1. Publication Draft North East Derbyshire Local Plan 2024 - 2044 (Reg 19)

1 Introduction Comment

Planning shapes the places where we live, work, shop and spend our leisure time. North East Derbyshire District Council is required by legislation to prepare a Local Plan setting out its vision, objectives and policies to guide the future sustainable growth and development of the area.

1.1 North East Derbyshire’s Local Plan Comment

North East Derbyshire’s Local Plan covers the area of North East Derbyshire outside of the Peak District National Park and looks forward to 2044. The Plan will be used to guide decisions on planning applications and areas where investment should be prioritised. It forms part of the Development Plan for North East Derbyshire and replaces the North East Derbyshire District Local Plan 2014 – 2034 Adopted November 2021. The Local Plan does not cover minerals and waste planning as this is the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council. Once adopted, the new Derby and Derbyshire Minerals Local Plan and the Derby and Derbyshire Waste Local Plan will form part of the Development Plan for North East Derbyshire.

The Local Plan contains a vision, objectives and a planning strategy for development. This includes policies on the scale of development and its overall pattern across the district. It also allocates sites for development needed to meet the district’s objectively assessed needs, and designates important areas to be protected and enhanced. The Plan also sets out criteria based policies on a range of planning issues to be used to determine planning applications on allocated and ‘windfall’ sites. A set of targets and indicators is included to provide the basis for monitoring the plan’s effectiveness and to indicate the need for any early review.

1.1.1 Format of the Local Plan Comment

This Plan sets out:

• a description of the area and the issues that North East Derbyshire faces;
• a vision for the kind of place we want North East Derbyshire to be by 2044; and
• the Council’s policies and proposals to plan and manage growth and development to deal with the issues facing the district, and to achieve the Plan’s vision for North East Derbyshire.

This Plan consists of the written document, which sets out and explains the Council’s policies, and the Policies Map which shows where they apply. The written document starts with this introduction to North East Derbyshire’s Local Plan including a brief summary of the context within which the Plan is being prepared. The document structure is as follows:

Chapter 2 provides a short description of the geographic, economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area (called the Spatial Portrait) along with the key issues facing the district.

Chapter 3 sets out the Plan’s vision for North East Derbyshire describing the kind of place North East Derbyshire will be by 2044. A number of objectives are defined to achieve the vision and help guide the Plan’s strategy

Chapter 4 sets out the Plan’s strategy for growth together with overarching policies to guide the distribution of development. It also includes strategic site allocations earmarking land for major mixed use developments and which are considered critical to achieving the strategy.

Chapter 5 sets out policies to address the range of household needs, such as type and mix of housing, including affordable housing, specialist housing and agricultural, forestry and other occupational dwellings. It also addresses the needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

Chapter 6 sets out the Local Plan's strategy for supporting a strong, resilient and diverse economy. It identifies land to meet employment needs, supports the vitality and viability of town centres, promotes tourism and the visitor economy, and encourages sustainable rural economic development.

Chapter 7 sets out specific criteria based policies aimed at achieving sustainable patterns and forms of development including policies to protect and enhance the natural and built environment, to address climate change, and to ensure high quality design and place-making throughout North East Derbyshire.

Chapter 8 sets out policies dealing with the delivery of the physical, social and green infrastructure required to support the development and growth set out in the Plan.

Chapter 9 sets out the arrangements for monitoring the effectiveness of the Plan’s policies.

The Plan covers a wide range of planning issues and it is often the case that several policies are relevant to a development proposed. Therefore, it is important that the plan is read as a whole rather than treating each policy in isolation.

Where practicable, cross referencing between policies has been used where this makes the Plan easier to read. However, the absence of cross references does not mean that other policies of the Plan do not apply. Furthermore, where a policy has a list of criteria, all of them should be met, unless otherwise stated. Applications for planning permission will be considered against all relevant policies in the Local Plan and against the National Planning Policy Framework. Development proposals that comply with all relevant policies will be supported.

Some policies in the Plan refer to separate guidance documents that provide further detailed information on the implementation of certain policies and aim to help those preparing planning applications. Although not part of the Development Plan, these guidance notes may be taken into account as a ‘material consideration’ in considering a planning application.

1.1.2 Local Planning Context Comment

The Local Plan has been drawn up in accordance with the legacy plan making system under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, prior to the major reforms introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. In addition, regard has been taken of the relevant plans and strategies of other public bodies and organisations insofar as they raise strategic planning matters of cross boundary significance for North East Derbyshire.

1.1.3 National Planning Policy Comment

This Local Plan has been prepared and examined under the transitional arrangements associated with the December 2024 National Planning Policy Framework. However, revised NPPF was published in 2026 introducing a more rules-based planning system and a greater reliance on national decision-making policies. Under the new Framework there is a clearer distinction between national policies and local policies, with national decision-making policies carrying significant weight and reducing the need for local plans to repeat national policy. Local policies that are materially inconsistent with national policies may be afforded limited weight in decision-making.

This reinforces the importance of the Local Plan in providing a locally distinctive framework for managing growth, identifying development sites, coordinating infrastructure delivery and addressing North East Derbyshire's specific environmental, social and economic priorities.

1.1.4 Regional Planning Context – Mayoral Combined Authority Comment

Since the adoption of the previous Local Plan, significant changes have taken place in regional governance. Local Enterprise Partnerships have been abolished and many of their functions transferred to Mayoral Combined Authorities, which have been established through devolution agreements between central government and local authorities. These bodies provide a framework for strategic decision-making and investment across key areas including economic growth, housing, transport, skills and infrastructure.

North East Derbyshire forms part of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), which covers Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham. Established in 2024, EMCCA is led by a directly elected Mayor and is responsible for coordinating strategic investment and delivering devolved powers across the region. Through its Corporate Plan and East Midlands Growth Plan, EMCCA seeks to support sustainable economic growth, improve productivity, reduce inequalities and deliver greener, more inclusive communities.

The East Midlands Growth Plan provides a long-term framework for investment and development across the region. Its priorities include increasing housing delivery, improving transport connectivity, supporting skills and employment opportunities, promoting advanced manufacturing, clean energy and other growth sectors, and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy. These ambitions align closely with the objectives of this Local Plan, particularly in relation to delivering homes and jobs, supporting sustainable transport, responding to climate change and securing the infrastructure needed to support growth.

EMCCA also plays an important role in securing and distributing funding to support local priorities. Through programmes such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and other investment initiatives, the Authority is helping to support regeneration, economic development, community resilience and environmental improvements across the region. These funding opportunities have the potential to support the delivery of the Local Plan and the Council's wider ambitions for North East Derbyshire.

1.1.5 Relationship with other Local Plans and Effective Co-operation Comment

The statutory Duty to Cooperatewas revoked in March 2026. However, the Council along with its neighbours and a range of public sector bodies and service providers is required to demonstrate that it has continued to engage collaboratively on cross boundary strategic matters in the preparation of Local Plans, including on the matter of unmet development needs from neighbouring areas.

North East Derbyshire wraps around Chesterfield and extends northwards towards Sheffield. As such there is a complex functional and physical relationship between different parts of the district and other areas outside the district in both Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. This is described in more detail in Chapter 2 – Spatial Portrait. The Council has co-operated closely with all of its neighbouring authorities together with other relevant bodies in developing the Plan and in the preparation of the evidence used to underpin the Plan’s policies. This has included work on Assessments of Economic Needs Strategic Flood Risk, Green Belt the Strategic Housing Market and Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation requirements.

Figure 1.1 shows the district’s location and its relationship with other authorities within the wider area.

1.2 Local Strategies and Initiatives Comment

1.2.1 North East Derbyshire District Council Plan 2023– 2027 Comment

The Council Plan 2023-2027 aims to create a great place to live and work in North East Derbyshire. A place where people can earn a decent living have a comfortable home and enjoy our beautiful district. With a vision to put strong community leadership at the heart of everything we do to create:

• A great place to work
• A great place to access good public services
• A great place to live well
• A great place that cares for the environment
• A community with life long good health
• A place to live that people value
• A place where people enjoy spending time
• A community with growing commutable employment opportunities

1.2.2 NEDDC Housing Strategy Comment

The Housing Strategy outlines the Council’s priorities for securing access to a range of good quality homes for residents, with three main objectives to deliver the homes that North East Derbyshire needs across all tenures; more opportunities to live independently; and to ensure no one forgotten or left behind in terms of access to housing and associated services.

The Local Plan has a key role in delivering many of the objectives set by the Council Plan and Housing Strategy.

1.2.3 Sustainability Appraisal Comment

In drawing up the Local Plan, the local planning authority must carry out a process called Sustainability Appraisal (hereinafter referred to as SA) alongside the preparation of the Local Plan. The process helped the Council to check and consider how its emerging policies may affect the achievement of sustainable development. Consequently, SA has led to certain amendments to the plan’s policies through the process of its preparation.

SA is an iterative process that has been undertaken throughout the development of the Local Plan as options have been explored and refined and policies of the plan produced.

1.2.4 Habitats Regulations Assessment Comment

The Local Plan has been subject to Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) to identify any aspects of the Plan that would have the potential to cause a likely significant effect on European Sites of nature conservation importance. Although this is not expected, the Council is committed to working with Natural England and other authorities to monitor the impacts of development on European sites to help ensure that significant effects do not arise unexpectedly in the future.

The designated sites of European interest in North East Derbyshire are the Peak District Moors Special Protection Area (SPA) and the South Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation (SAC), albeit they are located outside of the area covered by the Local Plan. Other European sites near to North East Derbyshire, but outside of the administrative boundary, are the Peak District Dales SAC, and the Gang Mine SAC in Derbyshire Dales District.