Proposals Map PPS12 Practical Guidance - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Isn't the adopted proposals map the sum of all adopted plans at that time? As far as I remember it, when you submit your DPD you have to show what changes to the proposals map currently in force will arise from adopting the new DPD. So, for example, if you are proposing a housing allocation on something designated in a Local plan as green space, your submission documents will have to indicate (I presume) that the proposals map will be amended by removing the greenspace notation from that site and adding a housing allocation notation. Assuming this goes through, then the adopted Proposals Map will only show the housing one. One thing I am not certain of, though, is if Local Plan policies go past their "save by" date, and the LPA/GO decided not to retain them, does the Proposals Map need altering then?

I agree with Simon on the status of Proposals Maps in terms of that they are updated to show how the Development Plan views designations and allocations incrementally as the DPDs are adopted. Basildon DC's Proposals Map is from its Local Plan 1998, of which about 1/3rd of the policies were saved. We display a warning note affixed on an address label on our Proposals Maps now, including the online one (just a PDF scanned image) saying: "IMPORTANT ADDENDUM On 20th September 2007, the Secretary of State issues a Direction to Basildon District COuncil which set the policies of the Adopted Local Plan that could be saved beyond 27th September 2007. These are set out in the Basildon District Local Plan Saved Policies - September 2007 document. Care should be taken when using the Proposals Maps, as some policies and their corresponding land allocations or designations may no longer apply." This way we avoided any expensive cartographic and printing costs - to reprint a Proposals Map that would within a few years be gradually replaced by the LDF DPD proposals maps anyway. My advice would be to ensure you have built up a GIS baseline of polygons that you can edit or add to for Proposal Map generation, as and when you need it. If you decide to then send to this to an external cartographer for finishing and printing - it will be easy to do so in this format; if you also need this for internal or web interactive GIS - you can use the same data.

Thanks Simon and Matthew for your advice. I still have concerns in terms of how clear a proposals map will be if it shows saved and emerging mapped policies, especially with 30-40 layers on each map. Combining this information on a single map will make the map almost unreadable. Example of one side of our A0 existing Local Plan proposals map. The cartographical work involved in producing a hard copy also takes several months to create, proof and print. This is both expensive and impratical given the tight timetables involved with the production of the LDF. Is anyone aware of best practice advice regarding the production of proposals maps & LDF? I know that South Cambs have adopted their DCDPD is anyone aware of any other local authorities who have adopted this document/map? Thanks Richard Overy Planning Technician

Just to clarify, the Proposals Map does not (IMO) have to show "emerging" policies, just adopted ones.

Redcar and Cleveland has an adopted Proposals Map following the adoption of the Core Strategy and Development Policies DPDs, which includes the remaining saved policies and boundaries that have not yet been reviewed eg Development Limits. This will be have to be updated in the future when the Allocations and Minerals and Waste DPDs are adopted.This has been far quicker and cheaper to prepare digitally than the former large scale print based system with layers of film. Our technician set up the layers digitally and this was turned into an interactive web map by a local company. Paper maps were prepared at A3 in a road atlas format. This was copied by a local print company. Care is needed in selecting colours and shading that works both on screen and in print. see www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/ldf

Now you've made me read the regulations again and I have to say what a confusing load of twaddle they are! How can the simple requirement for a map showing changes to the proposals map be spread across three separate regulations, each seeming to propose a different approach to the matter??? If anyone out there cleverer than me would like to have a go at this I think the relevant bits are: Reg 2 (defines submission proposals map) Reg 6(1)(b) (suggests a submission proposals map is a separate LDD) Reg 13(4) (suggests the submission proposals map is contained in a DPD which makes site allocations, but this doesn not apply to the submission proposals map!)

I agree with Simon the regulations are extremely confusing. After investigating best practice examples from other councils I am still non the wiser! Each local authority has discovered their own way to to produce the proposals map, some have shown the emerging and saved policies together, others have shown them on seperate maps. I have found adopted examples where only the LDF policies are shown and the maps have been adopted. Detailed guidance needs to be produced to rectify these inconsistencies. The production of these maps involves considerable hard work and expense with no guarantee of success. Richard Overy - Planning Technician Development Plans Telford & Wrekin Council

Just to update this, I sought advice from the Planning Inspectorate on the interpretation of the regulations. This is their response. "..our understanding is that a proposals map is a separate LDD and should be submitted, suitably amended, with any DPD that allocates sites." The Inspectorate's view must be considered reasonably authoritative!

Hi, I work at Ashford Borough Council and was going to get around all of the expense of producing a hard-copy map, whilst the plan is still evolving by just producing an online map that is easilly amended for the time-being. Once the LDF is finalised and adopted, only then will I produce a hard-copy map. Regarding the comment yesterday, I was aware that it need needed to be submitted to PINs, but does this have to be the hard-copy or can we just send them a link to the online version? I have always believed that I could just send the link to the online version. But, I have no recollection of where I have read this! I thought the LDF was trying to move away completely from producing hard-copy proposals maps. Thoughts? Thanks, Danielle Brough Policy Planner Ashford Borough Council

FYI: Related Forum http://www.pas.gov.uk/pas/forum/thread-maint.do?topicId=68231