Agenda item

(During consideration of the item, Councillor G Walton left the meeting and did not return).

Consideration was given to the above report.

(Councillor H Murray, a visiting Councillor, Councillor, L Brown, a visiting Councillor and Anthea Buxton, an objector attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the report).

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet Portfolio Holder be recommended to approve for publication the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment attached at Appendix 2, subject to the minor amendments contained within the update report and subject to the inclusion of explanatory notes within the SHLAA document and reference within the map legend.

(Councillor B Murphy requested it be noted that he abstained from voting on the proposal).

143. FORTHCOMING PLANNING INQUIRY regarding LAND AT QUEENS DRIVE, NANTWICH: Application ref 12/2440N: 270 DWELLINGS AND ASSOCIATED DEVELOPMENT for GLADMAN DEVELOPMENTS LTD

Pursuant to s100(B) (4) (b) Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman agreed that the Board should consider an urgent verbal report from the Strategic Planning and Housing Manager regarding the Council`s case at a forthcoming Planning Inquiry on 5March 2013. Urgency arose because of the short time available in which to review the merits of the Council`s case before evidence was exchanged on 12 February 2013.

Further, the Board resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item pursuant to Section 100(A(4) Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (that is, the disclosure of information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings) and that the public interest in keeping the information confidential outweighed the public interest in disclosing it.

Application 12/2440N was the subject of a Planning Inquiry listed for hearing on 5 March 2013. Proofs of evidence were due for exchange on 12 February 2013. Having considered verbal reports from the Strategic Planning & Housing Manager regarding the evolving housing land supply position and the production of evidence for the Inquiry, and from the Highway Engineer/Principal Development Officer regarding highways concerns and mitigation proposals, and from the Solicitor summarising Counsel`s Advice regarding the merits of four grounds of objection (highway capacity, pedestrian safety, sustainability, prematurity & housing supply) given by the Board on 5 December 2012.

The Board RESOLVED to remove its fourth ground of objection (prematurity & housing land supply) to the application.