NE Derbyshire extends consultation on Local Plan

Covid 19 is impacting Local Council processes, including planning.  North East Derbyshire has extended the consultation period on its emerging Local Plan.

We were pleased to be asked to join the consultation process and keen to review the protections for countryside that are being written into the plan.

There are relevant policies on Green Belt and other designations of countryside, including the undeveloped gaps between settlements which do so much to enhance the landscape character of Derbyshire.

We are looking to see strong policies that can help defend these aspects of our countryside against erosion by inappropriate and unsustainable development.

North East Derbyshire’s draft Plan does contain these sorts of protections and specifies that the countryside should only see limited development under special circumstances and with an emphasis on trying to use derelict buildings or sites that have previously been built on.

Unfortunately this doesn’t prevent developers from continuing to submit applications which attempt to skirt around Local Plan guidelines. So we need to remain vigilant even after the adoption of a Local Plan, in order to uphold the intention of these policies when individual planning decisions are made.

You can keep up to date with the process and make your contribution at North East Derbyshire’s Consultation portal.