1.1 The government requires local planning authorities to prepare a Local Development Scheme (LDS). The purpose of an LDS includes setting out the timetable for the delivery of Council produced planning policy documents. These are often referred to as Development Plan Documents or Local Plans.

1.2 This LDS covers the period 2025-2027 and contains a timetable for the delivery of the Gypsy and Traveller DPD to inform local people and stakeholders of the key milestones of production. A timetable for the delivery of a new Local Plan will be provided in due course, once the new legislation and guidance have been published by central government.

1.3 This Local Development Scheme 2025-2027 was approved by Council on X DATE and came into effect on the same day. It replaces the previous Local Development Scheme 2024-2026.

The Development Plan

1.4 Development Plans are an important part of the English planning system and are needed to guide the local decision-making process for land uses and development proposals. As of X DATE, the Development Plan for Maidstone borough comprises:

� Maidstone Borough Local Plan Review (March 2024)

� Staplehurst Neighbourhood Development Plan 2016-2031 (August 2020)

� North Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan 2015-2031 (April 2016)

� Loose Neighbourhood Development Plan 2018-2031 (September 2019)

� Marden Neighbourhood Development Plan 2017-2031 (July 2020)

� Lenham Neighbourhood Plan 2017 � 2031 (July 2021)

� Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Plan (July 2021)

� Otham Neighbourhood Plan 2020 � 2035 (September 2021)

� Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013-2030 (September 2020)

� Kent Minerals Sites Plan (2020)

1.5 Further information regarding these documents is provided below.

1.6 The Maidstone Borough Local Plan Review sets out the framework for development within the Borough until 2038. It includes a spatial vision, spatial objectives and strategic policies. It also includes an associated �Policies Map� that sets out the geographical extent of key designations and site specific proposals set out in the local plan. Maidstone has an on-line policies map that can be accessed through its website. The Maidstone Borough Local Plan plays a key part in delivering Maidstone Council's Strategic Plan. The Maidstone Borough Local Plan Review was found sound following independent examination and was adopted by Full Council on 20^th March 2024. �

1.7 Neighbourhood Development Plans are prepared by Parish Councils or Neighbourhood Forums, and the plans are subject to consultation, independent examination and referendum. The plans must be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the adopted local plan and should have regard to any emerging Local Plan. A neighbourhood area has to be designated for a Neighbourhood Development Plan to be produced.

1.8 The Kent Mineral Sites Plan and the Early Partial Review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan and was produced by Kent County Council and covers the whole county. Both plans were adopted in September 2020 and describe:

� 'The overarching strategy and planning policies for mineral extraction, importation and recycling, and the waste management for all waste streams that are generated or managed in Kent, and

� The spatial implications of economic, social and environmental change in relation to strategic minerals and waste planning.'

1.9 The Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024 to 2039 was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination in May 2024 and is currently in the advanced stages of the examination process. Once adopted, this will replace the Early Partial Review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

Planning Documents

1.10 In addition to the above components of the Development Plan, there are other key planning documents that the Council produces. These currently include:

� Supplementary Planning Documents � these set out further information, interpretation or clarification regarding existing planning policies and are produced and adopted by the Council in accordance with government legislative requirements.

� Planning policy guidance documents � these set out further information, interpretation or clarification regarding existing planning policies but have not been produced to meet government Supplementary Planning Document requirements.

� Statement of Community Involvement � a procedural document that sets out the methods for consultation and engagement with the public and stakeholders. This includes consultation and engagement during the production of Local Plans, the production of Neighbourhood Development Plans, and the Development Management process.

� Authority Monitoring Report � a procedural document, produced on an annual basis that

monitors the performance of Maidstone�s Local Plan and its policies.

Maidstone Community Infrastructure Levy

1.11 The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge on specific new developments towards the provision of infrastructure. The Maidstone CIL Charging Schedule was adopted by Full Council on 25 October 2017, following examination in June 2017. The Maidstone CIL took effect on 1 October 2018.

1.12 The Charging Schedule sets out the charging rates for development in Maidstone Borough, including the types of development that are required to pay the Levy and where the different rates

will apply. The CIL Charging Schedule was developed alongside the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (2017), and the evidence base for infrastructure, planning, affordable housing requirements and development viability supported both the Maidstone CIL and Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

1.13 The infrastructure schemes and/or types of infrastructure that may be funded by Maidstone CIL are set out in an Infrastructure List contained in the Infrastructure Funding Statement, published on the website. In addition, Section 106 planning agreements, which are negotiated with developers to secure infrastructure funding, will continue to play a role in securing site related infrastructure.

2. The Local Development Scheme

Review of the Local Development Scheme 2024-2026 �

2.1 Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD: There has been a change in circumstances regarding the timetable for production of the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD since the previous version of the Local Development Scheme came into effect in September 2024. The significant scale of accommodation need identified by the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), published in September 2023, combined with the large number of existing sites requiring a further detailed Pitch Deliverability Assessment has necessitated a revision of timescales to ensure a well-planned DPD, based on thorough, robust evidence and stakeholder engagement, including discussions under the Duty to Cooperate. Further, the revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS), released in December 2023 and December 2024 have required the Council to review the approach taken in identifying future accommodation needs to ensure it is compliant with the updated guidance.

2.2 Design and Sustainability DPD: A preferred approaches consultation (Regulation 18b) ran from 28^th April 2023 to 12^th June 2023. However, due to a change in circumstances including various planning reforms, the decision was taken at Full Council on X DATE to cease its production and formally withdraw the DPD. The content and topic areas will be covered either by Supplementary Planning Documents or will be incorporated into a new Local Plan.

2.3 A timetable for the implementation of the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD is below:

Local Development Scheme 2025-2027

Figure 2.1 Delivery timetable

Monitoring and Review

2.4 The Council are compiling an evidence base to ensure it has sufficient social, environmental, economic and physical information to inform the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD. The DPD will explain how policies will be delivered and implemented and identify performance indicators against which the success of policies will be monitored. These performance indicators will be monitored through annual Authority Monitoring Reports. The Council will monitor and review progress of delivery of this DPD against this LDS document.

3. Document Project Plan

Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD

Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD
Subject/content	The Local Plan Review contains one development management (DM) policy specifically for assessing applications involving development for gypsy, traveller and travelling showpeople sites. It also �saves� the strategic policy GT1 and associated site allocation policies from the 2017 Local Plan. The interim Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) indicates a high need figure in terms of future pitch requirements. A combination of allocations and criteria-based policies may be used to meet the needs. A standalone DPD is to be prepared.� The DPD will sit alongside and build on the policies in the Local Plan Review and will provide the basis for Development Management decision making. The DPD will be informed by evidence. Matters to be reviewed include: � New site allocations to meet the need. � Update to DM policies contained within the adopted Maidstone Borough Local Plan and Maidstone Local Plan Review including outbuildings and day rooms (only needed if emerging guidance changes) � Incorporate existing allocations � Non-planning definition Gypsies accommodation
Status	Local Plan
Coverage	Maidstone Borough
Chain of Conformity � National	Central government policy and guidance, including the National Planning Policy Framework, National Planning Practice Guidance, Planning policy for traveller sites (2024) and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Chain of Conformity � Local	Regard to the Council�s Plans and Strategies, including the Corporate Plan, Economic Development Strategy and Housing Strategy. Also have regard to the Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. The DPD will need to take into account the policies within neighbourhood plans: North Loose Neighbourhood Plan 2015 � 2031 (2016) Staplehurst Neighbourhood Plan 2016 � 2031 (2020) Loose Neighbourhood Plan 2018 � 2031 (2019) Marden Neighbourhood Plan 2017 � 2031 (2020) Lenham Neighbourhood Plan 2017 � 2031 (2021) Boughton Monchelsea Neighbourhood Plan (2021) Otham Neighbourhood Plan (2021)
Policies Map	A new policies map is to be created
Timetable
Sustainability Appraisal	Relevant appraisals and assessment will be carried out throughout the preparation of the DPD
Evidence gathering	January 2021 to May 2026
Call for Sites	February to March 2022 & February to April 2023
Scoping consultation (Regulation 18A)	February to April 2023
Preferred Approaches consultation (Regulation 18B)	October to December 2024
Preferred Sites consultation (Regulation 18C)	November to December 2025
Draft DPD consultation (Regulation 19)	June to July 2026
Submission (Regulation 22)	December 2026
Examination hearing sessions (Regulation 24)	March to April 2027
Main Modification Consultation	July to august 2027
Adoption � Full Council (Regulation 26)	January 2028
Partners & Resources
Internal Partners	Key internal partners include relevant service areas within the Council, Chief Executive; Corporate Leadership Team; and Planning and Healthier, Stronger Communities (PHSC) Policy Advisory Committee (PAC).
External Partners	Key external partners include specific and general consultation bodies (including parish councils and neighbourhood forums), local stakeholder groups, hard to reach groups and the local community.
External Resources	Kent County Council, National Highways, infrastructure providers, Homes England, and use of external consultants to provide evidence (as required).

Table 3.1 Project Plan for the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople DPD

4. Appendix

Glossary of terms

Acronym	Term	Description
AMR	Authority Monitoring Report	A report which is produced annually and monitors the performance against monitoring indicators in the Maidstone Borough Local Plan.
DP	Development Plan	The Development Plan includes adopted local plans/Development Plan Documents and made Neighbourhood Development Plans, and sets a framework for the local decision making process.
DPD	Development Plan Documents/Local Plans	A DPD/Local Plan is a spatial planning document which sets out the plan for the future development of the local area, drawn up by a local authority in consultation with the community. Once adopted, the local plan becomes part of the Development Plan. The Local Plan does not include SPDs or local Planning Guidance, although these documents are material considerations in the decision making process.
GTAA	Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment	The assessment outlines the current and future need for gypsy, traveller and travelling showpeople provision for Maidstone Borough until 2040.
KCC	Kent County Council	The county planning authority, responsible for producing the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plans, and are the highways authority.
LDS	Local Development Scheme	The LDS is a summary business programme and timetable for the production of the local plans and Development Plan Documents.
MBC	Maidstone Borough Council	The local planning authority responsible for producing the Borough Local Plan.
NDP	Neighbourhood Development Plan	Neighbourhood Development Plans (also known as neighbourhood plans) are prepared by a parish council or neighbourhood forum for a particular neighbourhood area. Neighbourhood plans must be in conformity with the strategic policies of the Local Plan and, once made, form part of the Council's Development Plan.
	Planning Policy Guidance	Additional guidance which provides further detail to policies set out in local plans and is a material consideration in planning decisions but is not part of the local plan or the development plan. If subject to adequate stakeholder and public consultation, guidance can carry commensurate weight with SPDs in the decision making process.
	Policies Map	The Policies Map uses an on-line ordnance survey map base to show the spatial extent of all land use policies and proposals, and is updated with each new Local Plan so that it reflects the up-to- date planning strategy for the borough.

Acronym	Term	Description
SA	Sustainability Appraisal	The SA is a tool for appraising policies and proposals to ensure they reflect sustainable development objectives, including social, economic and environmental objectives. An SA must be undertaken for all local plans and incorporates a Strategic Environmental Assessment.
SCI	Statement of Community Involvement	The SCI specifies how the community and stakeholders will be involved in the process of preparing local planning documents, Neighbourhood Development Plans and the Development Management process.
SEA	Strategic Environmental Assessment	SEA is a generic term used to describe the environmental assessment of policies, plans and programmes. The European SEA Directive requires a formal environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes, including those in the field of planning and land use.
SoS	Secretary of State	Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
SPD	Supplementary Planning Document	An SPD provides further detail to policies set out in local plans. SPDs are a material consideration in the decision making process but are not part of the Development Plan or the Local Plan. They follow a statutory production and consultation process.

Table 4.1 Glossary of terms