National and local planning policies aim to guide future development. A broad range of policies must take be taken into account when preparing a planning application, development brief, or master plan. These policies cover a wide range of topics including economy, tourism, recreation, shopping, health and safety, housing, waste, transport, built and historic environment and the natural environment. Policies can be supported locally by more detailed ‘Supplementary Planning Documents’.
Planning law requires that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the local development plan, unless ‘material considerations’ indicate otherwise. Consequently when determining a proposal a great many judgments have to be made about the relevance and relative priority of different policy issues.
Historic England have produced a number Historic Environment Advice Notes (HEANs) and Good Practice Advice Notes (GPAs) which provide guidance on specific areas of historic environment planning policy.
Follow the menu links for specific information on the B&NES local Development Plan and national policy. Please do contact us if you would like further information on planning policy. The Trust responds to all local and national consultations on changes to planning policy and will post items on our News feed as and when we do.