If you’ve ever tried to unravel England’s planning rules, you’ll know it can feel daunting. Yet some of the most technical-sounding mechanisms quietly shape the way our towns grow and thrive. Chief among them is the Local Development Order — a locally tailored shortcut that lets councils pre-approve specific types of development within defined areas.
Understanding how a Local Development Order works – and why it matters – helps residents, landowners and investors see how planning decisions are streamlined, costs reduced and regeneration accelerated.
A Local Development Order Defined
A Local Development Order (LDO) is a way of streamlining the planning process. By removing the need for case-by-case decisions, LDOs can encourage development that aligns with local strategic goals, regenerate underused land, or support specific sectors such as housing, industry, or renewable energy.
At its core, a Local Development Order is a planning tool that a local planning authority (usually a local council) can adopt to provide permitted development rights within a defined area, in addition to those already listed within the Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (GPDO). This means developers or landowners can carry out certain works without having to submit a full planning application, provided their project complies with the conditions and limitations set out in the LDO.
It is important to note that an application, such as one for a Lawful Development Certificate, may still be required to confirm the legality of the development. This depends on the specific type of development proposed and the potential restrictions that the local planning authority has put in place for the LDO. Although an application would need to be submitted it would not be a full planning application, and thus requires less supporting information and time to be decided.
Why Are Local Development Orders Used?
Local authorities turn to LDOs for a variety of reasons, often linked to broader objectives in their Local Plan or economic development strategy. Here are a few common motivations:
- Speeding up delivery: LDOs can significantly reduce planning timescales, especially in areas earmarked for growth or regeneration.
- Encouraging investment: By removing uncertainty and cost from the planning process, LDOs can make a site more attractive to investors or developers.
- Supporting specific policy aims: An authority may want to promote affordable housing, boost the high street, or support green infrastructure – and an LDO can be tailored to enable this.
What Types of Development Can a Local Development Order Cover?
There’s no one-size-fits-all. Local Development Orders are highly flexible and can be crafted to suit local needs. Common examples include:
- Permitting certain changes of use, such as converting offices to residential dwellings.
- Enabling minor works, like shopfront improvements or small-scale extensions.
- Facilitating renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar panels or wind turbines.
- Unlocking brownfield sites by permitting a specific form of development across a large area.
The scope of an LDO can range from a single site to a whole district, and it can be as specific or as broad as the local authority deems necessary.
Public Involvement and Oversight
Although an LDO allows development without the need for individual planning permission, it’s not introduced behind closed doors. The process of establishing an LDO requires consultation with the public and stakeholders in the area, and in most cases, an environmental assessment if the order could have significant effects on the environment. Once adopted, the LDO carries legal weight. It sits alongside other planning policy documents and can be reviewed or revoked if circumstances change.
Benefits and Considerations
The benefits of Local Development Orders are clear: faster approvals, less bureaucracy, and a proactive approach to shaping local places. However, they do require careful drafting and clarity. If an LDO is too vague, it can lead to confusion or unintended consequences. If it’s too rigid, it may not achieve the intended benefits. Local Authorities must strike a balance between enabling flexibility and maintaining control over development quality and design standards.
In Summary
A Local Development Order is a powerful planning tool that allows local councils to pre-approve certain types of development or principle of development in a particular area. It’s a means of encouraging the right kind of growth, in the right place, at the right time without unnecessary delay.
For those outside the planning sector, understanding LDOs offers a useful glimpse into how councils can use policy tools to manage change efficiently and strategically. Whether you’re a resident, a developer, or simply curious about how your local area evolves, the LDO is one of the lesser known yet important gears in the planning machine.
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