Part 13: General Schedule 7: Plan making Section 15C: Local plans Effect
Subsections (1) and (2) require a local planning authority to prepare a single local plan and stipulates that only one local plan may be in force in a local planning authority’s area at any one time.
	Subsection (3) sets out that a local plan must set out the authority’s policies for development in the area of the plan, setting out the amount, type, location, and timeframe for delivery of that development.
	Subsection (4) sets out that a local plan may include: other land use or development related policies in relation to particular characteristics or circumstances of their area; details of any infrastructure and affordable housing requirements and specific design requirements that would need to be met (across the area and/or in particular locations) in order for planning permission to be granted.
	Subsection (5) introduces a power for the Secretary of State to prescribe by regulations further matters that a local plan must, or may, deal with. This would enable provision to be made as to further requirements for local plans or what is permissible allowing, for example, the Secretary of State to be able to adapt or respond flexibly to matters of national importance.
	Subsection (6) requires a local plan to be prepared so that development and the use of land contributes to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.
	Subsection (7) requires a local plan to take account of any local nature recovery strategy that relates to any part of the area of the local planning authority preparing the plan.
	Subsection (8) imposes a requirement for local plans to take account of an assessment of the amount, and type, of housing that is needed in the local planning authority's area. This includes the amount of affordable housing that is needed (for the definition of "affordable housing", see section 15LH).
	Subsection (9) prevents a local plan from including anything not explicitly permitted or required in this section and requires that the plan is not inconsistent with or essentially repeats any national development management policy (as defined at section 94 which inserts section 38ZA into the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004).
	Subsection (10) provides that where the local planning authority is also the minerals and waste planning authority (for example, a unitary authority), the local plan may also incorporate policies pertaining to minerals and waste matters. In this case, a standalone Minerals and Waste Plan (defined at section 15CB) might not be required.