What we are doing
NEWS! (March 2025)
- A new Local Development Scheme was approved by the Council on 4 March 2025 which sets out the Council’s timetable for preparing the new local plan and when documents will be published for public consultation. The new timetable has become necessary in light of progress made with the new local plan and the Government’s introduction in December 2024 of a new National Planning Policy Framework and ‘standard method’ for calculating housing need for local authority areas. The Local Development Scheme shows that the Council will continue to prepare the new local plan under a reformed plan-making system and include the publication and consultation on a draft vision and spatial options in the early spring 2026. The Local Development Scheme may need to be updated later this year following the Government’s expected publication of new regulations for plan-making.
- The new local plan will be informed by technical studies and evidence. A new Retail, Leisure and Tourism Study, Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment, and a Landscape Character Assessment were each completed in 2024 and are published on the Council’s website.
- Future Local Plan e-updates. Get instant updates as soon as a consultation starts by providing us with an e-mail address. Send your details to planningconsultations@middevon.gov.uk
What we do
The Council's Forward Planning team produces planning policies to help steer development over the next 15-20 years.
Adopted Policy at a glance
Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033 (adopted July 2020)
The Local Plan will guide development in the district over the period to 2033 and aims to ensure that new homes, jobs and services needed by communities are located in the most sustainable places. It will also help deliver the infrastructure, facilities and other developments needed to make this possible. The Local Plan contains strategic policies (such as targets for housing and employment provision), allocates land for specific types of development and provides detailed policies to manage development.
Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013 – 2033 (adopted July 2020)
Masterplans
Masterplans for allocations that have been adopted include the North West Cullompton Urban Extension and the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension.
Supplementary Planning Documents
Supplementary Planning Documents include extra information on policies in the Local Plan.
Supplementary Planning Documents
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (Adopted 2020)
The Statement of Community Involvement sets out the Council’s policy on consultation and public participation when local plans or supplementary planning documents are prepared and planning applications considered.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
National Policy
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the national policy on local plan-making and development management. The Framework includes a 'presumption in favour of sustainable development'.
The Localism Act 2011 introduced a new tier into the planning system, empowering local communities to produce neighbourhood plans and have these adopted as part of the Development Plan.
The NPPF reintroduced the terminology of 'Local Plans' to describe the Development Plan Documents produced by the Council.
Other policies
Devon County Council controls development relating to waste and minerals.
Local communities, through Parish and Town Councils, produce Neighbourhood Plans, which alongside Local Plans form part of the area’s statutory Development Plan.