Local Development Scheme 2023 to 2026

This is the 2023 version of the Local Development Scheme (LDS) produced by Brighton & Hove City Council. This document replaces the previous version of the LDS published in 2022.

The LDS sets out the programme for the production of Local Development Documents (LDDs) and other planning documents in Brighton & Hove over the next 3 years.

Documents set out in the Local Development Scheme 

Local Development Documents fall into 3 categories: 

• Development Plan Documents (DPDs): DPDs are planning policy documents that form the statutory development plan for the area.  
• Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) and; 
• Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

The council also produces this Local Development Scheme and the Authority Monitoring Report, which sets out annual updates on the progress of adopting and implementing DPDs. 

The development plan for Brighton & Hove consists of the:

• City Plan Part One (2016)
• City Plan Part Two (2022),
• Waste and Minerals Plan (2013),
• Waste and Minerals Sites Plan (2017)
• Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan (2019) 

The adopted documents set out below form the statutory development plan for Brighton & Hove. Planning applications received by the council must be determined in accordance with the statutory development plan.  

Development Plan Documents are an important mechanism in helping to deliver Brighton & Hove’s citywide strategies. These include the economic, local transport, housing, community safety, climate change, tourism, sports and cultural strategies. 

Adopted Development Plan documents 

City Plan Part One

• Adopted - 2016
• Role and subject - to provide an overall strategic vision for development in the city to 2030. It sets out the priorities to meet the challenges of the future; and identifies the broad locations, scale and type of development, as well as the supporting infrastructure required, to 2030
• Coverage - Brighton & Hove, excluding the South Downs National Park

City Plan Part Two

• Adopted - 2022
• Role and subject - this document complements the adopted CPP1 and includes additional site allocations and detailed development management policies
• Coverage - Brighton & Hove, excluding the South Downs National Park

East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste

• Adopted - 2013
• Role and subject - sets out the vision, objectives and strategy for sustainable waste development and minerals production in the area and provides the policy framework for development control decisions
• Coverage - Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, including that part which falls within the South Downs National Park

East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Sites Plan

• Adopted - 2017
• Role and subject - identifies sites which are potentially suitable for new waste management facilities whilst safeguarding existing waste management sites. It also safeguards railheads and wharves that could be used for bulk transport of waste and minerals
• Coverage - Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, including that part which falls within the South Downs National Park

Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan 

• Adopted - 2020
• Role and subject - to set out a vision, objectives, strategies, policies and detailed site allocations for Shoreham Harbour. Produced by the Shoreham Harbour Regeneration Partnership which includes Adur District Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, Shoreham Port Authority and West Sussex County Council
• Coverage - Shoreham Harbour and South Portslade area

Development Plan documents in preparation 

The following documents are currently being prepared and will form part of the development plan for the city once adopted. 

City Plan Part One Review

Overview

• Role and subject - a review of the updated City Plan Part One. Policies will be revised to take into account changes in national policy, local priorities and other changes in circumstance.
• Coverage - citywide, excluding the South Downs National Park

Timetable

• Assessment of Need for the Review - completed
• Evidence gathering and Scoping  - 2023 
• Scoping Consultation (Reg. 18) - Spring 2024
• Preferred Strategy Consultation (Reg 18) - Spring 2025
• Pre-submission Consultation (Reg 19) - Spring 2026
• Submission of Plan to Government - Autumn 2026
• Public Examination - Winter 2026/2027
• Adoption - 2027

The timetable for the latter stages of the Review is subject to some uncertainty and is likely to be impacted by the forthcoming changes to the planning system. The government’s proposed timetable for introducing the changes currently indicates that the first examinations to be held under the new system will not take place until October 2026. The Local Development Scheme will be updated should the timetable change. 

Waste and Minerals Local Plan Review 

Overview

• Role and subject - the Waste and Minerals Local Plan Review is principally intended to update some adopted minerals policies following representations made at the Public Examination of the Waste & Minerals Sites Plan in summer 2016. 
• Coverage - East Sussex and Brighton & Hove including part of the South Downs National Park

Timetable

• Call for Sites / Content (Reg18) - completed
• Preferred Strategy Consultation - completed
• Pre-submission Consultation (Reg 19) - Winter 2021
• Submission of Plan to Government - Spring 2022
• Public Examination - Autumn 2022 to Spring 2023
• Estimated date for Adoption - Autumn 2023

Proposed Development Plan documents 

The following documents are proposed, with work yet to begin. 

Full Review of the Waste and Minerals Local Plan 

Overview

• Role and subject - a comprehensive review of the Waste & Minerals Local Plan. Policies will be revised to take into account changes in national policy, local priorities and other changes in circumstance.
• Coverage - citywide

Indicative timetable  

• Draft Plan Consultation (Reg 18) - Autumn/Winter 2024 to 2025
• Pre-submission Consultation (Reg 19) - early 2026
• Submission of Plan to Government - Autumn 2026
• Public Examination - late 2026
• Adoption - 2027

Links between Development Plans and other strategies 

When preparing all plans, the council seeks to ensure that its proposals are integrated with, and complimentary to, a range of adopted policies and strategies.  

Other strategies produced by the council that are considered in the preparation of DPDs include: 

• Carbon Neutral 2030 Programme 
• Housing Strategy 
• Economic Strategy 
• Visitor Economy Strategy 
• Local Transport Plan 
• Sustainable Community Strategy 
• Health and Wellbeing Strategy 
• Community Safety and Crime Reduction Strategy

The Council also works closely with neighbouring local authorities to support the development of their LDDs and to ensure that cross boundary issues are dealt with effectively including, when required, making representations at Local Plan Examinations as part of the Duty to Cooperate. 

The SPDs listed below provide additional guidance and information relating to the implementation of policies contained in DPDs. They do not form part of the statutory development plan for the city but a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. 

• SPD01 - Brighton Centre Design Framework, adopted January 2005
• SPD02 - Shopfront Design, adopted September 2005
• SPD03 - Construction and Demolition Waste, adopted March 2006
• SPD05 - Circus Street and Municipal Market Site, adopted March 2006
• SPD06 - Trees and Development Sites, adopted March 2006
• SPD07 - Advertisements, adopted June 2007
• SPD09 - Architectural Features, adopted December 2009
• SPD10 - London Road Central Masterplan, adopted December 2009
• SPD11 - Biodiversity & Nature Conservation and Development, adopted June 2022
• SPD12 - Design Guide for Extensions and Alterations (updated), adopted January 2020
• SPD13 - Shoreham Harbour Flood Risk Management Guide, adopted September 2015
• SPD14 - Parking Standards, adopted October 2016
• SPD15 - Toad’s Hole Valley, adopted September 2017
• SPD16 - Sustainable Drainage, adopted September 2019
• SPD17 - Urban Design Framework, adopted June 2021
• SPD18 - Hove Station Area Masterplan, adopted November 2021

Below are the key milestones for currently programmed forthcoming SPDs as well as a description of each document. Further SPDs may be produced during the three-year period covered by this LDS subject to need and resources. 

Eastern Seafront Masterplan      

The preparation of a masterplan for the Eastern Seafront will help support high-quality, innovative regeneration through improving access, activation of the seafront, coherent place-making, environmental enhancement and protection of the world class heritage assets       

• Public consultation - late 2023   
• Expected date for adoption - early 2024 

Brighton Marina Masterplan

A masterplan to shape future development proposals in Brighton Marina

• Public consultation and expected date for adoption – to be confirmed

Liveable City      

A framework for delivering a future city centre within the context of a post-covid environment, changes to the retail market, new transport measures and regeneration sites.

• Public consultation and expected date for adoption – to be confirmed

Neighbourhood Planning 

Neighbourhood planning allows parish councils and neighbourhood forums to draw up a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) for their area; once adopted, these plans become Development Plan Documents and guide decision-taking for the areas covered. Neighbourhood planning is community-led, with support provided by the Local Planning Authority. The timetable for preparing neighbourhood plans, and the primary resources for doing so, are the responsibility of the Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum. 

Seven areas of the city are working towards the preparation of neighbourhood plans. These are summarised below.

Hove Station 

Public examination commenced in January 2022 but suspended by Examiner to enable the Neighbourhood Forum to make amendments to their Basic Conditions Statement (BCS). The amended BCS was subject to supplementary Regulation 16 public consultation and the examination will re-commence in February 2023.  

Rottingdean Parish Council

A draft plan was consulted on in Spring 2021. The draft plan was submitted to the council in January 2023 and consultation is taking place Feb-March 2023. A public examination is likely to take place late Summer / Autumn 2023. 

Brighton Marina 

An application for re-designation of the Neighbourhood Forum was approved in November 2020. A draft plan was consulted upon under regulation 14 in December 2022/Jan 2023. 

Hangleton and Knoll 

Neighbourhood Area and Forum designated in November 2018. 

Hove Park 

Neighbourhood Area designated in September 2014 (Neighbourhood Forum designated in July 2015 but has since lapsed after 5 years). 

Coldean

Neighbourhood Area and Forum designated in November 2021. 

West Saltdean

Neighbourhood Area and Forum designated in August 2022. 

Read more about neighbourhood planning.

Supplementary Planning Guidance 

A number of Supplementary Planning Guidance documents linked to the adopted Brighton & Hove Local Plan are saved and remain material considerations in the determination of planning applications. The saved SPGs are listed below.

SPG02 - External Paint Finishes and Colours, October 1998        

Related saved policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• HE1 Listed Buildings
• HE6 Development within or affecting the setting of conservation areas

SPG10 - King Alfred/RNR Site: Planning Brief    

Related saved policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• HO1 Housing sites and mixed-use sites with an element of housing
• SR24 (which has since been replaced by SA1)

SPG11 - Listed building interiors, September 2003    

Related saved policy in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• HE1 Listed Buildings

SPG15 - Tall Buildings, January 2004

Saved policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• QD1 to QD4 Design policies

SPG19 - Fire Precaution Works to Historic Buildings, May 2004    

Related saved policy in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• HE1 Listed Buildings

SPG20 - Brighton Marina, An Urban Design Analysis         

Related saved policy in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• SR5 Town and district shopping centres

SPG21 - Sustainability Checklist, May 2004           

Related saved policy in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan:

• SU2 Efficiency of development 

Community Infrastructure Levy

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from certain types of new development for strategic infrastructure to support growth. The council published its adopted CIL Charging Schedule in May 2020 and implemented CIL charges from 5 October 2020.

Read more about the CIL. 

The performance of the council against the LDS timetable is monitored in the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR), published annually. on the council’s website. 

The AMR provides information on the following: 

• performance against the timetable as set out in the LDS; 
• the effectiveness of saved policies; 
• the effectiveness of new policies (in the future it may determine the timetable for review of local development documents); 
• an up-to-date list of superseded and ‘saved’ policies; 
• the effectiveness of the Statement of Community Involvement; and 
• the amount of new housing currently being delivered and likely to be delivered in the future

The information in the AMR is used to identify work priorities. The LDS will be reviewed as the need for further documents emerges and to ensure that a three-year programme is maintained.