• The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) (the PCPA) introduced a new system for plan preparation. The intention of this new plan-led system is that it is simpler and more flexible at both regional and local levels, with plan-making contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. The development plan is still the key factor in determining planning applications unless material considerations indicate otherwise (Section 38 (6) of the PCPA).
• Regional planning guidance, structure, local and unitary plans are being replaced by RSSs and LDFs. References to RSS in this guidance include the London Plan prepared by the Mayor of London.
• The RSSs are developed by regional planning bodies and they set the strategic context for local planning authorities to produce their LDF. They should identify a pattern of waste management facilities of national, regional and sub-regional significance, should comprise a distribution of waste tonnage (both municipal and commercial and industrial) requiring management, and should identify the broad locations where the pattern of waste management facilities should be accommodated.
• The LDF is a portfolio of local development documents (LDDs) comprising development plan documents (DPD), supplementary planning documents, the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), the local development scheme (LDS) and the annual monitoring report (AMR). All LDDs should be in general conformity with the RSS and inform, and be informed by, a number of other strategies, and in particular authorities preparing the municipal waste management strategy (MWMS) and local planning authorities preparing the LDF should work closely so as to ensure effective integration and to deliver sustainable waste management. Under the new system, waste planning authorities produce as appropriate waste development plan documents (WDPD) or local development documents (LDD) which replace waste local plans.
• The core strategy covering waste, a key document produced by the WPA, sets out a planning strategy for sustainable waste management that enables sufficient opportunities for the provision of waste management facilities in appropriate locations. The core strategy should be supported by land allocations, sites and areas, suitable for new or enhanced waste management facilities to support the pattern of waste management facilities set out in the RSS and in accordance with the broad locations identified in the RSS. These allocations should be made in one or more DPD. These DPD will not usually state the waste management technologies that must be used to deal with specific waste streams in the area. But the type or types of waste management facility "that would be appropriately located" on the allocated site or in the allocated area should be identified taking care not to stifle innovation in line with the waste hierarchy as set out in Defra's Waste Strategy for England, 2007.
• The Planning Inspectorate has recently published guidance focussing on lessons learned from examining Core Strategies ("Local Development Frameworks: Lessons Learnt Examining Development Plan Documents, June 2007 (http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/pins/appeals/local_dev/index.htm). This guidance also incorporates a note prepared by CLG on the waste content of Core Strategies.
Further details regarding the new planning system can be found in the Infrastructure Planning Roadmap.