Planning policy is the strategy, guidance, land allocations and criteria we use to determine proposals for the development and change of use of land and buildings within the National Park.
The purpose of planning policy is to ensure that development needs are provided for, but only if they happen in the right place, at the right time and in the right way. The policies cover all types of development, from housing to business and minerals to visitor facilities. Planning applications must be determined in accordance with our adopted policies, except where it is judged that there are other planning considerations that are more important to the public interest.
Which policies apply?
We have to take into consideration many different levels of policy from national planning policies to Neighbourhood Plans. Current planning policy and guidance is spread across various documents:
National Planning Policy and guidance
The Government has published a set of overarching national planning policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that apply to the whole of the National Park. These are accompanied by National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) providing more of the detail behind the application and interpretation of the NPPF. NPPF and NPPG apply to the whole National Park but are generic, so it is up to local planning policy to provide the detail that is used in day to day decision making.
Local planning policy varies according to where you are in the National Park. Follow the links below for more details:
- Richmondshire, Craven & South Lakeland (Dent, Garsdale, Sedbergh parishes)
- South Lakeland (Barbon, Casterton, Firbank, Grayrigg, Killington, Kirkby Lonsdale, Mansergh, Middleton parishes)
- Eden
- Lancaster
Having different sets of policies is a legacy of the National Park boundary extension in August 2016. This saw the National Park Authority 'inherit' policies previously prepared by the relevant local authority. Since the policies were all prepared at different times in different contexts, there are a number of differences in approach. The Authority has resolved to bring together all planning policy for the whole National Park by preparing a new Local Plan. This is still in the very early stages and further updates will be provided as it progresses. Further detail can be found in the Local Development Scheme 2019-2024.
Public participation and consultation are a statutory part of the production of a Local Plan. Ultimately, the Plan is scrutinised and tested through an examination in public, by an independent Planning Inspector. The Authority's Statement of Community Involvement (January 2019) sets out how we will consult people in preparing new policy and in dealing with planning applications.
Contact us:
Telephone: 01969 652345
Email: localplan@yorkshiredales.org.uk
Address:
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Yoredale
Bainbridge
LEYBURN
North Yorkshire
DL8 3EL
