A Place Plan is a document that sets out local level planning guidance. It sits below a Local Development Plan (LDP), linking to the LDP policies, and other local plans. They are usually written by local people or town or community councils and can be adopted by a local planning authority as Supplementary Planning Guidance.

Local authorities have powers to investigate and resolve possible planning breaches. A breach can be either when development is happening without planning permission, or if a development with planning permission is not following the conditions of the planning permission.

A Local Development Plan must pass three ‘Tests of Soundness’ in order to be approved by the Planning Inspectorate and adopted by a local planning authority.

When wildlife could be harmed by development, local planning authorities should follow a step-wise approach to reduce that harm, known as the ‘mitigation hierarchy’. This is required in National Planning Policy.

An important part of the Local Development Plan process is the submission and assessment of Candidate Sites. Early in the process, the Local Planning Authority will invite landowners, developers and the public to suggest sites for development or protection, to be included within the new Local Development Plan. You can suggest sites that should be protected, such as new nature reserves, at this stage.

If there is a development that significantly threatens wildlife, you may want to raise awareness and support by running a local campaign. Such campaigns can serve several purposes, such as encouraging more people to respond to the planning application and showing the level of concern to the developer and the planning authority.

The Local Development Plan process has several stages. The entire process usually takes several years. There are opportunities for input and comment at every stage. You can find out what stage your local planning authority is at on their website. Some planning authorities will add you to their email list to you up to date on their progress.