The Core Strategy is a Development Plan Document (DPD) forming part of the Local Development Framework (LDF).  It sets out the spatial vision, spatial objectives and strategy for the development of the District.  A Sustainability Report, prepared by Essex County Council on behalf of Braintree District Council, accompanies the document at each stage of the process.

The Core Strategy will cover the whole of the Braintree District and must be consistent with national policy.

The Local Development Framework Panel considers reports on the Core Strategy and other policy issues - link to LDF Panel agendas and reports

DPD's will be prepared in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) and will also be the subject of an independent public examination by an Inspector appointed by the Government.  The Council must incorporate any changes required by the Inspector and then adopt the DPD.  Once adopted, decisions on planning applications have to be made in accordance with the plan.

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CURRENT STAGE OF PREPARATION:

Pre-Submission Consultation
Braintree District Council has published its Submission Draft Core Strategy Development Plan Document. The Core Strategy sets out the District Council’s strategy up to 2026, including its vision for the area, broad locations for major housing, employment and related development and strategic policies. All subsequent Development Plan Documents will need to be in conformity with the Core Strategy. This Development Plan Document covers all of the area administered by Braintree District Council and it is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment and supporting documents.

News...

The Core Strategy Submission Draft and supporting documents were published on 10th May 2010 for pre-submission consultation and representations were invited by the deadline of 5pm on 24th June 2010.

A pre - requisite of the Core Strategy is that it should be in conformity with the Regional Spatial Strategy - the East of England Plan. On 27th May 2010, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wrote to Council Leaders and Chief Planners reiterating the coalition government's intention to rapidly abolish Regional Spatial Strategies and stating that his letter is a 'material planning consideration in any decisions they are currently taking'. A copy of that letter is set out below.

- Secretary of State Letter May 27th 2010

The Council is consulting on the implications of the Secretary of State's letter on the content of the Braintree District Submission Draft Core Strategy, so that views on the implications of this letter can be taken into account together with representations on the Core Strategy. In order to allow time to respond to these issues, the period of consultation for the Core Strategy Submission Draft is being extended until 5pm on 8th July 2010.

Please submit any views that you have in writing or send them by email.

Comments can also be made by using an offical comment form ( form guidance notes) submitted via planningpolicy@braintree.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy, Braintree District Council, Causeway House, Braintree, CM7 9HB

If possible we would appreciate responses through our website consultation portal which enables you to comment as you read through the document.

All comments received will be published by the Council.  The District Council reserves the right to discount comments which are offensive.

- Summary Consultation Leaflet
- Core Strategy Submission Draft PDF
- Reg 27 Public Notice

Supporting Documents
- Statement of Community Involvement and SCI_Supplement_Nov09
- Statement of Consultation
- Statement of Representations Procedure
- 1 Habitats Regulation Assessment Report
- 2 Habitats Regulation Assessment Report Amendment
- 3 Final SANGS report 2010
SEA/SA:
- Non-Technical Summary
- Environmental Report
- Environmental Report Annex A
- Environmental Report Annex B
- Environmental Report Annex C
- Environmental Report Annex D
- Environmental Report Annex F

The Submission Core Strategy and supporting documents will also be available to view at the following locations:-

Braintree District Council Office, Causeway House, Braintree, Essex, CM7 9HB (Mon-Thu 9-5.30pm, Fri 9 – 5.00pm).
Braintree Library - (Mon to Fri – 9am to 7pm, Sat – 9am to 5pm, Sun 1pm -4pm)
Coggeshall Library - (Tue 2pm to 7pm, Thursday 9am to 1pm, Fri 2pm to 7pm Sat 9am to 1pm, Closed Wed and Sunday).
Earls Colne – (Mon - closed, Tue -1pm to 6pm, Wed – closed, Thu 10am to 6pm, Fri 1pm to 6pm, Sat 9am to 1pm, Sun – Closed).
Halstead Library – (Mon 8.30am to 5pm, Tue 8.30am to 7pm, Wed Closed, Thu & Fri 8.30 to 6pm, Sat 8.30 to 5pm, Sun Closed).
Hatfield Peverel Library – (Mon -Closed, Tuesday - 2pm to 6pm, Wed - Closed, Thu -9am to 6pm, Fri - Closed, Sat - 9am to 5pm, Sun - Closed).
Haverhill Library – (Mon 9am to 1pm, Tue 9am to 7pm, Wed 9am to 1pm & 4pm to 6pm, Thu – 9am to 7pm, Fri – 9am to 5pm, Sat - 9am to 4.30pm, Sun 10am to 4pm)
Kelvedon Library – (Mon - 1pm to 6pm, Tue & Wed - Closed, Thu – 1pm to 6pm, Fri -Closed, Sat 9am to 1pm, Sun - Closed).
Sible Hedingham Library – (Mon – Closed, Tue - 2pm to 8pm, Wed – Closed, Thu 10am to 7pm, Fri – Closed, Sat 10am to 1pm, Sun - Closed)
Silver End Library – (Mon – Closed, Tue 2pm to 6pm, Wed – Closed, Thu – 2pm to 6pm, Fri Closed, Sat – 9am to 1pm)
Sudbury Library – (Mon 9am to 5pm, Tue 9am to 7.30pm, Wed – 9am to 5pm, Thu – 9am to 5pm, Fri – 9am to 5pm, Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 4pm)
Witham Library – (Mon to Fri 9am to 7pm, Sat – 9am to 5pm, Sun 1pm to 4pm)

Core Strategy Evidence Base
The Council has regard to a large number of documents in the preparation of its Local Development Documents. These include some studies that were commissioned by the Council.
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FUTURE STAGES TIMETABLE:
Pre Submission Consultation (6wks): May – June (Monday 10th May – Thursday 8th July)
Member Consideration of Reps (4wks): LDF Panel 4th August (please note that the proposed Panel meeting on 21^st July has been cancelled)
Awaiting Ministerial Statement: dates below to be confirmed
Submission to the Secretary of State: August
Pre Hearing Meeting: October (w/b 11th)
Hearing (up to 2wks): Nov/Dec (Monday 22nd November – Friday 3rd December
Inspectors Report Received: April 2011 (w/b 25th)
Adoption: June 2011 (w/b 27th)
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PREVIOUS STAGES:

Pre-production Stage A, Development of the Evidence Base:
A number of preliminary workshops were held with local organisations and schools, and a 'Contact' questionnaire was delivered to every property in the District in October 2006.  In addition to this a number of studies were commissioned to help inform the Core Strategy; these are listed within the document.  The results of both of these activities were used to inform the Issues and Options document.

Production Stage B, Preparation of Preferred Options, Regulation 25:
The Issues and Options document built on the work carried out at the pre-production stage by setting out a series of options for the future of the area on which views were invited.  Consultation was undertaken in respect of the document for a period of six weeks from 19th April 2007.  The consultation responses were reported to the LDF Panel held on 25th July 2007.

- SEA and SA for Issues and Options Document - Non technical summary

Consideration of Representations to 'One District - One Vision' and amendment of document:
The 'People and Places Consultation' on the 'One District - One Vision' - A Draft Strategy for People and Places in the Braintree District to 2025 document took place from 31st October 2008 – 19th December 2008.  The document combines the Council's Sustainable Community Strategy and Core Strategy for planning, and is accompanied by a  Technical Supplement. The document builds on the Braintree District 2025 Issues and Options Consultation that was held in 2007.  It sets out the Council's preferred locations for future development.

- Summary Consultation Guide for 'One District - One Vision'
- People and Places Consultation Leaflet

- One District One Vision Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment Report 2009

Comments received concerning the Draft Core Strategy were reported to, and considered by, various LDF Panel meetings during 2009.

The Submission Draft Core Strategy was approved by the Council on 15th February 2010. Final changes were made to this pre-Submission Draft following the meeting of the LDF Panel on 14th April 2010.
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SUBMISSION OF SITES PROPOSED FOR DEVELOPMENT IN LDF BY LANDOWNERS/DEVELOPERS:

During the Core Strategy Issue and Options consultation period we received many representations proposing sites, which landowners and developers wanted the Council to consider, when preparing the Core Strategy Preferred Options and the Allocations documents.  Further site requests were invited during the period from 28th August to 17th September 2007 and these were collated in the Sites Proposed for Development in the Local Development Framework by Landowners/Developers document ,Volume 1 Urban Responses, and Volume 2 Rural Responses.

Additional sites have since been submitted and the Sites Proposed document has been revised. The information gathered will help inform the Council’s future Allocations Development Plan Document. 

- Click to view the Sites Proposed for Development in LDF by Landowners and or Developers document

The deadline for sites to be submitted was Monday, 5 July 2010.  Please see the Allocations Document (DPD) page for further details.

If you have previously submitted a site and the proposal has since changed, or if you no longer wish to promote a site, please notify the Planning Policy section accordingly.

Updated 20/8/2010