The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduces a new approach to the Local Plan process. The new system is intended to provide a more rapid preparation and review of land available for development purposes. It also enables greater public participation.

Local Development Framework monitoring is essential because authorities are not required to tell individual landowners that they intend to allocate land for development or add some new layer of constraint. At BJC, we are retained and regularly instructed to carry out this monitoring process to ensure that land and development is promoted at the appropriate time.

This process is complex and is likely to take several years. For the landowner or developer it is likely to involve:

• Making the Council aware that your land is available and suitable for development.
   
• Putting forward a case for a change in policy, for example from countryside to part of the defined urban area.
   
• Monitoring the Local Development Framework process and making further representations when necessary. If a stage is missed then the chance to promote your land may be lost for several years.

BJC are active in making representations on the wide range of documents being produced by Local Planning Authorities to ensure that our clients are given every opportunity to obtain development within this new method of forward planning.