Local Development Scheme

March 2023

About the Local Development Scheme

Islington Council has a duty to maintain a statutory Local Plan, which is used to inform decisions on planning applications in the borough. It also has a duty to maintain an up-to-date Local Development Scheme (LDS).

The LDS is a formal work programme which identifies which planning documents the council proposes to produce or review over the next three years, and when these documents are expected to be consulted upon and adopted.

This LDS sets out a timetable for a review of the Local Plan. In addition, it identifies when Supplementary Planning Documents will be produced and reviewed. Indicative timetables for document preparation and review are provided in Appendices 1 and 2.

What’s in a Local Plan
A Local Plan contains planning policies which are used to make decisions on planning applications. A Local Plan is composed of one or more Development Plan Documents (DPDs). These documents are subject to a statutory preparation and adoption procedure, including an Independent Examination. Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) are used to elaborate on policies contained in DPDs. They are not part of the Local Plan. SPDs are prepared using a set procedure for public consultation, but do not undergo Independent Examination. The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out minimum standards for community involvement in both plan making and in determining planning applications. It is not part of the Local Plan. Islington’s current SCI was adopted in May 2017.

National and London-wide planning policy

The government first published its National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in March 2012; the latest update was published in July 2021. This document sets out how councils should produce planning documents to guide the development and use of land within a local authority’s boundary.

In 2011 the government introduced changes to the planning system through the Localism Act. This gave new powers to communities to produce Neighbourhood Plans (see Section 5 for details of neighbourhood planning in Islington).

The Mayor of London produces, and regularly reviews, a Spatial Development Strategy for London (known as the London Plan). All London boroughs’ Local Plans must be in general conformity with this document. The new London Plan (called the London Plan 2021) was published in March 2021.

Islington’s Local Plan

Islington has an adopted Local Plan, which comprises the following documents:

Core Strategy (February 2011)

Development Management Policies (June 2013)

Site Allocations (June 2013)

Finsbury Local Plan (June 2013)

The Policies Map forms part of the statutory Development Plan, and reflects policies, designations and allocations arising from the DPDs. The Policies Map was also adopted in June 2013.

The Council is reviewing its Local Plan. The Core Strategy and the Development Management Policies will be merged into a single document (called Strategic and Development Management Policies), whilst the Finsbury Local Plan (to be renamed as the Bunhill and Clerkenwell Area Action Plan) and the Site Allocations will remain as stand-alone documents.

The council submitted the Draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State in February 2020 for examination which is the last stage of the plan making process. The Examination Hearings were held during September and October 2021. Following the Hearings further changes were made to the draft Local Plan and the Main Modifications were published for public consultation on 24 June 2022 for six weeks. The public consultation was subsequently extended until 30 October 2022. An indicative timetable for the adoption of the Draft Local Plan is provided at Appendix 1.

In addition, the North London Waste Plan has been adopted. This is a joint development plan document which Islington has worked on for a number of years in partnership with the London Boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey and Waltham Forest. Following the receipt of the Planning Inspector’s report in October 2021, the full Council adopted the North London Waste Plan in March 2022. The Plan was also formally adopted by all the other participating councils.

Preparation and review of other planning documents

The following Supplementary Planning Documents and Statement of Community Involvement are extant (listed in order of adoption; most recent first). An indicative timetable for preparation of all non-Local Plan documents is provided at Appendix 2:

Holloway Prison Site SPD (January 2018)

Statement of Community Involvement (May 2017)

Urban Design Guide SPD (January 2017)

Planning Obligations (Section 106) SPD (December 2016)

Location and Concentration of Uses SPD (April 2016)

Development Viability SPD (January 2016)

Basement Development SPD (January 2016)

Preventing Wasted Housing Supply SPD (July 2015)

Finsbury Park Development Framework SPD (March 2015)

Finsbury Park Town Centre – Joint SPD by Islington, Hackney and Haringey (June 2014)

Inclusive Design in Islington (Feb 2014)

Cally Plan SPD (January 2014)

Student Accommodation Contributions for Bursaries SPD (June 2013)

Affordable Housing – Small Sites Contributions SPD (October 2012)

Streetbook SPD (October 2012)

Environmental Design SPD (October 2012)

Mount Pleasant SPD (February 2012)

Inclusive Landscape Design SPD (January 2010)

Archway Development Framework SPD (September 2007)

Nag’s Head Town Centre Strategy SPD (May 2007)

King’s Cross Neighbourhood Framework SPD (July 2005)

Following the adoption of the new Local Plan, the status of the existing SPDs will be reviewed, which may lead to some SPDs being revised or cancelled. Additional new SPDs may be necessary following the adoption of the new Local Plan. It is worth noting that under the current proposals for planning reform SPDs are proposed to be abolished and replaced with 'supplementary plans’ which will have a different status. Consultation on planning reform proposals by the Government closed on 2 March. It is unclear how and whether all the proposals will be taken forward and the timescales for their implementation. The council will review its work programme and the status that different documents might have in due course.

The current SCI was adopted in 2017. The Council will proceed with updating the SCI in line with national requirements.

The council will update the LDS again following the adoption of the Local Plan to reflect any proposed changes to existing SPDs, and to identify any new SPDs which may need to be prepared.

Neighbourhood planning

Three Neighbourhood areas have been designated in Islington, two of which also have designated forums:

Crouch Hill & Hornsey Rise neighbourhood area was formally designated in November 2015.

Mount Pleasant neighbourhood area and forum were formally designated in February 2016.

Finsbury Park and Stroud Green neighbourhood area and forum were formally designated in September 2018.

Although the council provides guidance to community groups, Neighbourhood Forums are responsible for advancing neighbourhood planning in their areas and will work to their own timescales. Therefore, it is not possible to include timetables for the preparation of any potential Neighbourhood Plan.

Development Plan Document	Evidence gathering / preparation	Consult statutory bodies on scope of SA	Regulation 18 consultations	Publication of DPD and start of public consultation	Submission to Secretary of State	Hearing sessions	Receipt of Inspector’s report	Adoption
Strategic and Development Management Policies	Throughout 2015, 2016 and 2017	Summer 2016	Scope of the Review consultation: November 2016 Regulation 18 draft consultation: November 2018	September 2019	February 2020	Autumn 2021	Spring/Summer 2023	Summer 2023
Bunhill and Clerkenwell Area Action Plan (previously Finsbury Local Plan)	As above	As above	Scope of the Review consultation: Nov 2016; Site Allocations Direction of Travel: February 2018 Regulation 18 draft consultation: November 2018	As above	As above	As above	As above	As above
Site Allocations	As above	As above	Scope of the Review consultation: Nov 2016; Site Allocations Direction of Travel: February 2018 Regulation 18 draft consultation: November 2018	As above	As above	As above	As above	As above
North London Waste Plan	Throughout 2013, 2014 and 2015	2013	July 2015	March 2019	Summer 2019	November 2019	October 2021	March 2022

Document	Current document adopted	Current document status	Proposed review/ production: Formal Consultation	Proposed review/ production: Adoption	Updated / new document status (if applicable)
Conservation Area Design Guidelines	Various	Design Guidelines	Replace on ongoing basis, Prioritise those which may need update following the Net Zero SPD.	SPD
Net Zero Carbon NEW	n/a	n/a	Autumn 2023	Spring 2024	SPD
Holloway Prison Site	January 2018	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Statement of Community Involvement	May 2017	SCI	Autumn 2023	Spring 2024	SCI
Urban Design Guide	January 2017	SPD	Elements may need to be revised and/or superseded by Net Zero SPD.
Planning Obligations (S106)	December 2016	SPD	Autumn 2023	Spring 2024	SPD
Location and Concentration of Uses	April 2016	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Development Viability	January 2016	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Basement Development	January 2016	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Preventing Wasted Housing Supply	July 2015	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Finsbury Park Development Framework	March 2015	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Finsbury Park Town Centre Strategy	June 2014	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Inclusive Design in Islington	February 2014	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Cally Plan	January 2014	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Student Accommodation Contributions for Bursaries	June 2013	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Affordable Housing – Small Sites Contributions	October 2012	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Streetbook	October 2012	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Environmental Design	October 2012	SPD	Will be partly or wholly replaced by the new Local Plan and the new Net Zero Carbon SPD. If necessary, any remaining elements can be reviewed and updated after the Net Zero SPD adoption.
Mount Pleasant	February 2012	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Inclusive Landscape Design	January 2010	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Archway Development Framework	September 2007	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
Nag’s Head Town Centre Strategy	May 2007	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A
King’s Cross Neighbourhood Framework	July 2005	SPD	No review scheduled	N/A

Prior to the Localism Act 2011, the LDS was required to be approved by the Secretary of State. This is no longer the case.

Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012

Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012