Unitary Development Plan, First Deposit (2000) - Summary Intro

What is a UDP?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
What is a UDP?
 
Dudley is a Unitary Local Authority. This means it provides all Council services unlike some County and District Councils where the provision of services is split.
 
The Development Plan sets out the future of land use within the borough over the next 10 years.
The UDP simply means, Therefore, that it is the development plan for a unitary authority. It is Dudley's land use plan for the future. It comprises a written statement of policies and proposals maps (one for the whole Borough and four for the main Town Centres).
 
This is the Second Plan
 
This is the second UDP to be produced by the Council. The existing plan was approved in November 1993 and covers the period 1991 - 2001. There was a choice to review parts of this plan and keep other parts, but the Council decided to undertake a complete replacement. This is because of major changes which have taken place. Most particularly; Government policy with regard to land use planning; particularly stronger support for existing town centres, the provision of housing and the use of redundant land which has been used for development before (brownfield sites) as well as changing local needs. The new plan will run from 2001 - 2011.
 
What is the process?
 
The way in which the UDP is prepared and presented to the public is governed by law. Already the Council has carried out a consultation exercise following the publication of a Report of Issues called the "Challenge of Change". This set out the Council's view on the major issues affecting land use planning in the Borough. It also identified some of the areas proposed to be covered in the Plan, and some of the options available in putting forward policies. This was an opportunity for the public to endorse the Council's views, or suggest priorities of their own.
 
Based on this consultation, the Council has now prepared what is called a First Deposit Plan. The process to its adoption (final approval) will be as follows:
 
  • The Plan will be placed on ‘deposit for a period of six weeks to provide individuals and organisations with the opportunity to consider the Plan's policies and proposals and to object or to make other representations.
 
  • Negotiation will be attempted to secure withdrawal of objections where possible and appropriate.
 
  • Where changes arising from public comment are made to the Plan, the Council will prepare a revised Plan. This will be made publicly available for another period of six weeks for objections to be made only to the changes proposed. This will be published in the Spring 2001 as a Second Deposit Plan.
 
  • All objections not withdrawn from both deposit stages will be considered by an independent inspector at a Public Local Inquiry.
 
  • The Inspector's report will be publicised.
 
  • The Council will consider whether to make modifications to the Plan which will then be published for further public consultation.
 
  • Assuming no further Public Inquiry is required, the Plan will be adopted and come into effect.
 
The whole process is quite lengthy, but it does ensure that the Plan is open to full public scrutiny.
 
 
The National and Regional Context
 
This UDP has to take into account planning guidance set at both the national and regional level.
The Government issues Planning Policy Guidance Notes which advise Councils on how to prepare Development Plans, what their content should be, and also what approach should be taken to a whole range of planning issues such as housing, industry, sport and recreation and shopping.
 
At the regional level, a strategy has been prepared by the Government and the local authorities to provide the context for individual Development Plans. Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands was produced in 1998. It sets housing targets for each local authority which need to be met and it also provides some agreed principles to be adopted in preparing Development Plans. These include: the promotion of economic growth; support for urban and rural regeneration; the promotion of sustainable development; and the improvement of the environment.
 
The Udp is a Land Use Plan
 
Whilst it can only deal with matters relating to land and the use of land, it is essential that the UDP is not seen as separate from the overall vision of the Council for the Borough and its people.
 
Therefore, at the heart of the UDP is recognition of the need to be consistent with other Council plans e.g. for housing, local transport, the economy and community safety.
 
More important even than this is the expectation of the UDP to contribute directly and indirectly with the Council's Community Plan, which covers all services to the public. This has 6 themes: Jobs; Good Health; Environment; Community Safety; Lifelong Learning; and Leisure and Culture. The overall aim is to achieve a fairer society and to promote the general prosperity of all.
 
The UDP applies this to the use of land in the Borough
 
 
 
 
 
These early documents relate to the preparation of the Dudley Unitary Development Plan and chart the stages and position of policy in the Plan at each stage of the review. They are intended for reference only and the content does not necessarily reflect the current state of play.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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