The Council produces a bimonthly Housing Position Statement to illustrate the five-year housing land supply within the District.  To download the latest edition please use the link in the 'See Also' box to the right.  The Housing Position Statement includes a figure for the number of houses that could be provided on undeveloped sites that were identified in the 2003 Urban Potential Study.  A list of all the sites which contribute to this figure has been published on the Urban Potential Study webpage.  To view the list please click here. 

Current LDF Consultation Documents:
The Council is not currently consulting on any documents.

Monthly News Bulletin:

FEBRUARY 2010
The proposed boundary changes to the Skipton Conservation Areas were approved by the Council's Policy Committee on 10th February.  An appraisal of the Conservation Areas in Skipton was carried out in 2008, and included a number of recommended boundary changes.  These recommendations were subject to two 4-week consultation events in 2009, and the boundary changes that have been implemented vary to those included in the Appraisal report to reflect the feedback received during the consultation.  For further information and to view the Appraisal and boundary changes, please click here.  

JANUARY 2010
The Council has produced Design Guidance for Affordable Housing Providers to clarify the standard of design required on affordable housing developments within the Craven District. Improving the supply of good local affordable housing is a key objective for Craven District Council, and the guidance is intended to ensure that affordable housing developments respect the character and appearance of our settlements (as well as the needs of residents).  For further information and to view the guidance please click here.

DECEMBER 2009
The Council submitted it's fifth Annual Monitoring Report (AMR), for the period 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009, to the Secretary of State on the 24th December 2009.  The AMR monitors the progress of the Local Development Framework against the agreed timescale, and is a record of development in the District over the year.  To view the 2008-09 AMR and AMRs from previous years, please click here.

The proposed boundary changes to the Settle and Giggleswick Conservation Areas were approved by the Council's Policy Committee on 16th December.  An appraisal of the Conservation Areas in Settle and Giggleswick was carried out in 2008, and included a number of recommended boundary changes.  These recommendations were subject to two 4-week consultation events in 2009, and the boundary changes that have been implemented vary slightly to those included in the Appraisal report to reflect the feedback received during the consultation.  For further information and to view the Appraisals and the new boundaries, please click here.  

OCTOBER 2009
The Council's new Planning Guidance on Rural 'Live/Work' Units was approved by the Policy Committee on 28th October 2009 - Craven has produced new planning guidance on both the conversion of traditional buildings, such as barns, to live/work units and the construction of new build live/work units.  Following a period of public consultation in May 2009 the Guidance has been finalised and approved for use.  Please click here to find out more information about the guidance and to view a copy.

The final Strategic Housing Market Assessment was received and accepted by the Policy Committee on 28th October 2009.  The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) analyses the local housing market characteristics and seeks to identify what factors influence those housing markets.  It forms an important evidence base document for the emerging Local Development Framework.  For further information and to view a copy of the SHMA please click here.

New Local Development Scheme No.3  - came into effect on the 9th October 2009 and replaces the 2007 - 2010 Local Development Scheme.  It sets out the timetable for preparing the Core Strategy and Site Allocations Development Plan Documents.  Please click here to view the Council's Local Development Scheme No.3.

SEPTEMBER 2009
In September an Inspector from the Planning Inspectorate visited Craven as part of its scheme to provide early guidance to planning authorities in the creation of Local Development Framework Documents.  Although the purpose of the visit was not for the Planning Inspectorate to provide any formal indication of whether planning documents are "sound" and are likely to be found acceptable at a formal Examination in Public in the future, it did give the opportunity for important issues relating to the development of these documents to be discussed. 

The Inspector assessed previous drafts of the Core Strategy as well as evidence base documents that the Council has produced to support this document.  Following the visit the Planning Inspector provided the Council with a note of the meeting which summarises the main issues covered and can be view by clicking here.

JUNE 2009
The Council's Policy Committee have agreed amendments to the distribution of housing development across the District (outside the National Park).  The Council has to make provision for a minimum of 250 dwellings per year, which will include dwellings created through conversions, subdivisions and changes of use, as well as new build houses.  Priority will be given to the redevelopment of brownfield sites.

Amendments to the housing distribution were made on the basis of the consultation responses that the Council received from on its Preferred Option draft of the Core Strategy and on the findings of evidence base studies undertaken by the Council.

The Policy Committee agreed that the Core Strategy will propose the following distribution of housing development:

• 40% (100 dwellings a year) will be provided in Skipton (Principal Town)
• 17% (43 dwellings per year) will be provided in Glusburn/ Crosshills/ Sutton (Local Service Centre)
• 15% (38 dwellings per year) will be provided in Settle and Giggleswick (Local Service Centre)
• 13% (33 dwellings per year) will be provided in High Bentham (Local Service Centre)
• The remaining 15% (38 dwellings per year) will be focussed on other settlements with good transport links

MARCH 2009
The Ecology Team at North Yorkshire County Council is calling for volunteers to help identify and record the County's veteran trees.  Veteran trees are trees that have reached their full maturity.  They provide habitat for many wildlife species.  For further details please click here to view the County Council's press release, or contact Matt Millington, the Biodiversity Officer at North Yorkshire on 01609 533240.

Last Updated: 17th March 2010