Agenda item

1.    That the suggested revisions to the submitted Local Plan Strategy, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, be submitted to the Inspector.

2.    That the feedback from the engagement workshops held in early August 2015, as set out within Appendices 3, 4 and 5 of the report, be noted.

3.    The Inspector be informed that, as a consequence of recommendation 2 above, no further suggested revisions are proposed.

4.    It be noted that the sites included within Appendix 7 of the report are amongst those currently being considered by the Council as potential new or amended strategic site allocations and potential new additional Safeguarded Land.

The Head of Planning Strategy introduced this report and the decisions being requested.  The Examination of the Local Plan Strategy had been suspended to allow further work to be carried out on key areas of evidence; that additional work had been carried out and submitted to the Inspector at the end of July 2015 following its consideration by the Cabinet at its meeting on 21 July (Minute 22 refers).

The Council had agreed to prepare modifications to other policies, to be submitted before the potential re-convening of the examination between July and September 2015, and to present draft modifications to sites to show how any uplift in housing and employment provision/numbers could be accommodated in terms of new or amended sites.  In line with this commitment, the information appended to the report provided suggested revisions to strategic policies in Chapters 9-14 of the submitted Local Plan Strategy (LPS).

The Report summarised the feedback from engagement workshops, held in early August, with Town and Parish Councils, community groups and parties interested in the spatial distribution of development in the LPS. It explained the comments made and considered whether changes should be made to the suggested revisions approved by Cabinet in July 2015.

Also included was an update on the Council's continuing site selection work which was intended to provide the Inspector with an update on the progress of that work, which was reaching the final stages of the Site Selection Methodology (SSM), and to demonstrate that the Council's programme to complete the remaining work met the identified target dates within the Inspectors timetable.

The Portfolio Holder recognised the clear desire of local councils and groups to work with the authority to help deliver the Local Plan.  There would be a full opportunity to participate in the consultations and for input across the winter period the results of which would be fed back into the resumed hearing in the spring.  The Plan was being prepared on two levels with the high level policies and housing numbers being considered at the hearings in October, at which there would not be any site discussions, and in parallel preparations were being made for the hearings in the spring into the site allocations. 

In considering the very valued contribution of Neighbourhood Plans, and their reflection of local issues, it was reported that the tension was in respect of timing.  Whilst the progress of the Local Plan could not be slowed very careful consideration was being given to how best to gather all that information together and how to incorporate it into the Local Plan process and there would be room for it to influence the site allocation stage in respect of both local and rural issues.

The Portfolio Holder was asked to endorse the suggested revisions to Chapters 9-14, 16-17 and to the Appendices of the submitted Local Plan. She thanked everybody for their comments and contributions, the Spatial Planning Team for bringing forward the report in the very challenging timeframe available and the Members and residents who had attended and joined  in the debate; and  

RESOLVED

That:

1.    the suggested revisions to the submitted Local Plan Strategy, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, be submitted to the Inspector;

2.    the feedback from the engagement workshops held in early August 2015, as set out within Appendices 3, 4 and 5 of the report, be noted;

3.    the Inspector be informed that, as a consequence of recommendation 2 above, no further suggested revisions are proposed;

4.    it be noted that the sites included within Appendix 7 of the report are amongst those currently being considered by the Council as potential new or amended strategic site allocations and potential new additional Safeguarded Land.