Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) build upon and provide more detailed guidance about policies in the Local Plan. Legally, they do not form part of the Local Plan itself and they are not subject to independent examination, but they are material considerations in determining planning applications. Supplementary Planning Documents should only be prepared where they are necessary.

 

Paragraph 153 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) says, ‘Supplementary planning documents should be used where they can help applicants make successful applications or aid infrastructure delivery, and should not be used to add unnecessarily to the financial burdens on development’.

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The requirements for producing Supplementary Planning Documents are set out in Regulations 11 to 16 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. In some circumstances a Strategic Environmental Assessment may be required when producing a Supplementary Planning Document.

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