Allerdale Borough Council has had its settlement boundaries and the planning policies that control development outside of those boundaries torpedoed by a recent appeal decision.
In the appeal decision the Inspector held that the settlement boundaries – based on the 1998 Local Plan – are out of date. Until Allerdale Borough Council adopts Part 2 of its Local Plan (sometime in 2019) then it is unable to give full weight to the policies that control development outside of settlement limits.
What does this mean for you as a developer?
It means that the Council’s planning policies – specifically Local Plan policies S3 ‘Spatial Strategy and Growth’ and S5 ‘Development Principles’ have been undermined. It also engages the ’tilted balance’ which simplifies how applications are determined and establishes a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development – which can be more supportive of development in the right place.
If you have land that is near to a settlement boundary in Allerdale, with or without a planning history, it would be worthwhile getting in touch to discuss whether this recent appeal decision could open a door for your development.
Daniel Addis MRTPI 23 July 2018