Agenda item

Report number SEG058 of the Cabinet Member for Economy and Development.             (Enclosure)

Decision:

1.    Cabinet recommends to Council the approval of the Proposed Submission Local Plan as set out at Appendix 2 of report SEG58 for the purpose of publication for representations in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Local Plan Regulations and then submission to the Secretary of State

2.    To agree that any minor corrections to the document can be approved by the Cabinet Member for Economy and Development, so long as these do not substantially affect the substance of any policies or land allocations

3.    Cabinet approves the revised Statement of Community Involvement as set out at Appendix 3 of report SEG58 for consultation

Considerations/Reasons for decision

1.    Report number SEG58 of the Cabinet Member for Economy and Development on the revised Local Plan – submission document and Statement of Community Involvement

2.    The requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that every local authority has a clear, up-to-date Local Plan that:

a.    Conforms with the NPPF

b.    Meets identified local development needs

c.    Reflects local people’s views about how they wish their community to develop

3.    Responses received during a period of non-statutory consultation on a Consultative Draft Local Plan, which ran from June 2017 (the main changes as a result of this consultation are set out in appendix 1 to report SEG58)

4.    The draft Local Submission Plan (attached as appendix 2 to report SEG58)

5.    The Government consultation document ‘Putting the Right Homes in the Right Places’ regarding housing need assessment

6.    Objectively assessed housing and employment needs

7.    The draft revised National Planning Policy Framework

8.    Information on the steps required for the Local Plan following  consideration by Cabinet and Council

9.    Regulation 19 of the Local Plan Regulations setting out the requirements for consultation

10.Comments made by Members at meetings of the old Growth Policy Development Group and more recently the Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including a workshop of the latter to which all Members were invited

11.The requirement to prepare a Statement of Community Involvement as set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act

12.The draft Statement of Community Involvement set out in appendix 3 to report SEG58 together with an equality analysis

Other options considered:

The only other option available to the Council would be to not undertake the production of the Local Plan. This would not be in line with Government requirements and expectations, and would also lead to development proposals coming forward in an uncoordinated way with no long-term strategic direction to guide growth. This would not be in the best interests of the District, its communities, residents and businesses.

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The Cabinet Member for Economy and Development presented report number SEG58. He outlined the work that had already been undertaken in preparing the revised Local Plan and drew Members’ attention to an informal consultation exercise that had been conducted in June 2017.This had informed the draft submission Plan. During discussions, other Members spoke favourably of the consultation and how the information had informed the submission version of the Local Plan.

The Cabinet Member proceeded to outline those measures within the document that were either new or enhanced from the previous versions. He also referred to proposed allocations. The Cabinet Member also outlined the process that the submission Plan would undergo subject to its approval by Council on 24 May 2018, including how feedback generated during the formal consultation period would be used.

Cabinet Members were also advised about a change in Government policy on the methodology for calculating housing need, how the Council had responded to that and its impact on the production of the submission Plan document.

During debate, Members referred to changes that would allow limited development in villages, which was welcomed. Some concerns were expressed about the impact of any increase in development on services and community facilities. Reference was also made to the emergency services’ ability to respond to the proposed growth across the district.

Support was expressed for a new document that was being introduced, which focused on good design. Members were advised that the Council had been awarded grant funding by Government to support the preparation of such a document.

Cabinet Members agreed unanimously to support the recommendations in the report.