1.19 The UDP is produced in two parts. Part One contains a statement of the Plan's aims and strategy, together with general, Borough-wide policies. Part One must have regard to:-

  • national and regional planning policies;
  • Strategic Guidance issued by the Secretary of State;
  • the plans and proposals of the Merseyside Development Corporation;
  • the resources likely to be available;
  • social considerations.

1.20 Part Two translates the Part One general policies into more specific policies and proposals for specific areas or individual sites. Part Two also contains reasoned justifications for all the policies and proposals in the Plan, and a detailed Proposals Map. Part Two must be in general conformity with Part One.

1.21 The format of this document, therefore, follows the above requirements. Part One comprises this introductory section, and the general Borough-wide planning policies. Part Two repeats the general policies with their reasoned justification and then defines more detailed policies and proposals, with their reasoned justifications, under twenty-three topic headings.

1.22 For clarity, Part One general policies are printed in upper case bold type with a three-letter prefix related to the appropriate topic heading, and printed in a box in the format ABC1. The more detailed Part Two policies and proposals are printed in lower case bold type, with a two letter prefix in the format XY2.

1.23 Throughout the Plan there are references to Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes. Whilst these are not part of the Unitary Development Plan and cannot be used to determine applications, they do provide guidance to the public in interpreting the Plan's policies. They are available from the Council's Planning and Economic Development Department and are reviewed as and when necessary.

1.24 The UDP covers the period up to 2001. This represented the end date of the Secretary of State's Strategic Planning Guidance for Merseyside.