Local Development Plans (LDP) Process

The Local Development Plan process has several stages. The entire process usually takes several years. There are opportunities for input and comment at every stage. You can find out what stage your local planning authority is at on their website. Some planning authorities will add you to their email list to you up to date on their progress.

Before writing a new plan, the local planning authority will gather economic, social and environmental information to help identify local issues, known as gathering evidence or the evidence base. Although there is not formal consultation at this stage, you can help by providing information about wildlife to your local biological records centre or to the local planning authority.

Local Development Plans typically contain a vision, aims and objectives for the area, detailed policies setting out what development will be allowed, and allocations of land for certain developments (usually larger, more strategic developments). The text comes with maps showing the allocations, as well as other relevant areas such as business districts, historic conservation areas and protected wildlife sites.

Local Development Plans must comply with National Planning Policy, the National Development Framework (Future Wales) and other national laws and policies. Local Planning Authorities can also write extra guidance on specific issues called Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), but this must agree with the Local Development Plan.

Local Development Plans are written, monitored and updated on a regular cycle. Writing a new Local Development Plan is carried out in set stages, usually over a 3 year period, and there are opportunities to have your say at each stage of the process. 

Local Development Plans sit within a hierarchy of Development Plans. Future Wales: the National Plan 2040 covers the whole of Wales. Beneath this, four regional Strategic Development Plans are being developed. Each Local Planning Authority must prepare a Local Development Plan, and then local communities can also develop their own Place Plans. Each plan must not contradict the plan above it. The Welsh Government has produced a guide to the different types of development plan.