Town and Country Planning Act 1971

11 Preparation of local plans

(1) A local planning authority who are in course of preparing a structure plan for their area, or have prepared for their area a structure plan which has not been approved or rejected by the Secretary of State, may, if they think it desirable, prepare a local plan for any part of that area.

(2) Where a structure plan for their area has been approved by the Secretary of State, the local planning authority shall as soon as practicable consider, and thereafter keep under review, the desirability of preparing and, if they consider it desirable and they have not already done so, shall prepare a local plan for any part of the area.

(3) A local plan shall consist of a map and a written statement and shall—

(a) formulate in such detail as the authority think appropriate the authority's proposals for the development and other use of land in that part of their area or for any description of development or other use of such land (including in either case such measures as the authority think fit for the improvement of the physical environment and the management of traffic); and

(b) contain such matters as may be prescribed or as the Secretary of State may in any particular case direct.

(4) Different local plans may be prepared for different purposes for the same part of any area.

(5) A local plan for any area shall contain, or be accompanied by, such diagrams, illustrations and descriptive matter as the local planning authority think appropriate for the purpose of explaining or illustrating the proposals in the plan, or as may be prescribed, or as may in any particular case be specified in directions given by the Secretary of State; and any such diagrams, illustrations and descriptive matter shall be treated as forming part of the plan.

(6) Where an area is indicated as an action area in a structure plan which has been approved by the Secretary of State, the local planning authority shall (if they have not already done so), as soon as practicable after the approval of the plan, prepare a local plan for that area.

(7) Without prejudice to the preceding provisions of this section, the local planning authority shall, if the Secretary of State gives them a direction in that behalf with respect to a part of an area for which a structure plan has been, or is in course of being, prepared, as soon as practicable prepare for that part a local plan of such nature as may be specified in the direction.

(8) Directions under subsection (7) of this section may be given by the Secretary of State either before or after he approves the structure plan; but no such directions shall require a local planning authority to take any steps to comply therewith until the structure plan has been approved by him.

(9) In formulating their proposals in a local plan the local planning authority shall secure that the proposals conform generally to the structure plan as it stands for the time being (whether or not it has been approved by the Secretary of State) and shall have regard to any information and any other considerations which appear to them to be relevant, or which may be prescribed, or which the Secretary of State may in any particular case direct them to take into account.

(10) Before giving a direction under the preceding provisions of this section to a local planning authority, the Secretary of State shall consult the authority with respect to the proposed direction.

(11) Where a local planning authority are required by this section to prepare a local plan, they shall take steps for the adoption of the plan.