Decision details

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agree the response, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, as the New Forest District Council’s representations to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council’s Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan consultation. 

KEY DECISION:

No.

PORTFOLIO:

Planning and Economy.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

None.

DISCUSSION:

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy introduced the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan Consultation report and emphasised that the New Forest District Council sympathised with BCP Council in the constraints they faced with development across the conurbation.

The Portfolio Holder explained the one amendment that NFDC requested BCP Council make to their Local Plan.  This was to require BCP Council to specifically consider the need to commence a review of its Local Plan if a quantified unmet need is established and confirmed through the New Forest District (outside the National Park) Local Plan Review.  This would ensure that appropriate mechanisms were provided for within the Local Plan to enable BCP Council to respond positively to considering how unmet needs should be addressed.

The Acting Assistant Director - Place Development summarised the report and informed Cabinet that this was the final stage of planning preparation of BCP Council’s Local Plan review. The plan had taken 5 years to prepare and it highlighted the significant challenges that officers had faced to plan for the next 15-20 years in the conurbation. With a similar coastal geography to the New Forest, the Council recognised the constraints facing BCP Council in their Local Plan.  With housing likely to be a priority to the New Forest, the requested amendment to the BCP Local Plan would give regard to the adjoining areas between BCP and the New Forest and would enable earlier review if wider, unmet housing occurred.  The consultation response also highlighted the need to work with BCP on future highways and cycle path schemes where there are cross-boundary implications and potential impacts.

Following a question from a non-Cabinet member, the acting Assistant Director for Place Development explained that the issues facing BCP were also the issues faced by many, if not all, coastal Local Authorities along the south coast and that the NFDC Local Plan would continue to review where BCP Council were with their housing supply and work proactively to address and reconcile this in both a developmental and economic sense across the District.