There are a number of supplementary and information notes which add more detailed guidance to policies in the Adopted Local Plan and made Neighbourhood Plans. They have been subject to public consultation and are material considerations in the determination of planning applications.
We are currently working on a number of new and updated Supplementary Planning Documents. In the past few years, a number of Supplementary Planning Documents and Guidance notes have been revoked:
| Revocation Statement - June 2016 |  (pdf 192KB) |
| Revocation Statement – September 2017 | (pdf 191KB) |
| Revocation Statement – June 2018 | (pdf 197KB) |
The Affordable and Special Needs Housing and Housing Mix SPD was adopted on 21/06/2018.
This SPD provides more detailed guidance regarding policies HC1 ‘Affordable and special needs housing’ and HC2 ‘Housing type, mix and choice’ of the Sefton Local Plan. These policies seek to meet identified affordable housing and special housing needs in the Borough and to make sure there is a sufficient mix of appropriate homes.
Subsequent to the adoption of the Local Plan and the SPD the Council have amended some aspects of how it will implement affordable housing policy. Specifically these are:
- The Council will calculate the affordable housing requirement of a proposal on units rather than bedspaces
- The tenure split for affordable housing will be applied as follows:
- Bootle and Netherton – Affordable Homes to be split 33% affordable or social rent; 67% affordable home ownership homes
- Elsewhere - Affordable Homes to be split 67% affordable or social rent; 33% affordable home ownership homes
- That in order to be considered affordable, homes approved for discounted market sale are to be discounted to 80% of full market value or the amounts set out in table 4.26 of the SHMA (or a subsequent update) whichever is lower
- that the preferred type of affordable home ownership products are those that include some initial upfront capital payment (such as a deposit contribution)
These are set out in a Cabinet Member Report:
| Strategic Housing Market Assessment Cabinet Member Report |  (word 46KB) |
The type and size of affordable homes that the Council would wish to be provided on site are set out in a Registered (housing) Provider Investment Guide (2020)
| RP Investment Guide 2020 Seftonstrategic Housing Needs Assessment | (pdf 133KB) |
The Council approved the Information Note ‘Contributions towards education provision: A Guide for developers’ on 14th September 2017. This relates to Local Plan policy IN1 ‘Infrastructure and developer contributions’. The public were consulted on the draft Information Note between March and May 2017. Comments received were taken into account in the preparation of the final Information Note. Please note the education contribution has been updated to 2022/23 levels.
| Developer Contributions Towards Education Provision Note | (pdf 271KB) |
| Contributions Towards Education Note - 2022/2023 Fees | (pdf 268KB) |
This SPD sets out guidance on how the development of uses with the potential to cause harm to health and wellbeing should be controlled within Sefton. Through a process of scoping this has come to include hot food takeaways and betting shops.
This SPD sets out detailed planning guidance for the development of Crosby Centre, which Sefton Council has identified as a regeneration priority and for promoting new investment.
While the SPD sets out more detailed guidance in relation to Local Plan polices, it has been informed by the recommendations of the Crosby Investment Strategy (Nexus, 2015), and associated stakeholder and public consultations.
| Crosby Centre SPD | (pdf 5.09MB) |
| Crosby Centre SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 238KB) |
| Crosby Centre SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 228KB) |
| Crosby Centre SPD - SEA & HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 858KB) |
The importance of good design
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, creates better places in which to live and work and helps to make development acceptable to communities. It also states that that creating high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve. The National Design Guide (September 2019) sets out 10 key principles for good design.
Good design helps development to be as sustainable as it can be, benefits local people and local businesses as well as the environment, and helps to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Key design principles are set out in Part 1 of the Design SPG as well in as the National Design Guide (2019). The settlement character plans and maps below, plus more recent character assessments for Lydiate and Maghull relate to Part 1 of the SPG. These stress the importance of site context and local character, reflecting policies in the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans.
Part 2 of the Design SPG includes guidance on site design, layout and access, and is complemented by other guidance such as the Sustainable Travel and Development SPD, the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and Flood Risk Information Note and Open Space SPD also found on this web-page and the National Design Guide (2019).
Part 3 of the Design SPG focuses on design of buildings and structures, stressing the need for sustainable design which helps to meet the challenge of climate change. Like Parts 1 and 2 of the Design SPG, Part 3 reflects policies in the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans, and is complemented by other guidance also found on this web-page and the National Design Guide (2019).
Part 4 of the Design SPG focuses on sustainable design which helps to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Its Appendix A is a Sustainability Checklist which is a starting point for applicants, to help them meet the requirements of a number of policies in the Sefton Local Plan and the National Design Guide.
| Part 1: Key design principles | (pdf 290KB) |
| Part 2: Site design, layout and access | (pdf 372KB) |
| Part 3: Design of buildings and structures | (pdf 339KB) |
| Part 4: Sustainability and Eco-Homes | (pdf 448KB) |
| Bootle settlement character plan | (pdf 206KB) |
| Bootle settlement character plan map | (pdf 1.75MB) |
| Crosby settlement character plan | (pdf 164KB) |
| Crosby settlement character plan map | (pdf 3.61MB) |
| Formby settlement character plan | (pdf 158KB) |
| Formby settlement character plan map | (pdf 1.53MB) |
| Maghull-Aintree settlement character plan | (pdf 174KB) |
| Maghull-Aintree settlement character plan map | (pdf 3.61MB) |
| Southport settlement character plan | (pdf 199KB) |
| Southport settlement character plan map | (pdf 3.12MB) |
The Council approved the ‘Guidance Note on Development in Minerals Safeguarding Areas’ on 14th September 2017. Minerals Safeguarding Areas relate to Local Plan policy NH8 ‘Minerals’. The public were consulted on the draft Guidance Note between March and May 2017. Comments received were taken into account in the preparation of the final Guidance Note.
| Minerals Guidance Note - September 2017 | (pdf 254KB) |
| Consultation Statement (2017) | (pdf 199KB) |
The Flats and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) SPD was adopted on 21/06/2018.
The SPD provides more detailed guidance on how the Council will assess planning applications for flats and Houses in Multiple Occupation, especially in relation to policy HC4 “House extensions, Houses in Multiple Occupation and Flats’ of the Sefton Local Plan.
| Flats And HMOs SPD | (pdf 1.11MB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 243KB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - Consultation Statemen | (pdf 233KB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - HRA Screening Statement - statement | (pdf 93KB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - HRA Screening Statement – Plan 1 | (pdf 1021KB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - HRA Screening Statement – Plans 2-4 | (pdf 893KB) |
| Flats And HMOs SPD - HRA Screening Statement - Appendices | (pdf 159KB) |
The House Extensions Supplementary Planning Document was adopted on 21/06/2018.
The SPD provides more detailed guidance on how the Council will assess planning applications for house extensions and related household development, especially in relation to policy HC4 “House extensions, Houses in Multiple Occupation and Flats’ of the Sefton Local Plan. It sets out principles and standards that extensions should meet to prevent harm to neighbours and the character of the local area.
| House Extensions SPD | (pdf 1.81MB) |
| House Extensions SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 281KB) |
| House Extensions SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 278KB) |
| House Extensions SPD - SEA & HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 746KB) |
| Landscape Character Assessment Of Sefton SPG | (pdf 890KB) |
The Land East of Maghull site is allocated by Local Plan policy MN2.47 as a strategic mixed use site for a minimum of 1400 homes and a 20 ha (net) employment area and supporting infrastructure.
Local Plan policy MN3 ‘Land east of Maghull’ sets out site-specific requirements for the development of the site. These include the need for development to be consistent with a Council-approved Master Plan for the whole site which should accord with policy MN3 and any associated SPD.
The SPD provides more detailed guidance in relation to policy MN3 and sets out what the Master Plan document should contain.
| Land East of Maghull SPD | (pdf 3.48MB) |
| Land East of Maghull SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 244KB) |
| Land East of Maghull SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 409KB) |
| Land East of Maghull SPD - SEA & HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 1009KB) |
| Land East of Maghull SPD Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Report | (pdf 878KB) |
A Masterplan for the redevelopment of the Land East of Maghull was required to be submitted and approved by the Council prior to the determination of planning applications on the site. This was completed and submitted by Countryside Properties, Persimmon Homes and The East Maghull Consortium in January 2019 and approved by the Council in February 2019.
| Land East of Maghull Masterplan | (pdf 5.56MB) |
Nature Conservation SPD
Sefton has a wealth of natural assets that have been recognised for their importance and function locally, nationally and internationally. These are part of the Liverpool City Region Ecological Network. The Nature Conservation SPD aims to provide clear guidance to applicants, developers and other stakeholders on how the Council will deal with planning applications which may result in a likely significant effect on an internationally important nature site or which may affect other designated sites of nature and/or geological conservation importance, Priority Habitats, legally protected species and/or Priority Species, including invasive species. This includes how an applicant could meet their responsibility to avoid harm, deliver mitigation and/or compensatory provision.
| Nature Conservation SPD | (pdf 980KB) |
| Nature Conservation SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 244KB) |
| Nature Conservation SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 302KB) |
| Nature Conservation SPD - SEA & HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 781KB) |
Draft Information Note: Managing and mitigating the impact of recreation pressure on the Sefton Coast - Sefton’s Interim Approach – Draft for consultation and development management purposes (Dec 2021)
This draft note was approved for development management purposes on 15th December 2021 with immediate effect. It is a ‘material consideration’ in the assessment of planning applications, and supersedes the 2018 Information Note.
| HRA Recreational Pressure - Information Note (2022-2023) | (pdf 830KB) |
This draft note was also approved for public consultation purposes on 15th December 2021.
More information about the public consultation can be found here
The New Housing Supplementary Planning Document was adopted on 21/06/18.
The SPD provides more detailed guidance on how the Council will assess planning applications for new housing, especially in relation to policy HC3 ‘Residential development and Primarily Residential Areas’ in the Sefton Local Plan. The document sets out the principles and standards that new housing developments should meet to ensure that that new developments are high quality and respect and enhance the surrounding area.
| New Housing SPD | (pdf 691KB) |
| New Housing SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 282KB) |
| New Housing SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 303KB) |
| New Housing SPD - SEA and HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 736KB) |
The Open Space SPD relates to a number of Local Plan policies. The SPD provides guidance to assess whether an open space or an outdoor sports and recreation facility is surplus to requirements and what constitutes appropriate replacement provision, in relation to policy NH5 ‘Protection of open space and Countryside Recreation Areas’. The SPD also sets out what public open space provision and strategic paths the Council expects in new housing developments in relation to policy EQ9 ‘Provision of public open space, strategic paths and trees’, brings together the open space requirements under EQ9 and NH5 for Local Plan allocated housing sites and sets out broad design principles and expectations for management and maintenance of open space.
| Open Space SPD | (pdf 5.93MB) |
| Open Space SPD (2017) | (pdf 5.93MB) |
| Open Space SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 245KB) |
| Open Space SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 436KB) |
| Open Space SPD - SEA & HRA Screening Statement | (pdf 820KB) |
| Shopfronts, Security and Signage SPG | (pdf 1.49MB) |
| Southport Seafront SPG | (pdf 4.37MB) |
The Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and Flood Risk Information Note provides guidance in relation to policy EQ8 ‘Flood risk and surface water’ in the Sefton Local Plan (2017). Both policy EQ8 and the Information Note are informed by national planning policy set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and planning guidance. Appendix 1 shows maps of Sefton’s Critical Drainage Areas. Appendix 2 gives a short overview of some of the other key consent regimes which may apply- these are separate from the planning process and granting of planning permission does not necessarily mean these consents, permissions and permits would be granted by any other organisation or consent regime.
Appendix 3 indicates some simple steps that could be taken to reduce the volume or rate of its surface water run-off, either as stand-alone measures or in relation to house extensions or other small-scale development, or paving over of front gardens (which in some cases needs planning permission). These may have significant benefits for residents and local businesses and will also help manage or reduce surface water flood risk in the area and/or the wider community. Appendix 4 indicates common components of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and their green infrastructure benefits.
The following documents, also approved on 26 July 2018, set out the flood risk and surface water drainage information required to be submitted as part of planning applications for major development, and which may be helpful for some other development proposals. They incorporate the Lead Local Flood Authority's requirements. Public consultation also took place on these SuDS technical requirements. Comments made during the consultation are set out above.
| Sustainable Drainage - Completing Your Pro Forma | (pdf 683KB) |
| Pro Forma 1 - Planning Applications | (pdf 505KB) |
| Pro Forma 2 - Discharge Of Conditions | (pdf 496KB) |
The Sustainable Travel and Development SPD was adopted on 21/06/2018.
| Sustainable Travel and Development SPD | (pdf 259KB) |
| Sustainable Travel and Development SPD - Adoption Statement | (pdf 243KB) |
| Sustainable Travel and Development SPD - Consultation Statement | (pdf 333KB) |