Local plan

Calderdale Local plan logo

The Calderdale Local plan will be the new development plan.

It will replace the Replacement Calderdale Unitary development plan (RCUDP) when it is approved, which could be in 2019.

Note: Until then, all planning decisions are based on the RCUDP and the National planning policy framework (NPPF).

The Local plan must be based on robust evidence. For detail of the evidence, see: Evidence base .

Consultation is an important part of plan preparation. A number of previous consultations have taken place, and all have used the on-line Consultation Portal.

This Consultation runs from 4th August to 5.00pm 29th September 2017

A handy guide to help you make comments is available here:

PDFGuide: How to comment on the Local Plan [PDF 839KB]

Local Plan Consultations

The Council has published a number of documents which are available to read and are consultable from 4th August to 29th September 2017:

  • Local Plan - Initial Draft : This is the full text of draft policy and reasoning for the policies. You can Click and Comment on any part of the document. General Comments may be made alongside the heading on the first page to the document.
  • Policies Map: This shows where policies apply on a map of Calderdale. You can see the potential allocations for new housing, employment, open space and other designations on this map. You can Click and Comment from selected sites from this mapping.
  • Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Plan - Initial Draft 2017 : This sets out the required sustainability appraisal of the Local Plan including strategic environmental assessment.
  • Habitats Regulations Assessment : This sets out the required appraisal of the plan in relation to the important habitats formed by parts of the Pennine Moors.

You do not need to make comments online but using the links to the documents your comments are recorded immediately.

If you prefer to write please send your comments to:

By email to: spatial.planning@calderdale.gov.uk

By post to: Local Plan Consultation, Town Hall,  HALIFAX HX1 1UJ

OR fill In and return this form: DOCComments form [DOC 191KB]

Processing of comments made in this way will take time, but they will eventually be able to be seen online.

All comments received during the consultation will be considered in preparation of the next version of the Local Plan.

If you would like to register your interest in Self-Build/Custom Build Housing, or explore other consultation events in Local Plan Consultation Portal please use the link below:

A Planning Officer will be in attendance at the following locations, to assist you in making comments online:

Location Date Time
Elland Library Thursday 7th September 10am - 1pm
Shelf Library Tuesday 12th September 2pm - 5pm
Halifax Town Hall

Monday 18th September

5pm – 8pm
Beechwood Road Library Tuesday 19th September 10am - 1pm

Brighouse Library

Tuesday 19th September

5pm – 8pm

Hebden Bridge Town Hall

Wednesday 20th September

5pm – 8pm

Also at Halifax Customer First , 9am - 1pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.

Core strategy

The Core Strategy has been merged with the Land Allocations and Designations document to form the Local Plan. No further work will be undertaken on this separate document.

 

This has provided the strategic policy context for development within Calderdale. Its creation has included several consultation stages:

 

2008 - 2009

The initial phase of community engagement took place between November 2008 and January 2009:

 

2011

The Core strategy was revised and a second phase of community engagement took place between January and March 2011:

 

2012

The final consultation phase was between October and December 2012. To view the documents related to the consultation, visit: Core strategy preferred issues consultation . In addition, read:

 

Land allocations and designations

The Land Allocations and Designations has been merged with the Core Strategy document to form the Local Plan. No further work will be undertaken on this separate document.

 

The new Local Plan will identify sites to be developed or protected from development. This includes:

  • housing;
  • employment;
  • retailing;
  • minerals and waste;
  • open spaces, sports and recreation facilities;
  • community uses;
  • green belt;
  • environmental protection areas.

The Local Plan Policies Map will show these allocations and designations in a similar way to the Replacement Calderdale UDP mapping.

All allocations and designations are assessed and consulted on, before being proposed. A Site allocations assessment is used to assesses each one against a range of suitability criteria. This is to ensure they are available, achievable and deliverable.

To view the methodology used to assess sites within the ‘Local Plan – Initial Draft’, read:

The above methodology supersedes the PDFSite Allocations Assessment Methodology (April 2015) [PDF 5397KB] . This was previously used to assess sites within ‘Potential Sites and other aspects of the Local Plan’.

Note: The methodology has been refined to reflect feedback received from a range of statutory consultees. This ensures that we are using a robust, tried and tested methodology that guarantees the most appropriate sites have been chosen for allocation.

Submissions of potential sites are still welcomed ("Call for sites"). These will be assessed in the next review of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), see: Site submissions .

Early engagement workshops

These were held through February and March 2014, across Calderdale.

Almost 500 people discussed the list of site allocations and designations, giving feedback on their views, before and after workshops.

For more information on the reasons for these workshops and their format, read:

The maps and comments from each workshop can be seen in the table below:

Event location Map and comments
Brighouse
Elland
Halifax
Hebden Bridge
Mytholmroyd
Ryburn
Shelf
Sowerby Bridge
Todmorden

 

Neighbourhood development plans

Neighbourhood development plans (NDP) were introduced by the Government in the Localism Act 2011 . This act amended the Town and country planning act 1990.

These community produced plans are examined and subject to the results of a referendum in the local area. They are then "made" by the Local Planning Authority and become part of the development plan.

For information for parish councils and potential Neighbourhood Forums, read: PDFNeighbourhood development plans guidance [PDF 172KB] .

Neighbourhood plan applications

There are no outstanding neighbourhood planning applications (May 2017).

    Approved neighbourhood areas

    A map of the approved neighbourhood areas (May 2017), is available here: PDFMap of approved neighbourhood areas [PDF 228KB] .

    The map also shows where NDPs are being prepared. Local areas can take up the powers associated with preparing a NDP, once they have passed through a number of legal stages.

    Parish areas

    Town or parish council areas are defined as qualifying bodies. This means they only need Council approval for a NDP for an area.

    Approved areas are:

     

     

     

    Non-parish areas

    Non parish areas must make two applications, which are:

    1. to create a forum to act as the qualifying body for the area; and
    2. to apply for designation of an NDP for the area.

    The approved areas are:

     

     

     

     

    Timetable for the preparation of the Local Plan

    Both the National planning policy framework recommend that councils have a single Local Plan.

    This covers the strategic policy framework and what land is allocated for development and providing a clearer link between them.

    Calderdale is in the process of creating a single Local plan. A full draft plan will be produced for consultation before producing a final Publication version. This takes longer to do, but should reduce the risk to the Council being challenged.

    The latest version of the Local development scheme (LDS) was ratified by Council on 18th February 2015. This details the process of revising the Local Plan. For more information, read: PDFLocal development scheme [PDF 158KB] .

    Timeline for the creation of the Calderdale Local Plan

      What Dates and Milestones
    June 2017 Draft Local Plan for consideration by Cabinet. 19th June 2017.
    Early July 2017

    Please Note: The decision to release the Consultation has been “Called–in” by the Places Scrutiny Panel.

    Meeting of Scrutiny will consider the consultation process associated with Regulation 18.

    Consultation on Initial Draft Local Plan, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment – 8 week long consultation period.

    Scrutiny Panel considered the Resolution of Cabinet at its meeting on 11th July.

    They agreed to release the Cabinet Resolution and allow the consultation to proceed.

    This is subject to lengthening the period over which the consultation will run.

    Release of Consultation: 4th August 2017.
    Aug / Sept 2017 Consultation on Initial Draft Local Plan, Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment - 8 week long consultation period. Ends 5pm on Friday 29th September 2017.
    Oct 2017 Handling comments received.  
    Oct / Nov 2017 Handling comments and revising the draft Local Plan, updating the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment; Preparation of Publication of Local Plan and other supporting documentation.  
    Dec 2017 Consideration by Cabinet and Council of Publication Version of Local Plan. Dates to be confirmed.
    Jan 2018 Publication of Local Plan - for representations. Dates to be confirmed.
    Feb 2018 Representation period continues.  
    Mar to May 2018 Administration of representations and preparation for Submission.  
    May 2018 Submission to Secretary of State.  
    May to Dec 2018 Examination.  
    Mid 2019 Adoption.  

     

    Contact

    For more information on the Local Plan, contact:

     

    Always open first panel: