Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

[F1 12D Contents of spatial development strategy E+W

(1) A spatial development strategy must include a statement of the strategic planning authority’s policies (however expressed), in relation to the development and use of land in the strategy area, which are of strategic importance to that area.

(2) A spatial development strategy must include a reasoned justification for the policies referred to in subsection (1).

(3) A spatial development strategy must specify the period for which it is to have effect.

(4) A spatial development strategy may specify or describe infrastructure the provision of which the strategic planning authority considers to be of strategic importance to the strategy area for the purposes of—

(a) supporting or facilitating development in that area,

(b) mitigating, or adapting to, climate change, or

(c) promoting or improving the economic, social or environmental well-being of that area.

(5) A spatial development strategy may specify or describe—

(a) an amount or distribution of housing (of any kind), the provision of which the strategic planning authority considers to be of strategic importance to the strategy area;

(b) an amount or distribution of affordable housing or any other kind of housing, the provision of which the strategic planning authority considers to be of strategic importance to the strategy area.

(6) For the purposes of subsections (1), (4) and (5), a matter may be of strategic importance to a strategy area even if it affects only part of that area.

(7) The Secretary of State may prescribe further matters a spatial development strategy may, or must, deal with.

(8) A spatial development strategy must contain such diagrams, illustrations or other descriptive or explanatory matter relating to its contents as may be prescribed.

(9) A spatial development strategy may make different provision for different cases or for different parts of the strategy area.

(10) A spatial development strategy must be designed to secure that the use and development of land in the strategy area contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.

(11) A spatial development strategy must take account of any local nature recovery strategy, under section 104 of the Environment Act 2021, that relates to any part of the strategy area, including in particular—

(a) the areas identified in the strategy as areas which—

(i) are, or could become, of particular importance for biodiversity, or

(ii) are areas where the recovery or enhancement of biodiversity could make a particular contribution to other environmental benefits,

(b) the priorities set out in the strategy for recovering or enhancing biodiversity, and

(c) the proposals set out in the strategy as to potential measures relating to those priorities.

(12) A spatial development strategy must not—

(a) include anything that is not permitted or required by or under the preceding provisions of this section,

(b) specify particular sites where development should take place, or

(c) be inconsistent with or (in substance) repeat any national development management policy.

(13) The Secretary of State may prescribe—

(a) the form of a spatial development strategy;

(b) documents that must accompany a spatial development strategy.

(14) In subsection (5) “affordable housing” means—

(a) social housing within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, and

(b) any other description of housing that may be prescribed.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 1A inserted (18.12.2025 for the purposes of making regulations, otherwise prosp.) by Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (c. 34), ss. 58(1), 118(2)(g) (with s. 116)