Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Structure plansE+W

31 Structure plans: continuity, form and content.E+W

(1)Each structure plan approved by the Secretary of State under the 1971 Act with respect to the area of a local planning authority which is in operation immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue in force after its commencement (subject to any alterations then in operation and to the following provisions of this Part).

[F1(2)A structure plan shall contain a written statement formulating the authority’s general policies in respect of the development and use of land in their area.

(3)The policies shall, subject to subsection (4), include policies in respect of—

(a)the conservation of the natural beauty and amenity of the land;

(b)the improvement of the physical environment; and

(c)the management of traffic.

(4)Regulations under this section may prescribe the aspects of such development and use with which the general policies in a structure plan are to be concerned, in which case the policies shall be concerned with those aspects and no others.

(5)A structure plan shall also contain —

(a)such diagrams, illustrations or other descriptive or explanatory matter in respect of the general policies as may be prescribed; and

(b)such other matters as the Secretary of State may, in any particular case, direct.

(6)In formulating their general policies the authority shall have regard to—

(a)any regional or strategic planning guidance given by the Secretary of State to assist them in the preparation of the plan;

(b)current national policies;

(c)the resources likely to be available; and

(d)such other matters as the Secretary of State may prescribe or, in a particular case, direct.

(7)Where there is in operation, by virtue of section 7(7) of the 1971 Act, a structure plan relating to part of the area of a local planning authority, the authority shall, within such period (if any) as the Secretary of State may direct, prepare proposals for replacing the structure plans for the time being in operation with a single structure plan relating to the whole of their area.

(8)The following provisions of this Chapter apply to such replacement as they apply to replacement in exercise of the power in section 32(1)(b).

(9)Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases and shall be subject to any direction given, in a particular case, by the Secretary of State.

(10)For the purposes of this section, except subsection (6)(b), “policies” includes proposals.]

[F232 Alteration and replacement of structure plans.E+W

(1)A local planning authority may at any time prepare proposals—

(a)for alterations to the structure plan for their area; or

(b)for its replacement.

(2)If the Secretary of State directs them to do so, the authority shall prepare, within such time as he may direct, proposals for—

(a)such alterations to the structure plan as he directs; or

(b)its replacement.

(3)An authority shall not, without the consent of the Secretary of State, prepare proposals in respect of a structure plan if the plan or any part of it has been approved by the Secretary of State under section 35A.

(4)Proposals for the alteration of a structure plan may relate to the whole or part of the area to which the plan relates.

(5)Proposals prepared under this section shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum.

(6)The explanatory memorandum shall state—

(a)the reasons which in the opinion of the authority justify each of their proposals;

(b)any information on which the proposals are based;

(c)the relationship of the proposals to general policies for the development and use of land in neighbouring areas which may be expected to affect the area to which the proposals relate,

and may contain such illustrative material as the authority think appropriate.

(7)Proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan shall not become operative unless they are—

(a)adopted by the authority (under section 35); or

(b)approved by the Secretary of State (under section 35A).]

33F3Public participation.E+W

(1)When preparing proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan for their area and before finally determining their contents the local planning authority shall—

(a)comply with—

(i)any requirements imposed by regulations made under section 53; and

(ii)any particular direction given to them by the Secretary of State with respect to a matter falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (c) or (e) of subsection (2) of that section; and

(b)consider any representations made in accordance with those regulations.

(2)Where the authority have prepared proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan they shall—

(a)make copies of the proposals and the explanatory memorandum available for inspection at such places as may be prescribed by those regulations;

(b)send a copy of the proposals and the explanatory memorandum to the Secretary of State; and

(c)comply with any requirements imposed by those regulations.

(3)Each copy made available for inspection or sent under subsection (2) shall be accompanied by a statement of the prescribed period within which objections may be made to the authority.

(4)In this section “the prescribed period” means such period as may be prescribed by or determined in accordance with regulations made under section 53 and in this Chapter “objections made in accordance with the regulations” means objections made—

(a)in accordance with regulations made under that section; and

(b)within the prescribed period.

(5)The persons who may make objections in accordance with the regulations include, in particular, the Secretary of State.

(6)The proposals shall not be adopted by the authority under section 35 until—

(a)after they have considered any objections made in accordance with the regulations; or

(b)if no such objections are made, after the expiry of the prescribed period.

34F4Withdrawal of proposals for alteration and replacement of structure plans.E+W

(1)Proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan may be withdrawn by the local planning authority at any time before they have adopted them or the Secretary of State has approved them.

(2)On the withdrawal of such proposals, the authority shall—

(a)withdraw the copies made available for inspection in accordance with section 33(2); and

(b)give notice that the proposals have been withdrawn to every person who has made an objection to them.

35F5Adoption of proposals.E+W

(1)Subject to subsection (3) and sections 35A and 35B, the local planning authority may by resolution adopt proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan, either as originally prepared or as modified so as to take account of—

(a)any objections to the proposals; or

(b)any other considerations which appear to them to be material.

(2)If it appears to the Secretary of State that the proposals are unsatisfactory he may, at any time before the local planning authority have adopted the proposals, direct the authority to modify the proposals in such respects as are indicated in the direction.

(3)An authority to whom such a direction is given shall not adopt the proposals unless—

(a)they satisfy the Secretary of State that they have made the modifications necessary to conform with the direction; or

(b)the direction is withdrawn.

(4)Subject to the following provisions of this Chapter and to section 287, proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan shall become operative on the date on which they are adopted.

35AF6Calling in of proposals for approval by Secretary of State.E+W

(1)The Secretary of State may, at any time before the local planning authority have adopted proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan, direct that all or any part of the proposals shall be submitted to him for his approval.

(2)If he gives such a direction—

(a)the local planning authority shall not take any further steps for the adoption of any of the proposals until the Secretary of State has given his decision on the proposals or the relevant part of the proposals; and

(b)the proposals or the relevant part of the proposals shall not have effect unless approved by him and shall not require adoption by the authority under section 35.

(3)Subsection (2)(a) applies in particular to holding or proceeding with an examination in public under section 35B(1).

(4)The Secretary of State may, after considering proposals submitted to him in compliance with a direction under subsection (1)—

(a)approve them, in whole or in part and with or without modifications or reservations; or

(b)reject them.

(5)In considering proposals so submitted to him the Secretary of State—

(a)shall take into account any objections made in accordance with the regulations; and

(b)may take into account any matters which he thinks relevant, whether or not they were taken into account in preparing the proposals.

(6)For the purpose of taking into account any objection or matter, the Secretary of State may, but need not, consult with any local planning authority or other person.

(7)The Secretary of State shall give the authority such statement as he considers appropriate of the reasons governing his decision on any proposals submitted to him.

(8)Subject to section 287, proposals approved by the Secretary of State under this section shall become operative on such day as he may appoint.

F735B Examination in public.E+W

(1)Before adopting proposals for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan, the local planning authority shall, unless the Secretary of State otherwise directs, cause an examination in public to be held of such matters affecting the consideration of the proposals as—

(a)they consider ought to be so examined; or

(b)the Secretary of State directs.

(2)Where proposals are submitted to the Secretary of State in compliance with a direction under section 35A(1), he may cause an examination in public to be held of any matter specified by him.

(3)An examination in public shall be conducted by a person or persons appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose.

(4)No person shall have a right to be heard at an examination in public.

(5)The following may take part in an examination in public—

(a)in the case of an examination held under subsection (1), the local planning authority; and

(b)in any case, any person invited to do so by the person or persons holding the examination or the person causing the examination to be held.

(6)The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the Lord Chancellor, make regulations with respect to the procedure to be followed at any examination in public.

(7)An examination in public shall constitute a statutory inquiry for the purposes of section l(l)(c) of the M1Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 but shall not constitute such an inquiry for any other purpose of that Act.

35CF8Duties to notify authorities responsible for local plansE+W

(1)An authority responsible for a structure plan shall, where any proposals of theirs for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan are adopted or approved—

(a)notify any authority responsible for a local plan in their area that the proposals have been adopted or approved; and

(b)supply that authority with a statement that the local plan is or, as the case may be, is not in general conformity with the altered or new structure plan.

(2)A statement that a local plan is not in general conformity with a structure plan shall specify the respects in which it is not in such conformity.

(3)An authority responsible for a structure plan shall, where any proposals of theirs for the alteration or replacement of a structure plan are withdrawn, notify any authority responsible for a local plan in their area that the proposals have been withdrawn.

(4)Nothing in this section requires an authority to notify or supply a statement to themselves.

(5)For the purposes of this section an authority shall be regarded as responsible—

(a)for a structure plan, if they are entitled to prepare proposals for its alteration or replacement; and

(b)for a local plan, if they are under a duty to prepare a local plan or are entitled to prepare proposals for its alteration or replacement.