What are Supplementary Planning Documents?

Supplementary planning documents are documents which add further detail to the policies set out in the local plan. These documents, prepared in accordance with the Practice Planning Guidance (1), can be used to build upon and provide more detailed advice or guidance on particular issues such as health and wellbeing (2).

Supplementary planning documents are a material consideration in decision making. This means that they must be considered by planners and planning inspectors when making decisions on planning applications and appeals. However, these documents hold less weight in decision making than planning policies contained in the local plan. Therefore, planning applications which are aligned with the local plan and supplementary planning documents have the best chance of achieving permission (3).

In England, supplementary planning documents are increasingly being used to promote healthier food environments. Since the first supplementary planning document on hot food takeaways was developed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest in 2009 (4), the number of local planning authorities with these documents on hot food takeaways has increased (5). See for example Gateshead Council use of supplementary planning document to limit the proliferation of takeaways (6), (7).

Note that the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduces new supplementary plans to replace supplementary planning documents.

We cover the use of planning policy and guidance to manage the proliferation of hot food takeaways for health in Week 3.