Issue - decisions

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 12 February 2025 in respect of estimated costs for local plan production up to Local Plan adoption (end of 2027/28).

Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Scrutiny Select Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and supported progressing the green belt extension feasibility study at West Malling, the Green Gap study and an extended green belt extension feasibility study for an additional piece of land up to the railway line and Wateringbury Road, East Malling. 

In addition, Cabinet supported not progressing a Borough wide Design Code requiring a budget of £260,000 within the current Local Plan budgetary period given that Design Code work was not programmed until post Local Plan submission and adoption, there was uncertainty as to what a design code would be required to entail and the uncertainty around devolution and local government reorganisation.

It was also noted that the identification of parking standards for the Borough was not due to progress until much later in the plan making process.  However, it was recognised that this was an important area of work and would be progressed alongside any future design-code work once the Local Plan was further developed.  As a result, it was noted that further financial provision, including that related to a future Borough-wide Design Code/Parking Standards, would need to be considered alongside other competing budget demands for the authority as part of the future budget setting process for the Borough Council and Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

Particular reference was made to the Borough Council’s successful bid to Government for funding to support green belt studies which had resulted in a £70,000 grant allocation. Further government funding to support Local Plan work would continue to be bid for.

Cllr Boughton proposed, seconded by Cllr Coffin and Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the additional pressure on the Borough Council’s overall budget as a result of the requirements to deliver a new Local Plan, in accordance with the revised National Planning Policy Framework, and a consequential shortfall in the Planning reserve from 2026/27, be noted:

(2)             the following evidence base studies be progressed:

a.               Green Belt extension at West Malling (£30K)

b.               Green Gap study (£15K)

(3)             the budget requirement of £260,000 to progress a Borough-wide Design Code not be progressed within the current Local Plan budgetary period; and

(4)             the additional budget requirements of the Local Plan as set out in Table 3, and in addition the budget requirements for a Green Gap Study (£15k) and a Green Belt Extension Study (£30k), as well as an additional budget to progress an additional piece of land in the Green Belt Extension Study up to the railway line and Wateringbury Road, East Malling at an additional estimated cost of approximately £50-£70k, be approved; and