Northumberland Joint Structure Plan

The Environment Act 1995 established National Park Authorities as Strategic Planning Authorities, in addition to being local planning authorities. This means that they are responsible for preparing Structure Plans for their areas. Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 sets out that National Park Authorities will prepare Structure Plans jointly with designated County Councils. In our case, this has meant that we have prepared a Joint Structure Plan (with Northumberland County Council).

The Northumberland County and National Park Joint Structure Plan First Alteration sets the strategic land use framework for the area to 2016. It sets down the broad locations for new development, determines how much development may occur and provides the strategic context for safeguarding the special qualities of the area. In addition, the structure plan also identifies certain places as settlements of different types. This establishes land use for planning purposes and how the areas may develop during the life of the plan.

The Joint Structure Plan does not identify specifically any of the settlements in the National Park. This is because this is the role of the local plan and in the future, the local development framework.

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 has introduced measures that will reform the planning system in England and Wales. A key feature of this reform will be the replacement of Structure Plans with the Core Strategies of Local Development Frameworks. Northumberland National Park Authority is working therefore on its Core Strategy to provide a new strategic policy framework for the area.