The Planning Inspectorate- Wales

Local Development Plans

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduced a new system of local development plans (LDPs) in Wales to replace Unitary Development Plans (UDPs).

The approach under the new system will be different from that by which UDPs were adopted. Each new LDP must be submitted to the National Assembly for Wales for independent examination. The Inspector who undertakes that examination will be required to assess whether the plan overall is sound rather than simply consider individual objections as at present.

The Planning Inspectorate has been working with the Welsh Assembly Government and the LDP Stakeholders Group, representing local planning authorities and organisations involved in development plans work, to take forward the new development planning system for Wales set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

The Planning Inspectorate Wales – ‘A Guide to the Examination of Local Development Plans (LDPs)’

The Planning Inspectorate has produced it’s ‘Guide to the Examination of Local Development Plans’, following publication of a consultation draft last year.

Part 6 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 establishes a new Local Development Plan system to replace the current UDPs in Wales. A key part of the new system is testing whether the plan is ‘sound’.

The guide sets out how LDPs will be assessed, interpreting the tests of soundness as set out in ‘Local Development Plans Wales’ (June 2005) published by the Welsh Assembly Government; the guide also gives information about how LDPs will be examined.

View the Guide here in PDF Format 214KB

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