The Local Development Framework is a suite of development plan documents (DPDs) which should have regard to a 15-year time horizon and can evolve over time and respond to changing circumstances. This means that there is no definition of what constitutes up-to-date.
However, since the introduction of local development frameworks in 2004, the Planning Inspectorate who independently examine all DPDs have found 112 DPDs sound, including 43 core strategies. Between 2000 and 2007, 109 local authorities adopted old-style plans. All local planning authorities, including those with sound core strategies, can continue to use saved policies from old-style plans as part of their statutory development plan until such time as they are superseded by one of the suite of documents within the Local Development Framework.