Optimus Template

Background

The Bristol Local Plan, adopted in 1997, set the land use and development strategy for the future of the City.  It provided the means to deliver the land use aspirations of the Community Strategy.  The Local Plan formed part of the 2002 Structure Plan for the larger region - roughly the old County of Avon.  The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduced radical changes to the planning system.  Under the new system all Local and Structure Plans will be abolished. 

The South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) will set out the Government’s vision of region and for the West of England, sub-region. Bristol is part of the WoE sub-region.  To replace their Local Plans, Bristol must adopt a Local Development Framework (LDF), which conforms to national and RSS policies.  The LDF will be a portfolio of policy documents that will contain the planning policy used to direct the spatial development of Bristol over the next 20 years and to determine planning applications.