Triggers (various)

Whilst the Consortium considers that the triggers for delivery of infrastructure as specified in the policy should be capable of being met, it is felt that they are not necessary in the policy itself.

National policy states that in bringing forward land, Local Plans should provide detail on form, scale access and quantum (see bullet point 5 of paragraph 157 of the Framework), but it does not require infrastructure trigger points to be specified. Furthermore, national policy states that the Local Plan should only include policies that provide a clear indication of how a decision maker should react (paragraph 154).

The crystallisation of trigger points for key infrastructure would normally be developed and agreed during the master planning and planning application processes, where phasing, need, viability and other considerations can be considered in much greater detail. In the absence of this work being undertaken, the suggested trigger points may well need to change. Whilst the wording of each trigger is caveated to allow flexibility in their interpretation, their inclusion is not necessary and may create uncertainty for decision makers in how to respond to planning applications in due course.