Issue - meetings

Decision:

The Planning Policy and Localism Portfolio Holder agreed:

·        the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Report (Appendix A) for consultation between 12 July and 28 September;

·        to publish the Local Plan Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report (Appendix B);

·        to publish the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) Report 2012 (Appendix C);

·        to publish the supporting evidence base listed in the consultation report, including the following new additions attached to this report:

o   Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (Appendix D)

o   Jobs and Housing Forecasts: Executive Summary (Appendix E)

o   Village Classification Report (Appendix F)

o   Employment Land Review: Executive Summary (Appendix G)

o   Open Space Study (Appendix H);

·        that any minor amendments and editing changes that need to be made prior to publication should be agreed by the Director of Planning and New Communities in consultation with the Local Plan and Localism Portfolio Holder.

This decision was published on Tuesday 3 July 2012. Democratic Services must be notified of any call in by 5pm on Tuesday 10 July 2012. If not called in, this decision may be implemented on Wednesday 11 July 2012.

The Portfolio Holder agreed

·        the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Report (Appendix A) for consultation between 12 July and 28 September;

·        to publish the Local Plan Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report (Appendix B);

·        to publish the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) Report 2012 (Appendix C);

·        to publish the supporting evidence base listed in the consultation report, including the following new additions attached to this report:

o   Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (Appendix D)

o   Jobs and Housing Forecasts: Executive Summary (Appendix E)

o   Village Classification Report (Appendix F)

o   Employment Land Review: Executive Summary (Appendix G)

o   Open Space Study (Appendix H);

·        that any minor amendments and editing changes that need to be made prior to publication should be agreed by the Director of Planning and New Communities in consultation with the Local Plan and Localism Portfolio Holder.

The Planning Policy & Localism Portfolio Holder considered comments made at the special meeting of Council on 28 June 2012 with a view to approving the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Report for public consultation from 12 July to 28 September 2012 and agreeing the publication of new evidence base documents supporting the Plan.

The Local Development Framework Team Leader highlighted Appendix 1 of the Supplementary Agenda Report, which set out a number of  revised questions suggested by Full Council on 28 June 2012 for inclusion in the consultation document.  She said it was important to make sure that the agreed consultation document was both clear and consistent. 

Those present engaged in a discussion about, among other things:

§  Village frameworks

§  Neighbourhood plans

§  Localism

§  The need for housing for local people

The Planning and New Communities Director sensed Members’ mood, and suggested that the better way to deal with the Options and Issues would be to consider them in the context of their deemed importance and relationship with each other rather than strictly by Chapter.

The Portfolio Holder agreed

1.     the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Report (Appendix A) for consultation between 12 July and 28 September;

2.     to publish the Local Plan Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report (Appendix B);

3.     to publish the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) Report 2012 (Appendix C);

4.     to publish the supporting evidence base listed in the consultation report, including the following new additions attached to this report

·        Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (Appendix D)

·        Jobs and Housing Forecasts: Executive Summary (Appendix E)

·        Village Classification Report (Appendix F)

·        Employment Land Review: Executive Summary (Appendix G)

·        Open Space Study (Appendix H)

5.     that any minor amendments and editing changes that need to be made prior to publication should be agreed by the Director of Planning and New Communities in consultation with the Local Plan and Localism Portfolio Holder.

Councillor Pippa Corney, Planning Policy and Localism Portfolio Holder, introduced the Local Plan by explaining that it would be going out to consultation on 12 July and the aim of the meeting was to ensure that the right questions were included in the Plan. It was noted that Council’s recommendations would be considered by the Planning Policy and Localism Portfolio Holder, at a meeting on Tuesday 3 July where the final wording of the Plan would be agreed.

Minor amendments

It was suggested that questions be broken in sub-sections to ensure that issues and questions of the same subject had the same number. It was noted that some question numbers were duplicated and so would have to be renumbered.

VISION

The Planning Policy Manager introduced this topic, which sought to link the Council’s vision statement with the Local Plan.

Members of Council made the following suggestions:

·         The Plan should recognise the importance of those who study in the District.

·         The Plan should recognise the importance of rail travel.

·         The Plan should seek to respond robustly to the challenges of climate change.

It was suggested that the pledge to promote economic growth included in the Council’s vision statement could be construed as encouraging more housing development in the District. However, it was also stated that phrases included in the vision statement should not be viewed in isolation and the targets for housing development were set by the national Government.

Council noted that it had agreed its vision statement less than a year ago and no recommendations were made to amend it. No suggestions were made to amend the questions in the Plan under this section.

DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

The Planning Policy Manager introduced this issue, which sought to ensure that the correct questions were asked in the consultation with regard to ensuring that the Local Plan provides the appropriate levels of employment and housing development in the right locations.

Provision of new houses

Council noted that the figures in question 4b, in relation to medium housing growth, had been amended to 7,300 dwellings, which equated to 1,075 dwellings per year. It was suggested that the majority of new homes would be lived in by commuters to London and what was required was more employment for local people. It was also suggested that a diagram was required to show the jobs/home ratio.

Windfall development

Concern was expressed regarding the accuracy of forecasting new jobs and new dwellings. It was suggested that the Council had underestimated the number of homes built as part of a “windfall development” and that if the current trends continued approximately 4,000 homes could be built this way, which could largely negate the need for new developments. It was also suggested that the village framework was key to number of houses built as part of “windfall developments”. It was further suggested that the words “no limit” for windfall developments in villages be amended to clarify that natural limits to these forms of developments already existed.

Northstowe

It was suggested  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

Local Plan Workshop – Thursday 29 March at 6.00pm

The Parish Council Liaison Meeting will now be used to hold a Local Plan Workshop.  A new date for the next meeting of the Parish Council Liaison Meeting will be set soon.

The District Council is working on a new South Cambridgeshire Local Plan that will set out development proposals to meet the needs of the district as well as other policies to conserve and enhance South Cambridgeshire over the next 20 years. This is an important and exciting project for the Council and we are hoping that as many of you as possible will be able to attend the workshop on 29 March.

The workshop will enable Parish Councils to be involved in the key early stages of the new Local Plan, as we explore the issues facing the district and start to develop ideas and options for meeting future needs. This will feed into a major public consultation on Issues and Options taking place in the summer between July and September.

We are holding workshop sessions with District Councillors this month ahead of the Parish Council workshop, and we will also be holding workshops around the same time with key stakeholders that are essential to delivering successful new developments and other policy initiatives as well as with planning agents, registered social housing providers and house builders who also have an interest in ensuring a deliverable plan. Talking to a wide range of groups now will mean we can hear their views at this early stage in the process.

Attached is a programme for the workshop, together with a briefing note about the new Local Plan, to help you start thinking about the issues that are important to you and your local communities as well as to the future of South Cambs as a whole.  Also attached is a summary of the new Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report, which is helping us to identify key issues and problems facing the district that will be considered as the Local Plan is prepared.

We intend the workshop to be very much focused on discussion, with plenty of opportunity for Parish Councils to put forward their views. It is the first plan for the district in the post Regional Plan and Structure Plan era, and the first time that the District Council will have new responsibilities for setting the whole development strategy for South Cambs, and taking forward the Localism agenda.

The workshop will be an opportunity to explore how we can best engage with Parish Councils as ambassadors of their local communities as we prepare the Local Plan.  We hope you will find this an interesting and stimulating process and look forward to hearing your views.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOP, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BY EMAILING ldf@scambs.gov.uk OR PHONING 01954 713183.  

Please find below an invitation to two Member workshops on key issues for the new South Cambridgeshire Local Plan, which will set out development proposals to meets the needs of the district as well as other policies to conserve and enhance the South Cambridgeshire over the next 20 years. This is an important and exciting project for the Council and we are hoping that as many of you as possible will be able to attend the workshops. Please put these dates in your diary:

Workshop 1: Wednesday 21 March, 2pm to 5.30pm - The Big Picture in the Council Chamber

Workshop 2: Tuesday 27 March, 2pm to 5.30pm - Key Policy Issues in the Council Chamber

The workshops will enable Members to be involved in the key formative stages of the new Local Plan, as we explore the issues facing the district and start to develop ideas and options for meeting future needs. This will feed into a major public consultation on Issues and Options that will be approved by a Special Meeting of Full Council in June. In recognition of the importance of the Local Plan to the Council corporately, it will be Full Council that makes formal decisions on the Plan at key stages. In June, Council will make recommendations to the Portfolio Holder who will confirm the documents for wide public consultation taking place in the summer between July and September.

We will be holding a workshop session with Parish Councils at the end of March to hear local views. We will also be holding workshops around the same time with key stakeholders that are essential to delivering successful new developments and other policy initiatives as well as with planning agents and house builders who also have an interest in ensuring a deliverable plan. Talking to these groups now will mean we can hear their views at this early stage in the process.

We will send out a programme for the two Member workshops, together with a briefing note about the new Local Plan, well in advance to help you start thinking about the issues that are important to you and your local communities as well as to the future of South Cambs as a whole.

We intend the workshops to be very much focused on discussion, with plenty of opportunity for Members to put forward their views. It is the first plan for the district in the post Regional Plan and Structure Plan era, and the first time that this Council will have new responsibilities for setting the whole development strategy for South Cambs, and taking forward the Localism agenda. We hope you will find this an interesting and stimulating process and look forward to hearing your views.

Please confirm your attendance with Claire Dillon, extension 3026 as soon as possible.