Consult Your Local Plan Before You Buy

Buying the right property is as much a question of finding out what is happening in the area as it is about the property itself. One of the best ways of finding out about the locality is to consult the local plan. Local councils in France are empowered to determine the planning rules and development plans for their area, through the preparation of a local plan. The plan may be called either a Plan Local d’Urbanisme or a Carte Communale. A PLU is more likely to be prepared by the larger communes, whilst the CC will be found in smaller rural communes that have neither the resources nor the necessity to prepare a full local plan. Whilst the PLU is detailed plan, which sets out clear development zones and planning rules, the CC is less comprehensive, with probably not much more than zoning of areas in which development may or may not be permitted. A local plan is also likely to include information on the development history of the area, as well as other interesting information about the local economy, demography and physical infrastructure. You can read more about local plans and making a planning application in France by reading our FREE Guide to the French Planning System .