Development Plan

A development brief is a form of supplementary planning guidance which enlarges upon and conforms with national and regional planning guidance. The brief should also conform with the policies contained in an adopted local plan. It cannot be used as a vehicle for challenging or amending those policies.

Development briefs are usually prepared to guide development on larger sites where complicated issues may arise. They enable developers, the public and councils to be aware of those issues and to become involved in formulating measures required to deal with them, before planning applications are submitted. They help to avoid delays during the formal consideration of planning applications and provide a degree of certainty for the financing and programming of developments.

Development briefs may cover a variety of matters which will change from site to site but could include:

• planning policies;
• design and layout;
• infrastructure;
• community facilities;
• landscaping;
• access;
• financial contributions;
• drainage;
• water supply.

Download the existing supplementary planning guidance (SPG) or supplementary planning documents (SPD) in the table below. To use the pdf files on this page you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer, please use our advice page.

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