Somerset & Exmoor National Park Authority
Joint Structure Plan Review
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| Structure Plans (a more strategic plan than the Local Plan and containing broader based policies covering a 15 year period) are being replaced by a Regional Spatial Strategy as part of the Government’s reforms of the planning system. Until a new Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West is adopted the relevant parts of the Somerset and Exmoor National Park Joint Structure Plan, adopted in April 2000, will remain in effect and part of the development plan for Exmoor National Park. |
Exmoor National Park Authority was formerly responsible for producing a Structure Plan for the National Park. The Authority worked jointly with Somerset County Council in preparing a single Structure Plan which covered the County of Somerset and the Exmoor National Park, including that part within Devon. A review to take the Plan to 2016 was prepared and placed on public deposit in June 2004. In the light of the planning system changes mentioned above, and the anticipated completion of a Regional Spatial Strategy the Structure Plan Review will not be carried forward. However, the work carried out to date for that review will provide input into planning at both local and regional levels.
Saved Policies
Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the adopted Somerset and Exmoor National Park Structure Plan Review was automatically saved for a period of three years until 27th September 2007.
In March 2007, the South West Regional Assembly (SWRA), as Regional Planning Body, made a request following liaison with Somerset County Council, to the Secretary of State to save policies in the Structure Plan beyond 27th September. This was to avoid a strategic policy void given that the publication of the revised Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) is not anticipated until Autumn 2008.
All the policies within the structure plan have been saved except for Policy 53 which relates to the DETR Trunk Road schemes on the A303. There is no time limit on this status but the Structure Plan policies will eventually be replaced by Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and Local Development Framework (LDF) policies when these are adopted.
Link to SWRA Saved Structure Plan Policies