Issue - meetings

This report outlines the intended strategy for development management related matters for the upcoming year in response to the current local plan position and delays to the adoption of the Plan.  The implementation of an effective strategy that responds positively to the current position will ensure that the Council can continue to provide an efficient and high-quality service and robustly defend the Council’s position in the event of appeals being lodged.

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

In response to the current local plan position and delays to the adoption of the Plan, a proposed strategy for development management related matters for the forthcoming year was outlined.  Members were advised that the implementation of an effective strategy which responded positively to the current position would ensure that the Borough Council continued to provide an efficient and high-quality service and robustly defend its position in the event of appeals being lodged.

Following consideration by the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure resolved that:

The proposed Development Management strategy for 2021, as detailed in the report and summarised below, be agreed

(1)             Officers will not seek to refuse applications for planning permission on grounds of prematurity until such time that the local plan is at a sufficiently advanced stage to accord with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 and will advise the Area Planning Committees of the risks of doing so should any proposals be made to that effect;

(2)             Development of an electronic system to regularly monitor the five-year housing land supply position to inform decision making and in defending housing related planning appeals;

(3)             External consultants will be instructed to advise the Council on technical matters that require specific expert input to inform decision making and in defending relevant appeals where considered necessary to do so;

(4)             Officers will explore all opportunities to adopt individual technical studies used as part of the local plan evidence base for development management purposes and seek to commission further studies for adoption on an individual or cumulative basis as required;

(5)             External training will be provided to all officers across the service on giving evidence at hearings and public inquiries to ensure they have the necessary skills to advance and defend the Council’s case in appeal scenarios in conjunction with any external specialist consultants that may be necessary to employ; and

(6)             Officers will assemble a legal team of suitable experience to thereafter be engaged where necessary as part of ongoing public inquiry work.

(Decision Notice D210032MEM)

In response to the current local plan position and delays to the adoption of the Plan, the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health outlined a proposed strategy for development management related matters for the forthcoming year.  Members were advised that the implementation of an effective strategy which responded positively to the current position would ensure that the Borough Council continued to provide an efficient and high-quality service and robustly defend its position in the event of appeals being lodged.

RECOMMENDED: That the proposed Development Management strategy for 2021, as detailed in the report and summarised below, be agreed

(1)             Officers will not seek to refuse applications for planning permission on grounds of prematurity until such time that the local plan is at a sufficiently advanced stage to accord with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 and will advise the Area Planning Committees of the risks of doing so should any proposals be made to that effect;

(2)             Development of an electronic system to regularly monitor the five-year housing land supply position to inform decision making and in defending housing related planning appeals;

(3)             External consultants will be instructed to advise the Council on technical matters that require specific expert input to inform decision making and in defending relevant appeals where considered necessary to do so;

(4)             Officers will explore all opportunities to adopt individual technical studies used as part of the local plan evidence base for development management purposes and seek to commission further studies for adoption on an individual or cumulative basis as required;

(5)             External training will be provided to all officers across the service on giving evidence at hearings and public inquiries to ensure they have the necessary skills to advance and defend the Council’s case in appeal scenarios in conjunction with any external specialist consultants that may be necessary to employ; and

(6)             Officers will assemble a legal team of suitable experience to thereafter be engaged where necessary as part of ongoing public inquiry work.