Local Development Scheme

The Local Development Scheme sets out our work programme for the main planning policy documents we intend to prepare over the next three years. These help make up the Wycombe Development Framework. More specifically the Local Development Scheme sets out:

• what Development Plan Documents we intend to produce;
• the subject matter and geographical area the documents relate to;
• the timetable for the preparation of the documents;
• the status of each document;
• details of the ongoing transition from "old style" Local Plans to the preparation of local development documents that make up the Wycombe Development Framework, including which Local Plan policies still apply.

An updated Local Development Scheme was submitted to the Government on 28 July 2011 who subsequently indicated that they had no comments to make on it. The revised Local Development Scheme was brought into effect on 29 August 2011. The revisions to the scheme were prompted by changing issues and priorities at both a local and national level, with details of the main documents highlighted for preparation in the new Local Development Scheme and the timetable for their production are set out in Tables 1-3. (See documents to download). In summary these are:

• The Delivery and Site Allocations document - focusing on town centre proposals and some development management policies. Due for adoption April 2013.
• Core Strategy Review - to be prepared from late 2012-2016. This will set housing targets for the District, address other strategic housing issues including housing and mixed use allocations and policies for the protection of employment land. It will also review and as appropriate replace all remaining saved policies from the Local Plan.

In addition the Local Development Scheme highlights that we will be preparing:

• A Community Infrastructure Levy - setting out a statutory charging schedule for new development for the provision of new infrastructure. It will replace many aspects of the current developer contributions system. Work commenced on this in summer 2011 and is due for adoption in September 2012.
• A review of the Statement of Community Involvement - which sets out how people can get involved in planning. This will commence in May-June 2012 and be adopted in December 2012.

This latest Local Development Scheme means that the Development Management Policies document and the Core Strategy Alteration for the Community Stadium and Sports Project that were in the previous Local Development Scheme are no longer going to be prepared.

Since the approval of the Loal Development Scheme the timetable for the preparation of the Delivery and Site Allocations document has been updated. The new key milestones are:

• June 2012 - publication of the proposed submission document.
• October 2012 - submission of documents to the Secretary of State.
• February 2013 - public examination hearing.
• July 2013 - adoption of the Delivery and Site Allocations document.