The LDF Core Strategy has now been developed to Submission Draft stage. The document was previously due to be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate in June 2008, with a Public Inquiry scheduled to commence in December 2008. Assuming that the document was found to be sound, the adopted Core Strategy would have been ratified by the Inspectorate in June 2009. This is after the onset of the new Unitary authority for Northumberland in April 2009.
Following consideration of programming and other issues, members of the Executive Board of CMBC resolved at their meetings held on the 3rd April and 5th June 2008, to “set aside” the LDF Core Strategy Submission Draft and not progress it further through the statutory planning process. This is because of the imminent Local Government Reorganisation situation. The Submission Draft was finally approved and “set aside” by Full Council on the 26th June 2008.
Government Office for the North East (GONE) and the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) were advised of this by letter dated the 8th April 2008 and of formal alteration to the current Local Development Scheme document for Castle Morpeth. Both have raised no objection.
The Core Strategy Submission Draft is the conclusion of an up to date overarching Core Strategy for the borough of Castle Morpeth, which will, to a certain extent, strengthen the policy background in the planning decision making process. Also provided, is a sound framework upon which to base other Local Development Documents, which may be carried forward from this councils’ current Local Development Scheme (LDS) to that of the new Unitary authority. In this respect, the new Unitary authority has now been charged with commencing work on a Local Development Scheme for Northumberland from May 2008, and the six district planning policy areas will therefore be absorbed into the wider strategy.