Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

17 Local development documents

(1) Documents which must be specified in the local development scheme as local development documents are—

(a) documents of such descriptions as are prescribed;

(b) the local planning authority’s statement of community involvement.

(2) The local planning authority may also specify in the scheme such other documents as they think are appropriate.

(3) The local development documents must (taken as a whole) set out the authority’s policies (however expressed) relating to the development and use of land in their area.

(4) In the case of the documents which are included in a minerals and waste development scheme they must also (taken as a whole) set out the authority’s policies (however expressed) in relation to development which is a county matter within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the principal Act (ignoring sub-paragraph (1)(i)).

(5) If to any extent a policy set out in a local development document conflicts with any other statement or information in the document the conflict must be resolved in favour of the policy.

(6) The authority must keep under review their local development documents having regard to the results of any review carried out under section 13 or 14.

(7) Regulations under this section may prescribe—

(a) which descriptions of local development documents are development plan documents;

(b) the form and content of the local development documents;

(c) the time at which any step in the preparation of any such document must be taken.

(8) A document is a local development document only in so far as it or any part of it—

(a) is adopted by resolution of the local planning authority as a local development document;

(b) is approved by the Secretary of State under section 21 or 27.