The Government's guidance about monitoring states: "it is essential to see what is happening now, what might happen in the future and then to compare these trends against existing planning policies and targets to determine what needs to be done". Monitoring helps the Council understand the wider social, environmental and economic issues affecting Rotherham and how these influence change. Monitoring is an important part of the planning process and is crucial to the effectiveness of the Local Plan.
The Local Plan will need to be continually reviewed and revised and successive annual monitoring reports, with their evolving monitoring mechanisms, will be the main way of assessing Local Plan performance and effects. Local Plans are required to promote sustainable development with due regard to environmental, economic, natural resource and social matters. Local Plans are also about the spatial effects of development and how this can be harnessed by the plans and aspirations of stakeholders and communities. However, it should be recognised that it will take considerable time and resources to establish a proficient "sustainable spatial planning" monitoring framework.
The separate requirement to undertake Sustainability Appraisal of Local Development Documents (itself incorporating the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive) also requires monitoring of the Local Plan’s significant environmental, social and economic effects. For sake of efficiency and to maximise mutual benefits this monitoring should be undertaken together with Local Plan monitoring.
This Annual Monitoring Report covers the 2022/23 financial year and the annual process of:
Reviewing progress in preparing Local Plan documents against their timetables published in the Local Developement Scheme.
Assessing the extent to which Local Plan policies are being implemented.
Looking at what action needs to be taken when policies are not being implemented.
Examining whether policies are having their intended effects, particularly in achieving sustainable development.
Identifying policies needing to be changed or replaced. Reporting the findings of Sustainability Appraisal Monitoring. Ensuring alignment with corporate priorities.
