The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 places a responsibility on local authorities to undertake a range of town planning work and to provide related services. The Coalition Government has undertaken a major reform of planning with the intention of returning decision making to a local level. This will be introduced through the Decentralisation and Localism Bill.
Strategic Planning in Torbay is the responsibility of the Strategic Planning Group, which is part of the Spatial Planning and Implementation Team. This team also determines major planning applications. The various documents produced by this Group are set out in our Publications List . Other useful links relating to this area of work include the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Planning Portal.
Transportation, environmental policy, conservation, enforcement and other related services are provided by the other sections of the Spatial Planning Business Unit.
The Strategic Planning Group has responsibility for the following matters:
Plan Preparation
- Preparation of the Torbay Local Plan
- Preparation of the Local Development Framework (LDF) and new Local Plans/Neighbourhood Plans which will supersede the LDF in due course
- Overseeing the preparation of a number of technical studies and reports such as the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and Strategic Housing Market Assessment, which form the evidence base for planning policy
- Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of documents belonging to the LDF. This includes an SA of the Council's Greenspace Strategy
- Involvement in cross-boundary working with neighbouring local authorities such as Teignbridge and South Hams District Councils and Devon County Council, to provide a sub-regional planning framework.
Planning and Development Projects
- Preparation of Planning Briefs
- Involvement in major redevelopment and regeneration projects
- Provision of planning policy advice on specific types of planning application
Monitoring Land Use Trends
- Land Use Monitors (Housing, Employment, Retail and Principal Holiday Accommodation Areas)
- Annual Monitoring Reports
- Planning policy research
- Policy advice
- Provision of strategic planning policy advice to the community and developers
Corporate Strategies, Plans and Policy Guidance Documents
- Adopted Management Plan for the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Torbay. Further information is available from the AONB staff unit or via their website.
- As a member of the Torbay Biodiversity Steering Group, the production of the Torbay Marine Biodiversity Action Plan (2004-2012), Torbay Local Geodiversity Action Plan (LGAP) and Torbay Biodiversity Action Plan (The Nature of Torbay 2006-2016,). (Please see the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust website for further details.)
- Assistance in the preparation of the Torbay Greenspace Strategy (See related pages link to the right)
- Preparation of the Torbay Waste Management Plan.
- Advice on affordable housing provision.
Related Websites
- Planning Portal
- Royal Town Planning Institute
- South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust
Contact Strategic Planning
- Tel: 01803 208804
- Email: strategic.planning@torbay.gov.uk
- Fax: 01803 208882
Related Pages
- Annual Monitoring Reports
- Environmental Policy
- Planning & Development
- Research and Evidence
- Sustainability Appraisal
- Torbay Greenspace Strategy
- Transport Policy
