Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting

Councillor M Davis declared an Other Significant Interest in the agenda item relating to the Local Plan on the grounds of his status as a partner of Warner’s Solicitors.  In accordance with the dispensation granted under section 33 of the Localism Act 2011 at Minute GP 19/13 (General Purposes Committee of 19 June 2019) he remained in the meeting but took no part in the discussion of the item or the voting thereon. 

To confirm as a correct record the Notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 11 November 2020

RESOLVED:  That the notes of the meeting of the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board held on 11 November 2020 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The purpose of this report is to provide Board Members with an update on the Local Plan process since the last update in July 2020 and set out the next steps.  Members are requested to endorse the response sent to the Local Plan Inspectors on 29th January 2021.  This report also sets out the latest position with regard to the Council’s 5 Year Housing Land Supply, the outcome of the latest Housing Delivery Test results and the implications for decision making.

(Decision Notice D210031MEM)

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update on the Local Plan process since July 2020, set out the next steps and requested that the response sent to the Local Plan Inspectors on 29 January 2021 be endorsed.

In addition, the latest position with regard to the Borough Council’s 5 Year Housing Land Supply, the outcome of the latest Housing Delivery Test results and the implications for decision making were set out.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)             the contents of the report be noted; and

(2)             the response to the Local Plan Inspectors sent on 29 January 2021, previously circulated to all Members and available on the Borough Council’s website, be endorsed.

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.

(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.

This report seeks to update Members about the consultation on the revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and proposed National Model Design Code and propose the key elements of a response for Member discussion.

(Decision Notice D210033MEM)

The report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update on the consultation related to the revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and proposed National Model Design Code and proposed the key elements of a response for Member consideration.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)             the content of the report be noted;

(2)             the formal consultation response be formulated in line with the key elements outlined in the report; and

(3)             the final response be delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health in liaison with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no matters considered in private.