Planning Policy for Stoke-on-Trent

Planning Policy for Fenton is set by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and provides a framework to "guide and control the development of land and buildings in the area", it also "sets out proposals as to how it should develop in the future." The Planning Policy Team at the Council maintains a number of documents, including the Local Development Framework or LDF (in time this will replace the City of Stoke-on-Trent Local Plan of 1993), which sets out of the guidelines and can be used to assess planning applications. There is a hierarchy to these strategies, with a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) which "provide greater detail on the planning policies produced by Local Authorities". The Local Development Scheme is the "keystone" to the Local Development Framework and is a management document that enables the public to find out what planning policies are currently in force.

Hierarchy of the Local Development Framework in the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

The new Government has "clearly signalled their intention to rapidly abolish Regional Strategies" but as legislation regarding this abolition is still emerging these policies will still have a standing on development. As such the Stoke-on-Trent City Council will continue to use targets set out in the adopted (2009) Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Core Spatial Strategy. This strategy "provides the foundation for detailed modern planning policy and supports delivery of North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership and regeneration priorities in the City and North Staffordshire."

Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Core Spatial Strategy

The Council is currently working on three strategic documents (as of Spring 2011): The City Centre and Etruia Road Corridor Area action Plan; the Inner Urban Core Area Action Plan; and the Development Portfolio DPD (or the Outer Urban Area). These new plans will guide development over the next 10-20 years with the aim being that: "‘The Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme and the City of Stoke-on-Trent will be a prosperous, vibrant, environmentally responsible and successful area of choice for businesses, visitors and residents in the period up to 2026."

Strategic Sub Areas (adopted 2009)

The LDF states that "The polycentric nature of the conurbation means that the plan area contains a number of highly distinctive centres." It sets out a number of Strategic Centres (including the City Centre of Stoke-on-Trent defined by the "traditional core city centre bounded by the Potteries Way Ring Road"), Significant Urban Centres (including Fenton), Local Urban Centres, Rural Service Centres and Villages.

LDF City of Stoke-on-Trent Proposals Map (North and South combined)

Furthermore the LDF adds that:

"The physical, social and economic landscape of the plan area is extremely diverse, and presents a multitude of different challenges and opportunities.  To ensure that the Core Spatial Strategy addresses these challenges and opportunities efficiently and comprehensively, the plan area has been divided into six distinct strategic sub areas."

Each centre is to have a clearly defined role within the wider spatial strategy.

Strategic and Spatial Strategies Diagram

For a summary of Planning Policy in the City of Stoke-on-Trent see the following quick guide, produced by the Council in January 2011, here.