Agenda item

South Cambridgeshire Local Plan - Adoption

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report noting that preparation of the new South Cambridgeshire Local Plan had now reached the end of the plan making process. The Inspectors’ Report had been received and, subject to incorporation of the associated Main Modifications identified by them, the Inspectors had concluded that the Local Plan was sound. The Local Plan could now be presented to Council to be adopted as part of the Development Plan.

The Leader publicly thanked all those officers who had been involved in the Local Plan process, and said that she would be writing formally to them.

The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development summarised the process, which had been lengthy, and said that the purpose of this Extraordinary Cabinet meeting was to recommend to Full Council on 27 September 2018 either adoption or rejection of the Local Plan. He said that there was no third option – the process for varying a Plan was a complex one and, in practical terms, the time for doing so had now passed.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer circulated an Errata. In Appendix 4 (Local Plan Draft for Adoption), and due to formatting of the policy boxes, part of the text included in the Submitted Local Plan at the end of Policies S/6 and HQ/2 had become hidden. The missing text was as follows:

Policy S/6 – the Development Policy to 2031

In paragraph 4, after the words “…local service provision…” add “…and quality of public transport access to Cambridge or a market town.”

Policy HQ/2 – Public Art and New Development

Add paragraph 4: “Where public art is provided, contributions and commuted maintenance sums for up to 10 years will be required and include the cost of decommissioning where appropriate.”

The Leader thanked Councillor Dr. Douglas de Lacey for proofreading the draft.

The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development referred Cabinet to the recommendations in the report, highlighting Recommendation 6.

The Deputy Leader commended the recommendations to Cabinet for decision by Full Council.

In relation to paragraph 142 of the Inspectors’ report to South Cambridgeshire District Council (Fulbourn Road East), both Councillor John Williams and Councillor Claire Daunton (two of the local Members for Fulbourn) expressed disappointment with the comments about Yarrow Road.

The Chief Executive clarified that paragraph 40 of the report to Cabinet from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development represented the alternative option to the recommendation at paragraph 3 of the report.

By six votes to nil, with Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins abstaining,

Cabinet agreed to recommend Council to:

1.	Note the Inspectors’ Report containing the Inspectors’ Main Modifications to be made to the submitted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan in order for it to be found sound (Appendix 1); and
2.	Note the schedule of Additional Modifications (Appendix 2) to the submitted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan to make minor updates and corrections; and
3.	Note the Main Modifications to the submitted Policies Map published alongside the Inspectors’ Report as a reference document to the examination (Appendix 3);
4.	Adopt the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018, including both Main and Additional Modifications (Appendix 4);
5.	Adopt the South Cambridgeshire Policies Map 2018, including Main Modifications and Additional Modifications (Appendix 5); and
6.	Authorise the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, in liaison with the Deputy Leader, to make minor typographical amendments or updates in preparing the final version of the Adopted Local Plan and Policies Map.

Supporting documents: