Following the adoption of the Local Plan on 3 January 2019 we've produced updated supplementary planning documents (SPDs).
Supplementary planning documents contain advice for people applying for planning permission. They help us to make decisions on applications and are used alongside the Local Plan.
Following the advice in them leads to a smoother planning process and a good quality development at the end. You can read more about the planning process.
All our current SPDs are shown below.
We initially adopted 18 of the documents on 23 May 2019 and a further eight on 28 November 2019. The following SPDs have since been updated:
- Affordable housing (adopted 28 July 2022)
- Sustainable travel (adopted 28 July 2022)
- Design of housing development (adopted 27 July 2023)
- Biodiversity and geodiversity (adopted 28 March 2024)
- House extensions and other domestic alterations (adopted 28 March 2024)
A new sustainable construction and climate change adaptation SPD was also adopted on the 27 July 2023.
| Document | Description |
| Financial contributions for schools | Advises on the requirements for financial contributions towards the provision of school places. Also seeks contributions towards improving the condition of schools where appropriate. |
| Barn conversions | Design guidance to anyone seeking to convert a farm building to residential or other use. |
| Trees and hedgerows | Guidance on how to deal with existing trees and hedgerows on development sites. |
| Shop front designs | Guidance to anyone seeking to alter a shopfront. |
| Advertisements | Guidance to anyone seeking to display an outdoor advertisement. |
| House extensions and other domestic alterations | Guidance to anyone seeking to extend or alter their house. |
| Residential amenity and the siting of buildings | The design principles that will apply to applications for non residential buildings in proximity to existing residential properties. |
| Design of housing development | Sets out the design principles that will apply to new housing developments, including infill and back land development. It also provides advice on conversions to dwellings from other uses and gives guidance on houses in multiple occupation (HMO). |
| Open space provision on new housing developments | Guidance on what will be expected in terms of open space provision for new residential developments. |
| Removal of agricultural occupancy conditions | Guidance on the information required to support a planning application seeking removal of agricultural occupancy conditions. |
| Mortar mixes for pointing historic buildings | Guidance on methods and mixes for pointing historic buildings. |
| Hot food takeaways | Explains the main issues that are likely to apply to a planning application for a hot food takeaway. |
| Hot food takeaways planning advice note | Explains and includes exclusion zones around schools where new takeaways won't be allowed. |
| Walls and fences | Guidance on the planning requirements for walls and fences. |
| Lawful development certificates | Guidance to anyone considering applying for a lawful development certificate. |
| Affordable housing | Advice on when contributions will be sought for affordable housing and how they will be calculated. Provides guidance on other issues such as the type and tenure of affordable housing, off-site provision, etc. |
| First homes technical note | Summary of first homes policy and how it'll be applied in Barnsley. To be read in conjunction with the affordable housing SPD. |
| Heritage impact statements | Advice on heritage impact assessments and sets out the requirements for the information that needs to be submitted. |
| Biodiversity and geodiversity | Sets out how Local Plan policy BIO1 and GI1 on green infrastructure will be applied. It also provides further specific detail about the Dearne Valley Nature Improvement Area. |
| Planning obligations | Introduces the SPDs on specific topics which seek section 106 contributions. This includes sustainable travel, affordable housing, financial contributions for schools and open space provision on new housing developments. This SPD sets out priorities for contributions. It makes it clear that where multiple developer contributions are required, those for schools and sustainable travel will take precedence. |
| Sustainable travel | Seeks contributions for sustainable and active travel. |
| Section 278 agreements | Sets out the process of section 278 agreements which relate to works within the highway. |
| Section 38 agreements | Sets out the process of section 38 agreements which relate to adoption of highway. |
| Parking | Gives guidance on parking standards. |
| Development on land affected by contamination | Gives information on how to deal with contaminated land. |
| Elsecar conservation area design and maintenance guide | Supports the Elsecar heritage action zone (HAZ) and the conservation area status. Provides guidance on how to look after properties in the Elsecar conservation area. |
| Cawthorne village design statement | The village design statement briefly describes Cawthorne as it is today and highlights the qualities valued by residents. The statement is not a set of rigid rules. It is intended to be a collection of sensible criteria to encourage good design. |
| Sustainable construction and climate change adaption | Sets out our approach to planning decisions in respect of sustainable construction and adapting to climate change. |
We previously asked for views on proposed changes to the Financial Contributions for Educational Provision (formerly Financial Contributions to Schools) SPD in Summer 2023. Following this consultation, we proposed further changes to take account of comments made and consulted on the document again in September/October 2024. We're now considering comments made. View the draft supplementary planning documents(SPD) consultation.
The Local Plan includes some site allocations which require the production of a masterplan framework. The individual site policies explain why a masterplan framework is needed.
Supporting documents
You can read the following supporting documents for each set of SPDs:
Local development orders
Local development orders are made by local planning authorities. They give a grant of planning permission to specific types of development within a defined area.
The Ashroyd and Shortwood Business Park, Hoyland, Local Development Order 2012 provides planning guidance for development on the Ashroyd and Shortwood Business Parks.