Evidence base
The Derbyshire Dales Local Plan must be based on robust and credible evidence.This consists of a wide range of studies, plans and strategies produced by a wide range of organisations, not just the District Council. This has been substantially supplemented by commissioned research and original research undertaken in-house.The evidence base includes an assessment of:
- How the district works in spatial terms and how it deals with places and their relationships with each other;
- The main issues, problems and opportunities;
- The local distinctiveness of the area;
- The changes that are likely to affect the area over the period to 2028;
- All relevant national and regional policies and proposals that have a bearing on the use of space within the District.
The supporting documents for the Local Plan Examination in Public (May 2017) can be seen in the Examination Library.
Built Sports Facilities, Playing Pitch and Open Space Strategy 2018
The District Council has worked with Sport England and the Peak District National Park Authority to produce the Built Sports Facilities, Playing Pitch and Open Space Strategy, it was adopted in January 2018. This is written in three parts, see links below, and informs Policy HC14 of the Local Plan.
Derbyshire Dales Indoor Facilities Strategy and Action Plan 2016-2037 [PDF 257KB]
Derbyshire Dales Indoor and Built Facilities Needs Assessment March 2017 [PDF 403KB]
Derbyshire Dales Open Space Standards Paper [PDF 320KB]
Derbyshire Dales Open Space Study Assessment Report November 2016 [PDF 1.8MB]
Derbyshire Dales Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan [PDF 1MB]
Derbyshire Dales Playing Pitch Assessment Report February 2017 [PDF 4.6MB]
Sustainability Appraisal
The Local Plan was subjected to a Sustainability Appraisal (SA), a parallel process which commences at an early stage in plan preparation. The objective of SA is to assess the potential effects of a plan on the environmental, social and economic character of the area which the plan influences. A Sustainability Appraisal was undertaken at each key stage of preparing the revised Derbyshire Dales Local Plan and are available to view at the following links:
Adoption Sustainability Appraisal Adoption Statement December 2017 [PDF 877KB]
Post Submission Modifications
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Post Submission Modifications: Screening of Modifications in relation to Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment June 2017
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Post Submission Modifications: Sustainability Report Part 4: Non Technical Summary June 2017
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Post Submission Modifications: Sustainability Appraisal Report June 2017
Submission SA Report and Non-Technical Summary Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Submission Sustainability Appraisal Report December 2016(PDF 10,904KB)
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Submission Sustainability Appraisal Report Non-Technical Summary December 2016 (PDF 824KB)
Pre Submission Draft SA Report and Non-Technical Summary: Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Pre Submission Draft Plan Sustainability Appraisal Report August 2016 (PDF 2,683 KB)
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Pre Submission Draft Plan Sustainability Appraisal Report Appendices August 2016 (PDF 7,598 KB)
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Pre Submission Draft Sustainability Appraisal Report Non- Technical Summary August 2016 (PDF 838 KB)
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Draft Plan Sustainability Appraisal Report April 2016 (PDF 11, 425KB)
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Draft Plan Sustainability Report Non-Technical Summary April 2016 (PDF1,175KB)
Scoping Report (April 2016)Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal – Scoping Report (April 2016) [PDF 6.6MB]
Habitats Regulations Assessment
A Habitats Regulations Assessment Report (HRA) was prepared, to consider whether as a result of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan there would be any impact on important European nature conservation sites. A Habitats Regulations Assessment was undertaken at each key stage of preparing the revised Derbyshire Dales Local Plan and are available to view at the following links:
Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Post Submission Modifications: Screening of Modifications in relation to Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment June 2017
Please download the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Post submission Modifications: Habitats Regulations Report June 2017
Please download the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Submission Habitats Regulations Report December 2016(PDF 4,720KB)
Please download Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Pre Submission Draft Habitats Regulations Report August 2016(PDF 1,010 KB)
Please download Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Pre Submission Draft Habitats Regulations Report Annexes August 2016 (PDF 15,998 KB)
Please download Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Habitats Regulations Report April 2016 (PDF 4,485KB)
Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy Viability Study-December 2016 Update
This report provides an update to the version of the Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy Viability Study which was produced in September 2015 providing revised market data, additional site sampling and taking account of the latest policies and proposals of the Draft Local Plan:Updated - Derbyshire Dales District Council – Local Plan Infrastructure Needs, CIL and Whole Plan Viability Assessment: Supplementary Update of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan December 2016 (PDF 5,727 KB)
Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Plan Transport Evidence Base Report-Final Update-December 2016
This report provides the final update of the Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Plan Transport Evidence Base Report. The purpose of the Transport Evidence Base report is to identify the likely traffic impacts of development across the Local Plan area, and to identify a mitigation strategy Derbyshire Dales Local Plan Transport Evidence Base Report – Final Update December 2016 (PDF 5,034 KB)
Strategic Housing and Employment Land availability Assessment – August 2016
An updated Derbyshire Dales Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) has been prepared to provide evidence for the preparation of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan. The purpose of the SHELAA is to assess potential sites for housing and employment land within the area for which the District Council is the local planning authority, to ensure there is a sufficient supply of sites for development and to inform the housing target for inclusion within the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan, and the housing distribution and strategic housing allocations within the Derbyshire Dales Draft Local Plan.
Please download the Strategic Housing and Employment Availability Assessment-August 2016 [PDF 734KB]
Please download the Strategic Housing and Employment Availability Appendices-August 2016 [PDF 38MB]
Derbyshire Dales Retail Impact Thresholds-July 2016
This report sets out an evidence base for the justification of the proposed retail floor space threshold of 300sqm set within policy EC5. It considers the following interrelated matters:Policy overview;
- Development trends;
- Health of existing centres;
- Existing town centre floor space characteristics; and
- Recent retail proposals.Derbyshire Dales Retail Impact Thresholds-July 2016 [PDF 553K
Transport Evidence Base Report
The purpose of the Transport Evidence Base report is to identify the likely traffic impacts of development across the Local Plan area, and to identify a mitigation strategy. The transport evidence base reports build on previous studies conducted by the Derbyshire District Dales Council and by Derbyshire County Council.
Transport Evidence Base Report [PDF 3MB]
Local Plan Infrastructure Needs, CIL and Whole Plan Viability Assessment: Supplementary Update of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan An Infrastructure Delivery Plan and accompanying infrastructure schedule which built upon the existing evidence base, were published in September 2015. Since that update, further work has been done by Derbyshire Dales District Council to identify the housing sites required to meet the anticipated future demand, and so it has been necessary to undertake a supplementary update of the IDP based on new information from infrastructure providers.
The supplementary update also covers the following elements:
- Consideration of the evidence base for the IDP and how stakeholders helped review and build the evidence base;
- Identification of the appropriate critical infrastructure within the IDP to deliver the growth envisaged by DDDC;
- Implications of this critical infrastructure for the Local Plan; and
- Recommendation as to which elements of infrastructure would be appropriate to be considered through CIL.
Finally, this update restates a number of suggestions as to how the IDP itself could be used as a better tool to track the delivery of the required infrastructure in Derbyshire Dales.
Local Plan Infrastructure Needs, CIL and Whole Plan Viability Assessment: Supplementary Update of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan [PDF 0.4MB]
Settlement Hierarchy
Sustainable development lies at the heart of the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework. This involves seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment and planning positively to support local development. It is important, therefore, that in meeting the development needs of the Derbyshire Dales, care is taken to ensure that the principles of sustainable development are being met.The formulation of a settlement hierarchy is a commonly used policy tool, as it provides a useful basis for planning in a sustainable way. It seeks to guide development to those locations where local services and employment are available, whilst minimising the need to travel.The withdrawn Derbyshire Dales Local Plan included a settlement hierarchy, which categorised 22 settlements into three tiers: Market Towns, Larger Villages and Smaller Villages. However, the validity of this hierarchy needs to be reviewed to ensure it reflects the latest information about the availability of services and to take account of economic factors in order to respond effectively to guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.An updated settlement assessment has therefore been undertaken which seeks to analyse settlements in the plan area in terms of their key economic and social characteristics. Such factors are relevant to defining their function and ability to address the District's future development needs, particularly for housing. The Settlement Hierarchy will be used with other studies such as the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment to determine the appropriate amount of new development for each settlement.
Settlement Hierarchy Assessment [PDF 667KB]
Derbyshire Dales Landscape Sensitivity Study
The aim of the Derbyshire Dales Landscape Sensitivity Study is to assess the sensitivity of the landscape surrounding the main settlements within the plan area to housing development, and provide a strategic context for landscape capacity and impact assessments at site level.It also has the following objectives:
- Providing a context for the allocation of sites for housing development; and
- Providing a sound basis on which decision making can be informed with regard to ongoing and future site assessment and the determination of potential planning applications.
Full Landscape Sensitivity Study, September 2015 [PDF 20.78MB]
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) require Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to carry out assessments of the future accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers. The Derby, Derbyshire, Peak District National Park and East Staffordshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAAs), has been undertaken and was used to inform the preparation of policy in respect of Gypsies and Travellers within the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan.
Joint Derbyshire GTAA Final Report, July 2015 [PDF 3.78MB]
Low Carbon Energy Opportunities and Heat Mapping for Local Planning Areas Across the East Midlands: Final Report (2011)
This report sets out an evidence base of the technical potential for renewable and low carbon energy technologies within the East Midlands. It aims to assist local planning authorities across the East Midlands in developing well-founded policies and strategies that support low carbon energy development up to 2030.
Low Carbon Energy Opportunities and Heat Mapping [PDF 1.37 MB]
Strategic Transport Issues Report (2010)
In order to support the preparation of the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy, Derbyshire County Council commissioned Scott Wilson Ltd. The focus of this report was to identify the strategic transport implications of those developments being considered in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Core Strategy areas. As such, it shows where development could be sited to maximise transport-sustainability and minimise impact on the local highway network.
A Stage 2 followed later in 2010. This Stage 2 report allowed for more objective assessment of the impacts of development in any one particular location.
Strategic Transport Issues Report [PDF 4.1MB]
Affordable Housing Viability Assessment (2010)
In tandem with the preparation of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), Consultants have developed an affordable housing toolkit to assist Derbyshire Dales District Council and High Peak Borough Council negotiate appropriate affordable housing provision associated with residential development proposals. The toolkit was developed in consultation with developers.
Affordable Housing Viability Assessment Part 1 [PDF 3.6MB]
Affordable Housing Viability Assessment Part 2 [PDF 2.8MB]
Derbyshire Dales Rural Accessibility Study (2009)
Derbyshire Dales District Council and Derbyshire County Council carried out the study jointly. This study identifies the main travel routes in the District and assesses the need to improve the services to meet local needs.
Rural Accessibility Study - Part 1 [PDF 4.1MB]
Rural Accessibility Study - Part 2 [PDF 3.2MB]
Peak Sub Region Climate Change Study – Focusing on the Capacity and Potential for Renewable & Low Carbon Technologies (2009)
In response to the issue of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions, research was undertaken in 2009 to identify potential locations for development of renewable energy and low carbon technologies across the region.
Peak Sub Region Climate Change Study - Part 1 [PDF 2.5MB]
Peak Sub Region Climate Change Study - Part 2 [PDF 1.7MB]
Peak Sub-Region PPG17 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study (2009)
This study has was prepared in accordance with the guidelines set out at the time in Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for Open Spaces, Sport and Recreation. It includes a comprehensive audit of existing provision of different types of open space; and assessment of supply and demand for open space and in consultation with local communities to identify local need.
Peak Sub Region PPG17 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study - Open Spaces Study [PDF 3.1MB]
Peak Sub Region PPG17 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study - Sports Assessment Report [PDF 2.7MB]
Peak Sub Region PPG17 Open Space Study - Standards Report [PDF 3.9MB]
If you would like a copy of any of the documents, please contact the Planning Policy team by email to
