The Forward Planning Group is responsible for the preparation, implementation and review of the Development Plans and planning policies for Swindon and working with other organisations to this end. In Swindon Borough the Development Plan consists of:

• The Swindon Borough Local Plan
• The Wiltshire & Swindon Structure Plan,
• The Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals Local Plan, and
• The Wiltshire & Swindon Waste Local Plan

The Structure Plan, Minerals and Waste Local Plans are produced jointly with Wiltshire County Council.

The Forward Planning Group also assists the South West Regional Assembly in the preparation of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS10).  Current RSS was published by the Government Office for the South West in 2001 as RPG10, and contains policies up to 2016.  RSS is being reviewed to carry it forward to 2026, and the Forward Planning Group is involved in providing technical and policy assistance both generally and specifically for the Swindon sub-region.

Under the new planning regulations the Swindon Borough Local Plan will be replaced by the Swindon Borough Local Development Framework consisting of:

• Local Development Scheme
• Statement of Community Involvement
• Local Development Plan Documents
• The Core Strategy and Development Control Policies
• Site Allocations
• Area Action Plans
• (each with their own Proposals Maps)
• Supplementary Planning Documents

• The Annual Monitoring Report

Similarly the Waste and Minerals Local Plans will be replaced by the Minerals Development Framework and Waste Development Framework, to be produced jointly with Wiltshire County Council.

The Group also has the following roles:

• working in partnership with The New Swindon Company to regenerate Swindon Town Centre
• production of the monitoring statistics in relation to the Development Plan, particularly housing and employment land;
• production of population and economic forecasts and analysis of census and other data
• giving policy advice on planning applications
• leading on projects of strategic importance;
• providing an input into transportation studies in the Borough;
• providing advice and technical assistance on design, the protection of Swindon’s urban and rural heritage, and archaeology;
• approving Conservation Areas, and protecting listed buildings;
• overseeing the production of design guidance and development briefs;
• commenting on the development plans of adjacent district, unitary and county councils, and on the South East Regional Spatial Strategy, to ensure they do not conflict with the policies and strategies of the Wiltshire and Swindon Development Plans;
• producing sustainability appraisals of development plan documents.