8.1 The Local Plan provides the basis for the future use of land within the District up to 2011. It sets out policies and proposals to control future development.
8.2 The proposals contained in the Plan will require a commitment of both private and public funds to bring about their successful implementation. The District Council anticipates that private investment will continue to be attracted to the area, although developers should be aware that increasing contributions will be expected from private investment in order to help finance the social and physical infrastructure needed as a result of new development. Private development will also have a role to play in achieving environmental and other objectives.
8.3 Public sector funds continue to be severely limited, not just in the case of the Council but also in the case of other public bodies such as The Environment Agency, the Health Authorities, and the Local Highway and Education Authorities. Each of these bodies has an important part to play in the successful implementation of the Local Plan. Public finance should continue to be available for small-scale environmental and countryside improvements through items such as improvement grants, historic building grants and tree planting schemes. The successful implementation of proposals has been achieved in conjunction with contributions received from other bodies including County, town and parish councils, Countryside Agency, English Heritage, Sports Council etc. The District Council will continue to seek alternative sources of income to contribute to the implementation and provision of facilities and services and to help improve the environment.
8.4 The implementation of the Local Plan’s proposals is dependent upon the co-ordination of the public and private sectors so that development can proceed in a logical manner which maximises overall investment and ensures, where possible, that the two sources of finance complement each other. The Plan acts as the initial point upon which the District Council will seek to base such co-ordination and upon which other bodies will be expected to plan the use of their capital resources.
8.5 The greatest influence which the Council will exercise over the implementation of the Plan’s proposals will be through the control of development (by the planning application system) and by the publication of development briefs setting out the criteria required for the development of larger sites. Where appropriate, the Council will seek to enter into planning agreements with applicants before granting planning permission, for example, to solve off-site infrastructure problems. The Council will also be able to take a positive role in promoting conservation and enhancement work through the provision of grant aid and partnership working.
8.6 Planning applications will normally be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Local Plan. In order for this Plan to be effective, development should take place in accordance with a relevant consent, where required. This includes compliance with any conditions attached to the grant of a permission. If it does not, the development will be unauthorised , and in such cases, Town and Country Planning legislation makes provision for the Council to take enforcement action.
8.7 The Council’s policy on enforcement is set out in Appendix C.
8.8 Monitoring forms an essential part of the Plan since it highlights where the Local Plan is failing to meet its aims or needs to be brought up-to-date. The need for change is likely to arise from four main sources:
8.9 The District Council will monitor the progress being made in implementing the Plan and the effectiveness of its policies and proposals in achieving the five key aims of the Plan.
8.10 This will allow the Plan to be reviewed as necessary so that it is relevant to the needs of the District.
8.11 Some elements of the Plan will be easy to monitor, for example the development of allocated sites. Other aspects can only be assessed against trend data collected over a period of time to see if the overall aim of sustainable development is being achieved.