Local Plan
A Local Plan plans for the new homes and all the other sorts of development that we need. It makes sure that they are built in the right places and in a way which is best for people and the environment.
The local plan explains our strategy for new development. It tells you how much new development is planned for. It tells you where it will go. It allocates sites for new housing and other development. It shows areas where development will be restricted. It also contains the policies that we uses to shape and guide new development.
When people apply to us for planning permission to develop land or to change the use of a building, we use the policies in the local plan when we decide whether to grant planning permission and what conditions to attach to any consent.
The Local Plan for Westmorland and Furness
Westmorland and Furness is a new council which came into being in April 2023. Local Plans are complicated and take a long time to prepare. So, for now, the local plans from the old 'legacy' councils (Barrow, South Lakeland, Eden and Cumbria) will stay in place. We will carry on deciding planning applications in line with these existing local plans.
View the legacy councils' local plans
These existing plans are brought together in a document called the Consolidated Planning Policy Framework. The framework also lists other more detailed planning guidance such as development briefs for particular sites and neighbourhood plans prepared by Parish and Town councils.
Download the Westmorland and Furness Consolidated Planning Policy Framework (PDF: 1.2Mb / 44 pages)
We are starting work on a new local plan for Westmorland and Furness. When this is adopted, it will replace all the existing local plans.
Large parts of Westmorland and Furness are within the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. Here the National Park authorities have their own local plans and also deal with planning applications. So the Westmorland and Furness Local Plan will only cover parts of the District outside the National Parks.