2 Introduction

Purpose of this publication

2.1    This document is the Lancaster District Local Development Framework (LDF) Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) for the financial year 2009/2010. This is the sixth LDF AMR that Lancaster City Council has prepared and published.

2.2    The AMR establishes the monitoring framework for the district reporting on the implementation of existing planning policies as well as the evidence base which will be used to support the preparation of future planning policies. Importantly the AMR also reports on progress in preparing future LDF documents.

2.3    The main aims of the AMR are therefore to:

• Describe the purpose of monitoring and its role in the preparation of the Lancaster District LDF;
• Describe the information bases that are maintained by Lancaster City Council in its role as the planning authority for the district;
• Monitor the spatial portrait of the District;
• Describe progress to date on the preparation of future LDF documents;
• Report on the results for Core and Local output indicators (where information is currently available);
• Monitor a set of significant effect indicators used in the sustainability assessment of future LDF documents (where information is available);
• Report key findings for the year 2009/2010 and the implications of these for future LDF documents;
• Report progress on document preparation in the current financial year 2010/11;
• Anticipate future progress on preparing LDF documents; and
• Discuss how future monitoring needs will be addressed.