What is the Local Plan?

All local planning authorities (LPAs) are required to produce a Local Plan. The Local Plan should:

• set out how much new development is needed over the plan period – such as for housing, business, infrastructure health and community facilities – and where this should go. It will also say what land and buildings should to be protected. These are sometimes referred to as ‘strategic’ policies
• contain more detailed policies about specific areas and on different types of new development. These are called ‘non-strategic’ policies.  

Planning law makes clear that all decisions on planning applications should be made in line with the policies and proposals in the development plan unless there are other strong planning reasons or ‘material considerations’ that indicate otherwise. The Local Plan is an important part of the development plan (which might also include a neighbourhood plan and/or spatial development strategy).

We have 2 adopted plans in Greater Cambridge: 

• South Cambridgeshire Current Adopted Plan  [PDF, 15.5MB]
• Cambridge City Current Adopted Plan [PDF, 14MB]

Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils are currently preparing The Greater Cambridge Emerging Local Plan.

All planning applications are assessed against the policies in the Local Plan.

Preparing a local plan

The preparation of a local plan document follows a number of stages:

Evidence gathering and public participation   

We start the process of developing the Local Plan with evidence gathering. We collect and prepare relevant reports and studies on planning issues - for example, on levels of housing need and land availability. The evidence gathered is used to assess and identify issues and options on how to address the needs of the area.

During the evidence gathering stage members of the public, businesses and other interested parties are consulted and can give their views on the issues important to them and their local area.

Pre-submission publication stage

We consider all the comments received during the early engagement stage. From this, we will develop a draft Local Plan document (known as the pre-submission document) which is then published for consultation.

After the consultation, we have a chance to make changes to the draft document and may decide to carry out an additional consultation if the changes are significant.

Submission of document and Local Plan Examination

The submission draft document along with a summary of the main issues raised in the consultation at the pre-submission stage are submitted to the independent Planning Inspectorate for ‘Examination’ – this involves assessing whether the document preparation and consultation procedures meet the necessary legal and policy tests.

After carrying out the Examination, the Planning Inspector may make suggestions for how the Local Plan should be changed. It is up to us whether we make these changes, but we are likely to agree the changes and adopt the plan. Alternatively, the Inspector may recommend that the Plan is not adopted, a recommendation that we have to abide by. 

5 year review of Adopted Local Plan Policies 

Autumn 2023 marked 5 years since the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Local Plans were adopted. Work on a new joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan is underway. In the meantime, a review has been carried out to check if there are any relevant changes in national policy that might have affect the importance given to adopted policies in deciding on development proposals.

Following the update to the national planning policy in December 2024, we produced an updated version of that 2023 review. For full details, see the Policy Review of the Adopted Local Plans for Greater Cambridge January 2025 update [PDF].

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council adopted their Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Local Plan on 28 July 2021, a single joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan covering the 2 authority areas.

The South Cambridgeshire and the Cambridge, Adopted Policies Maps 2018 currently shows the existing sites, safeguarding areas, allocations and consultation areas within these now superseded documents.

In the interim, the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policies Maps July 2021 can be viewed on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Adopted Area Action Plans (AAPs)

Greater Cambridge currently has several adopted Area Action Plans setting out detailed planning policies for specific sites or areas.

Neighbourhood Plans

Greater Cambridge currently has several adopted Neighbourhood Plans. Please visit neighbourhood planning for further details.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)

Supplementary Planning Documents expand upon policy or provide further detail on specific policy issues. Greater Cambridge currently has a number of adopted SPDs which support the adopted Local Plans covering the area.

After a Local Plan is agreed

Local Plans are intended to be long term – typically to cover a 15- year period. However, either the whole or part of Local Plans can (and should) be reviewed to respond to changes. If this happens, they must again be open to public consultation. We must also publish a Monitoring Report each year on progress made on developing and implementing the Local Plan. 

Get involved in the Local Plan process

Local Plans have to be widely consulted on, and there is a formal process of consultation and examination that all Local Plans need to go through, with fixed deadlines. There are many stages of Local Plan making, with different opportunities to have your say throughout.

We are required by law to publish a Statement of Community Involvement making clear how they will consult with the public, and which groups they will be consulting specifically.

Below is further information about the Development Plan, Local Development Framework and Local Plan (also sometimes known as 'Local Development Plan'). These are key policies and processes you may see mentioned throughout the Local Plan process.