Duty to cooperate
Local plans are prepared by local planning authorities. They set out a framework for the future development of an area on a 15-year horizon and are the starting-point for considering whether planning applications should be approved.
The Localism Act 2011 placed a legal ‘duty to cooperate’ on local planning authorities and county councils in England, as well as some public bodies to maximise the effectiveness of local plan and marine plan preparation, including:
- The preparation of development plan documents.
- The preparation of other local development documents.
- The preparation of marine plans.
- Activities that can reasonably be considered to prepare the way for activities within these plans or documents.
- Activities that support activities within these plans or documents.
This includes:
- Considering whether to consult on, prepare, enter into and publish, agreements on joint approaches.
- Considering whether to prepare joint local development documents.
Other public bodies with a duty to cooperate with local planning authorities, county councils and other bodies are prescribed in the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 as amended by The National Treatment Agency (Abolition) and the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2013:
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Clinical commissioning groups.
- Environment Agency
- Highways authorities.
- Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (Historic England).
- Homes and Communities Agency.
- Integrated Transport Authorities.
- Marine Management Organisation.
- Mayor of London.
- National Health Service Commissioning Board.
- Natural England.
- Office of Rail Regulation.
- Transport for London.
NB The Planning Officers Society has suggested that the duty to co-operate is causing too many local plans to fail and should be restricted to the strategic stage. (PLANNING FOR A BETTER FUTURE Our planning manifesto for the next government 19 February 2014)
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.