment has started. There is no requirement to consult on sites proposed for inclusion on the register.

Self-Build and Custom House Build Register

14. The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 places a duty on the local authorities to keep and regard to a register of people who are interested in self-build or custom-build projects in their area. Self-build or custom-build housing is built by an individual, a group of individuals, or persons working with or for them, to be occupied by that individual. Such housing can be either market or affordable housing.

15. An online registration form is available on the website. Information from the register helps to gauge the level of demand for such plots in Wyre Forest District. The LPA will use this information to try to match applicants with suitable plots but there is no guarantee.

16. Authority monitoring
The Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) is published on an annual basis. The AMR includes the following:

• Progress towards the preparation of documents outlined in the LDS
• Progress towards the delivery of net additional market and affordable dwellings
• Progress towards the delivery of employment land
• Details of any policy documents that have been adopted or approved
• Details of any Local Plan policies not being implemented and reasons why
• Details of any Neighbourhood Plans that have been ‘made’

The AMR can help inform whether there is a need to undertake a partial or full update of the Local Plan. The latest published AMR is available on the website.

4. MONITORING AND REVIEW OF LDS

1. The Local Planning Authority will keep the LDS under review.

5. PLANNING POLICY DOCUMENT STRUCTURE

Development Plan Documents

Wyre Forest District Plan 2016-36

Neighbourhood Plans

Supplementary Planning Documents

Health & Wellbeing

Housing

Design Amenity & Shopfronts

Biodiversity

Green Infrastructure

Planning Obligations

Local Registers

Brownfield Land Register

Self-Build & Custom-Build Register

Supporting Documents

Authority Monitoring Report

Statement of Community Involvement

Local Development Scheme