Public Speaking Time/Open
A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee.
Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers
Minutes:
Mr Anderson, member of the Brethren Christian Fellowship, attended the meeting to speak about the Council’s Core Strategy and Local Plan. He stated that community facilities including facilities for faith groups were important and should be considered in the Core Strategy. Community facilities are necessary to make a community tick and not giving consideration to them would create ghost towns. He wanted the Committee to request that the Spatial Planning team include the wording of paragraph 126 of the Draft National Planning Policy Framework (DNPPF) in the Core Strategy.
The Council’s Strategic Housing and Planning Manager was present at the meeting to address the Committee regarding this matter. He stated that the aim of the Local Plan and Core Strategy was to create thriving communities. The Core Strategy would consider existing community facilities and the need for new community facilities. The infrastructure plans for each area which considered the need for roads etc also included the need for “soft” infrastructure such as shops, services and meeting places.
The Strategic Housing and Planning Manager assured the Committee that although the exact wording of the paragraph would not be used as the DNPPF was guidance and not useable as policy but that there would be provision in the Core Strategy that reflected the sentiments of the guidance and that the provision of community facilities would be part of all parts of the Local Plan.
The Committee welcomed the assurances given by the Strategic Housing and Planning Manager that the provision of community facilities was included in the Core Strategy and that paragraph 126 of the Draft National Planning Policy Framework be taken into account although the Committee does not insist on the exact wording being used, and in doing so also suggested that when considering the community facilities mentioned in paragraph 126 of the Draft National Planning Policy Framework the Strategic Housing and Planning Manager also considers youth facilities in the Core Strategy which are not contained within paragraph 126.