Local Development Framework (LDF)

Havering's Local Development Framework (LDF) is a portfolio of documents which will set out the future planning of the Borough up to 2020.

Latest News (July 2010)

The Residential Design SPD was adopted by the Council on 22 April. The SPD provides guidance to ensure that new residential developments in the borough are built to a high standard of design, are appropriate to Havering and will maintain its character and appearance.

Adopted documents

The following documents were adopted by the Council in 2008 and are available on the Core Strategy and Development Control Policies and Site Specific Allocations page:

• Core Strategy and Development Control Policies DPD
• Site Specific Allocations DPD 
• Proposals Map (North and South)

The Council also adopted the Romford Area Action Plan DPD in October 2008.

Good progress is being made with preparing the Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and the following SPDs have been adopted by the Council:

• Emerson Park Policy Area
• Hall Lane Policy Area
• Protection of Trees during Development
• Sustainable Design and Construction
• Protecting and Enhancing the Borough's Biodiversity
• Designing Safer Places
• Residential Design

Local Development Framework (LDF)

What is the LDF?

What is in the LDF?

How to contribute.

What is the LDF?

The policies and proposals in the LDF deal with a range of issues including:

• The number of houses needed and where they should be located
• How much land is needed for different employment uses, such as offices, business and warehouses
• The relationship between how people travel and the places they use most frequently
• Protecting areas of historic, archaeological, wildlife or scenic importance
• The provision of recreational facilities
• The Green Belt
• The location of shops, services and community facilities
• Balancing the above in the interests of sustainable development

What is in the LDF?

LDFs contain the following documents, some of which are optional. Click on the document you are interested in to learn more about:

1.    Development Plan Documents (DPD)

2.    Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)

3.    Local Development Scheme (LDS)

4.    Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

5.    Annual Monitoring Report (AMR)

6.    Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

1. Development Plan Documents (DPD)

The LDF must include the following DPDs:

• Core Strategy;
• Site Specific Allocations of land;
• a Proposals Map; and
• it may also contain other DPDs such as Area Action Plans.

Havering's Local Development Scheme identifies that our LDF will comprise the Core Strategy, Development Control Policies, Site Specific Allocations, Romford Area Action Plan, Joint Waste Plan, Gypsy and Traveller Sites and Minerals DPDs.

All DPDs are subject to rigorous procedures of community involvement, consultation and independent examination. Once adopted, planning application decisions must be made in accordance with the DPDs unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

DPDs are subject to a Sustainability Appraisal to ensure economic, environmental and social effects of the plan are in line with sustainable development targets.

Back to document index

1.1 Core Strategy and Development Control Policies(Required)

The Core Strategy sets out our vision and objectives for the borough up to 2020 and will provide the framework for all other Local Development Documents.

Also included are a small number of strategic policies, and more detailed development control policies, which apply across the whole borough. Collectively these policies set out the planning criteria against which planning applications will be considered.

The Core Strategy must be kept up to date and all other development plan documents must be in conformity with it and The London Plan.

Back to document index

1.2 Site Specific Allocations (Required)

This DPD sets out the specific allocations for individual sites, such as those allocated for housing, other than sites indicated in the Area Action Plans, Joint Waste, Minerals and Gypsy and Traveller DPDs. Collectively, these sites will help deliver the vision and objectives of the Core Strategy.

Back to document index

1.3 Joint Waste Plan (Optional)

Havering will prepare a Joint Waste DPD with the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and Newham, who form the East London Waste Authority. This DPD will need to conform to the Spatial Strategy set out in Havering's Core Strategy. 

Back to document index

1.4 Proposals Map (Required)

This shows the boundary of Development Control policy designations and site allocations brought forward in DPDs. 

Back to document index

1.5 Romford Area Action Plan (Optional)

The Romford Area Action Plan has been brought forward at an early stage in the LDF process. This reflects the continuing priority that the Council is giving to the regeneration of the town centre and the pressure for development which is being maintained.

Back to document index

2. Supplementary Planning Documents (Optional)

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) expand on policies set out in a DPD or provide additional detail. Whilst they are not subject to an Independent Examination they must be consulted on and subject to a Sustainability Appraisal. Havering's Local Development Scheme sets out the timetable for the initial SPDs the Council intends to produce.

Preparation of the Supplementary Planning Documents commenced in 2007 and further information, including details of consultation, will be included on this website on the Supplementary Planning Documents page.

Back to document index

3. Local Development Scheme (Required)

Havering's Local Development Scheme (LDS) is a public "project plan" identifying which local development documents will be produced and when. The current LDS was approved in February 2010 and covers the period 2010 - 2012. To view this document visit our Local Development Scheme page.

Back to document index

4. Statement of Community Involvement (Required)

This document sets out Havering's preferred approach for involving the community and other stakeholders in the preparation, alteration and continuing review of all the LDF planning documents and on major planning applications over and above the minimum requirements set by Government.

Havering's Submission of Community Involvement (SCI) was adopted on 8 February 2006 and emphasises Havering's commitment to community involvement. Please visit our SCI webpage for more information.

Back to document index

5. Annual Monitoring Report (Required)

Havering must submit a report to the Government which assesses the progress of LDD preparation against Local Development Scheme milestones and the effectiveness of LDD policies against a range of performance indicators.

The Annual Monitoring Report also highlights if any adjustments to the Local Development Scheme are required. The five published reports are available from our Annual Monitoring page.

Back to document index

6. Sustainability Appraisal (Required)

Sustainability Appraisal promotes sustainable development through better integration of sustainability considerations into the preparation and adoption of the LDDs which constitute the Local Development Framework. 

Sustainability Appraisal will identify and report the likely significant effects of each LDD and the extent to which implementation of the LDD will achieve sustainable development.

The Sustainability Appraisals for the Core Strategy, Development Control and Site Specific Allocations documents can be found on the Submission Documents page. The Sustainability Appraisal for the Romford Area Action Plan can be found on the Romford Area Action Plan page.

Back to document index

How to contribute

We maintain a database of residents, business and other stakeholders who have been identified by us as potentially important contributors or who have expressed an interest in the development of local planning policy.

To be added to this database please email LDF@havering.gov.uk. We will then notify you of opportunities to participate in the development of Havering's LDF.