Issue - meetings

To consider the draft Local Plan Documents and to commend them to the Council for publication for pre-submission public consultation and subsequent submission, together with the consultation responses, to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

RECOMMENDED:

a.           That the Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning Strategy as set out as Annex 1 to this report, and as amended above, be approved;

b.           That the Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning Strategy be published for Pre-Submission public consultation for a period of six weeks under Regulations 19 and 20 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012;

c.           That the Service Manager (Policy and Strategy) in consultation with the Planning and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder be authorised to submit the Local Plan 2016-2036 Part 1: Planning Strategy and associated documents, together with the summarised Pre-Submission public consultation responses, to the Secretary of State for independent examination under Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012; and

d.           That the Service Manager (Policy and Strategy) in consultation with the Planning and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder, be authorised to make minor changes and corrections to the Local Plan prior to public consultation and submission for examination.

Cllr Kendal disclosed a non-pecuniary interest on the grounds that he was a Director of the Oakhaven Hospice which was mentioned in a policy.  Cllr White declared a common law interest in respect of the SS6 allocation in the South of Lymington on the grounds that he knew the family that owned the site.  He took no part in discussion on this site. 

Members considered the Local Plan Part One document which covers the key matters and proposals in the review of the Council’s local plan.  The document was attached as Annex 1 to Report Item 4 to the Cabinet.  Changes to the policies map, including land to be removed from the Green Belt and settlement boundary changes were set out in the document attached as Annex 2 to the report.  The Council was retaining a two stage approach to the review of the Local Plan to reduce the risk of abortive work on detailed matters and to allow the opportunity for neighbourhood plans to develop policies, including additional site allocations.  It was also possible that the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework may change.

Preparation of the local plan documents had entailed extensive consultations and the commissioning of research to establish a technical evidence base.  Key documents, including the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment and Infrastructure Delivery Plan were published on the Local Plan Review website.  Additional documents would be published at the start of the formal consultation process, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework.

The review process to date has established that a number of policies are still relevant and can be retained for continued use.  A full list of current policies, indicating whether they will be saved or deleted, is attached as Appendix A to the Local Plan document.

The timetable for the review process was set out in Section 3 of the report to the Cabinet.

The key matters and proposals are summarised out in Section 4 of the report.  A considerable body of work had gone into identifying the way in which this Council could most effectively meet the objectively assessed housing need for the District, including the need for a high proportion of affordable housing to meet the needs of the local population.  A stepped approach was projected to deliver the housing target of 10,500 homes by 2036, and even in the early stages would represent a 47% increase on the average rate of completions in the plan area in the last decade.  The proposed strategic housing site allocations were set out in the tabulation in paragraph 4.25 of the text, with further detail given in the surrounding paragraphs.

With respect to Strategic Site 8: Land at Hordle Lane, Hordle, members were advised of the following changed to the local plan document:

“-suburb” to be deleted from policy SS8 ii c

On concept masterplan illustration:

·     land at junction Hordle Lane with Sky End Lane to be shown as green space

·     notation amended to show coal-yard access from Vicarage Lane as a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4