Decision details

RESOLVED:

That the Chief Executive be authorised to enter into Site Specific Agreements with landowners and the Solent Freeport Consortium Company, the terms of which are set out in the report and in the draft template at Appendix 1 of the report.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

As set out in the report.

KEY DECISION:

No.

PORTFOLIO:

Leader/All.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in the report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST(S):

The Leader of the Council, for transparency purposes declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item.  The interest concerned his membership of the Solent Freeport Consortium Ltd, as appointed by the Council.  He concluded that there were no common law reasons of bias or pretermination that precluded him from speaking and voting on this item.

DISCUSSION:

The Leader introduced the report and highlighted the report as a key step on the journey for the Solent Freeport.  Through a series of approvals building on the Council’s support in principle, the Freeport would become a reality, with the necessary site specific agreement templates in the report, a future memorandum of understanding, the Council’s position on Business Rates Retention and finally the Full Business Case.  The Leader welcomed the focus on becoming the greenest Freeport in the UK, with investment in sustainable development and having particular regard to investment, skills and training for the communities covered by the Freeport area.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration and Infrastructure welcomed in particular 12.1 of the template, which confirmed that nothing would fetter or restrict the Council's statutory rights, powers, discretions and responsibilities, referring particularly to the planning process including the Council’s Local Plan.

In response to questions on the necessary jobs and skills for an area in the New Forest with pockets of deprivation, the Leader of the Council confirmed this would remain the Council’s focus and key priority and work with partners was already underway.

In response to concerns about the environmental implications of the Freeport and the need to strongly implement its existing planning policies and protect ecology and the National Park, the Leader of the Council and officers confirmed that the Local Plan was well tested through the inquiry process and it continued to be the Council’s statutory function to defend the Local Plan.

A number of Members placed on record their support for the pledge to make the Solent Freeport the greenest Freeport in the UK.