Agenda item

To adopt the Design Guidelines for Rutland and South Kesteven Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Members were presented with the Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), for Rutland and South Kesteven by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Planning Policy.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) made it clear that policies within an authority’s Local Plan and any Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) should set out clear design expectations.

The Design Guide was an essential tool which allowed South Kesteven District Council to assess or improve the design of a development.  The document would also help the Council to reach it’s aspirations within the  Corporate Plan 2021 – 2023 for housing that meets the needs of our residents, by creating healthy and strong communities and also a clean and sustainable environment.  

The Design Guide was commissioned jointly by South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) and Rutland County Council (RCC) and was fully funded by a planning delivery grant awarded by the Government on a competitive bidding basis. Being a joint bid by both authorities meant the Design Guide was a joint document. Each authority was responsible for undertaking their own public consultation and both the public and stakeholders had had the opportunity to shape the document through consultation and various workshops. Once the SPD was adopted it would be a material consideration in determining planning applications.

In seconding the proposal the Chairman of the Planning Committee referred to the work done by both the Cabinet Member for Planning and Planning Policy and also the late Councillor Bob Adams on the Design document.

Debate on the document followed and the following points were made:

·         The new Design Guide would be an excellent tool to help to introduce the design and quality of housing that was appropriate for South Kesteven.

·         Tribute was made to the work undertaken by the Principal Design Officer on the document.

·         Improvement to the layout of sites to include green corridors, site connectivity and general improvements was welcomed by all Members.

·         Regret that climate change did not have its own chapter within the document, but the questions referenced under the section on strategic design were really good to put to developers.  Unfortunately there was no current legislation that allowed Members to enforce net carbon zero homes.

·         The current planning application form was a national form which could not be changed.

·         Aesthetics and improvements to developments had already been improved by using the draft guide.

·         The Government was not doing more to promote climate change incentives to developers when building houses, which was seen as a failure by some Members.

·         That solar thermal technologies were not referenced within the document.

·         Members were pleased to see that social and affordable housing should be located within a development with access to services including community facilities and health care rather than being placed on the edge of a development.

·         The use of green corridors and the planting of trees would help address air toxicity.

·         When would the Design Guide be effective from if approved.

·         Definition of what was an affordable home.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Planning Policy stated that the Design Guide was a Supplementary Planning Document and would therefore be used alongside the Local Plan.  If the document was approved at this meeting it would be used with immediate effect on those applications that had not been determined. 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Planning Policy stated that he would circulate a training presentation that had been given to Members of the Planning Committee on affordable housing.  The Local Plan would be refreshed in three years’ time and any new legislation from the Government would be incorporated into the plan. 

On being put to the vote, the proposal was AGREED.

DECISION:

That the Design Guidelines for Rutland and South Kesteven Supplementary Planning Document be adopted.

An adjournment took place at this stage of proceedings.

Following the adjournment it was proposed, seconded and unanimously AGREED to extend the meeting to 17:00 and that agenda items 14a – 14e be dealt with before agenda item 13.