Local Plans
2.1 The Local Plan for Blackburn with Darwen Council consists of the Core Strategy (Local Plan Part 1) and the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies Plan (Local Plan Part 2).
The Core Strategy (Local Plan Part 1)
The Core Strategy was adopted in January 2011. The Core Strategy sets the overall spatial strategy for the Borough. This is presented through written policies and a key diagram which illustrates the overall spatial strategy and priorities for development.
The Site Allocations and Development Management Policies (Local Plan Part 2)
The Site Allocations and Development Management Policies (Local Plan Part 2) was adopted in December 2015. The plan provides additional policy detail on a range of topics covered at a strategic level in the Core Strategy. It also includes land allocations and development management policies. The Adopted Policies Map has been prepared alongside the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies plan and illustrates the site allocations and land designations proposed.
Local Plan Review
2.2 The Council has begun significant work on updating its Local Plan. This will update both the Core Strategy (Local Plan Part 1) and Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies to produce a single Local Plan for Blackburn with Darwen. Section 3 below sets out the programme for reviewing the Local Plan.
Joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan
2.3 Blackburn with Darwen Council is also jointly responsible with Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council for the Joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan (JMWLP). The current JMWLP consists of the Core Strategy adopted in February 2009 and Site Allocations and Development Management Policies adopted in September 2013. It provides mineral and waste specific policies for use in determining planning applications for waste or mineral developments. A revised Joint Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan (JMWLP) is being prepared by the three Waste and Minerals Planning Authorities in Lancashire. Any joint Minerals and Waste Plans are prepared under a separate Local Development Scheme. This LDS does not therefore contain any details on any Minerals and Waste documents.
Neighbourhood Plans
2.4 At the present time there are no known plans from Parish / Town Councils to prepare a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) within the Borough. To date there has not been any applications for the establishment of a Neighbourhood Forum and there has not been any interest by a community groups to prepare a NDP. However, if such plans do come forward, this could have a knock on impact upon any work programme relating to a review of the Local Plan. This is because the preparation of a Neighbourhood Development Plan, whilst a community led document, does require input from the local planning authority in a variety of ways throughout the process.
Other Planning Documents
2.5 The Local Plan is supported by other documents, which are available on the Council’s website including a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs); Masterplans and Development Briefs; and the Authority’s Monitoring Report (produced annually).
Statement of Common Ground
2.6 In accordance with Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) local authorities must engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis in any process by means of which development plan documents are prepared.
2.7 The revised NPPF 2019 now requires local authorities to “maintain one or more statements of common ground, documenting the cross-boundary matters being addressed and progress in cooperating to address these” (paragraph 27). The accompanying Planning Practice Guidance outlines what a Statement of Common Ground should contain and explains that it should be “maintained on an on-going basis throughout the plan making process”.
2.8 A Statement of Common Ground will therefore be prepared with neighbouring authorities and relevant bodies and will be subject to ongoing review.
Statement of Community Involvement
2.9 The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is a requirement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended). The SCI sets out how and when the Council will involve the local community in preparing local plans and processing planning applications and controlling development. The Council is legally obliged to comply with its Statement of Community Involvement.
2.10 The Council’s current SCI was prepared in July 2020 to inform the review of the Local Plan.
Monitoring and Review
2.11 The Council publishes an authority monitoring report (AMR) that provides information on the performance of policies within the Local Plan. It also provides an update on how the Local Plan timetable is progressing against the published LDS. The AMR therefore provides important information to assess where future policy changes which may be required, and also helps to highlight whether a review of the local plan preparation timetable is necessary.