1 Introduction

1 Introduction What is the role of the Local Plan? 1.1 The Local Plan is the main planning document prepared by local planning authorities, under statutory requirements. It outlines a council’s long term planning framework with strategic and non-strategic planning policies. The Local Plan also provides policy guidance on delivering new homes and jobs, protecting landscape resources and green infrastructure. It establishes the council’s strategy for managing development and infrastructure in Three Rivers up to 2041. 1.2 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2024) sets out planning policies at a national level and provides a framework for Local Plan to ensure the pursuit of social progress, economic wellbeing and environmental protection in a sustainable manner. The NPPF identifie s that achieving sustainable development means the planning system has three overarching objectives, which are interdependent and need to be pursued in mutually supportive ways (so that opportunities can be taken to secure net gains across each of the different objectives): • Economic objective – to help build a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved productivity; and by identifying and coordinat ing the provision of infrastructure; • Social objective – to support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by ensuring that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by fostering well-designed, beautiful and safe places, with accessible serv ices and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being; and • Environmental objective – to protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment; including making effective use of land, improving biodiversity, using natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy. 1.3 The NPPF requires that a Local Plan must include policies which set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of place s, and make sufficient provision for homes (including affordable housing), employment, retail, infrastructure, community facilities, as well as the conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment. Strategic policies should address each of the council’s priorities for the development and use of land in the district, along with policies to address non-strategic matters. 1.4 Consistency with national policies is one of the criteria to determine the soundness of Local Plans at the Independent Examination. Other tests of soundness include that the formulation of the Local Plan is based on proportionate and justifiable evidence; that the Local Plan is effective, and that it is positively prepared. 1.5 The Local Plan, along with the Minerals and Waste Local Plan (for Hertfordshire) and any Neighbourhood Plans within the district, forms the Development Plan for Three Rivers District. The Development Plan is the basis on the determination of planning applications in the district. This Local Plan replaces the following Development Plan documents: • Core Strategy (October 2011); • Development Management Policies Local Development Document ( July 2013); • Site Allocation Local Development Document (November 2014) 1.6 As of February 2026, there are four adopted Neighbourhood Plans; Chorleywood, Croxley Green, Batchworth and Sarratt. Additionally, Abbots Langley Neighbourhood Plan has undergone examination. Moving forward, a ny new or updated Neighbourhood Plans will need to conform with the policies in this Local Plan following its adoption. Preparation of the Local Plan 1.7 The preparation of the Local Plan commenced in 2017, with the council undertaking numerous public consultations, including: • Issues and Options and Call for Sites Consultation (2017); • Regulation 18 Consultation – Part 1: Preferred Policy Options and Part 2: Sites for Potential Allocation (2021); • Regulation 18 Consultation – Part 3: Additional Sites for Potential Allocation (2023); • Regulation 18 Consultation – Part 4: Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option - Protecting More Green Belt Land (2023); • Regulation 18 Consultation – Part 5: Newly Submitted Sites and New Policies Consultation (2025) 1.8 In arriving at the formation of the Local Plan, the council has taken into consideration the following: • The views arising from public consultations involving a range of stakeholders including residents, businesses, statutory bodies, local groups and individuals with interest in Three Rivers; • National planning policy requirements and other plans and strategies affecting the area; • The testing of options and alternatives, primarily through the sustainability appraisal process, taking into account the environmental, social and economic impacts of choices; • The Government’s principles of sustainable development, whereby development helps to maintain high and stable levels of employment, achieves social progress which recognises the needs of everyone, provides effective protection of the environment and appropriate use of natural resources; • The extensive research and technical studies known as the Evidence Base that the council has compiled in order to understand the needs of the area and opportunities and constraints that exist. 1.9 The Local Plan has been informed by a range of technical studies, which form part of the wider Evidence Base as shown below: • Strategic Housing & Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA, 2025) • Urban Capacity Study (2020) • Edge of Settlement/New Settlement Scoping Study (2020) • South West Hertfordshire Local Housing Needs Assessment (2024) • South West Hertfordshire Economic Study (2024) • South West Hertfordshire Retail & Leisure Study (2018) • Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment (2025) • South West Hertfordshire Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2019) • Three Rivers District Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2021) • Hertfordshire Water Study (2017) • Heritage Impact Assessments (multiple addendums) • Landscape Sensitivity Assessments (multiple addendums) • Open Space, Sport & Recreation Study (2019)1 1 This study comprised of seven reports, namely i) The Open Space Assessment Report 2019; ii) The Open Space Standard Paper 2019; iii) The Indoor Leisure Facilities Needs Assessments 2019; iv) The Leisure Facilities Strategy 2019; v) The Playing Pitch Strategy Assessment Report 2019; vi) The Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan 2019; and vii) The Playing Pitch Strategy Developer Contributions Toolkit. • Three Rivers District Council & Watford Borough Council Green Belt Review Strategic Analysis (Stage 1) (2017) • Stage 2 Green Belt Assessment for Three Rivers District and Watford Borough Council (2019) • Three Rivers District Council Green Belt Study Stage 3: New Settlement Analysis (2020) • Three Rivers District Council Stage 4 Green Belt Review (2025) • Sustainability Appraisals (multiple throughout the Local Plan process) • Three Rivers District Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, Levels 1 and 2 (2026) • Integrated Health and Equality Impact Assessment (2026) • Whole Plan Viability Assessment (2026) • Transport Assessment (2026) • Infrastructure Delivery Plan (2026) 1.10 Sustainable development is the key principle underpinning the Local Plan and is critical to the delivery of many of the council’s and community’s aspirations. It requires social progress which recognises the needs of everyone, including housing, effective protection of the environment, appropriate use of natural resources and the maintenance of stable levels of economic growth and employment. The Local Plan has been subject to a Sustainability Appraisal (including working notes and addendums) at each stage of production (including during every public consultation) to assess the sustainability of the options and to inform plan preparation and the decision-making process. Format of the Local Plan 1.11 The Local Plan is presented in two parts: Part I: Planning Policies – This section provides an introduction, background and context to the district and the vision and objectives for the district. It also contains detailed planning policies and supplementary appendices, which will be used for determining development proposals. Part II: Site Allocations – This section details the site allocations (including site specific requiremen