Re: Existing Core Strategy - Certificate of Conformity with NPFFA - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Dan As I understand it there is as yet no information on how this Certificate of Conformity process will work. With DPDs in preparation it ought to be part of the examination process but with adopted ones...? Julian

How could an allocations DPD be found not in conformity retrospectively? Surely its an issue for the core strategy - then if that is not in conformity to update it and bring new strategic sites forward in parallel if there is a 5/10 year supply shortfall. Unless there are some very unusual sites each and every individual site in the DPD would be just as sound as it was before and therefore each allocation would not be 'out of date'. A few exceptions might be major developed sites in Green Belt and sites in infill only villages (what a clusterf*** the NPPF is on those issues) One issue might arise where neighbourhood plans seek to designate local green space on allocated sites - to my mind they couldn't because of the conformity rule - all the more reason to not rule allocation DPDs out of date. A real mess arises where a core strategy allocates lots of houses to villages but doesn't say which. The risk is lots of neighbourhood plans seek to block out sites with local green space designations and then it is the core strategy that becomes out of date through being undeliverable! I understand PINs are giving this issue active thought and I hope they will be issuing guidance and draft regs. shortly.

With a recently adopted Core Strategy, and like Dan, a plan to bring forward a more detailed DPD with allocations as soon as possible, I was contemplating the benefits of, and if there will be a way to wrap up a reissued Core Strategy with the emerging DPD, to form a new 'in conformity' local plan', without opening up all the Core Strategy material to challenge again. Has anyone any ideas of whether this might be possible under the proposed new regime, or whether the limitations of the proposed new regime will just make the road to adoption of site allocations,etc unduly complicated? Should I pursue Core Strategy conformity and preparation of the allocations DPD separately? I do get the impression from the consultation material that there will be significant advantages, in terms of resisting challenge at appeal, if a Core Strategy has an 'in confirmity' badge attached.

At a recent workshop with CLG on the NPPF in Leeds, they stated that further guidance will be issued with the next iteration of the NPPF. They also said that seeking a certificate will be voluntary, and that PINS will be responsible for determining conformity and issuing certificates and for the first year, this service will be provided free to local authorities. They reiterated that not seeking a certificate does not automatically imply that a plan is silent, absent or out of date. Hope that helps Harriet