Planning - Supplementary planning guidance

Supplementary planning guidance is produced by the council to give further details about how particular local plan policies should be interpreted or applied in practice. These are 'supplementary' to the local plan and must be consistent with it - supplementary guidance cannot create new policies.

Supplementary planning guidance is also prepared for particular areas of the city where major changes are expected to occur. Site briefs are prepared for specific sites where development is known to be likely and where that development raises significant issues. Guidelines and briefs are also supplementary to the local plan policies - they interpret those policies for developers and the local community.

All supplementary planning guidance is subject to consultation before being adopted by the city council. 'Draft' briefs or guidance are subject to the consultation process being completed and may therefore be revised.

The documents below give guidance on the council's approach to particular policy issues, in dealing with planning applications.

With the introduction of the revised planning system in 2004, the council updated much supplementary guidance in line with the requirements of the local development framework. The revised documents can be found on a separate supplementary planning documents page on this website.