Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The Planning Portfolio Holder is asked  to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2015 as a correct record.

The Planning Portfolio Holder signed, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2015.

The Planning  Portfolio Holder noted

1.     the letter responding to the Inspectors’ preliminary conclusions and considers the plan for the additional work; and

2.     the independent advice that had been received and commissioned on managing planning applications whilst the Council cannot demonstrate a five?year housing land supply.

The Planning Portfolio Holder endorsed

1.     the advice provided on bringing forward the Community Infrastructure Levy.

2.     the proposed review of the Gypsy and Travellers Accommodation Needs Assessment.

The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a report summarising the response to the Inspectors’ letter asking for further work to be carried out on the Local Plan. That response had been submitted on 30 June 2015 following the resolution of the Extraordinary Council meeting on 4 June 2015, and other related matters.

While disappointed by the Inspectors’ letter, the Planning Policy Manager welcomed the opportunity to address their concerns at an interim stage of the Local Plan Examination. She referred the Portfolio Holder, and others present, to the three key areas identified as needing further attention, namely

·       Evidence of housing numbers

·       Development strategy

·       Conformity with revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

and, specifically, to Appendices 1 and 2 attached to the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. The proposed timetable was to seek the Planning Portfolio Holder’s endorsement of the additional work, and any proposed modifications to the Local Plan, in October 2015, with public consultation during November and December, and for the additional work to be submitted to the Examination in February 2016. The Planning Policy Manager recognised the importance of striking a balance between moving forward efficiently and effectively, and ensuring that the work was robust.

In response to a question about the adequacy of Council resources given the amount of additional work required, the Portfolio Holder referred to paragraph 28 of the report, indicating that South Cambridgeshire District Council’s share of the joint work with Cambridge City Council had been estimated at about £150,000. The Planning Policy Manager outlined some of the actions that were already taking place. These included joint meetings with the City Council and some external work with regard to the Cambridge Green Belt. The Planning and New Communities Director added that the District and City Councils were also working with other bodies, such as the Joint Strategic Planning Unit and Cambridgeshire County Council.

In response to a question about the ‘Planning Obligation Justification’ template mentioned in paragraph 18, the Planning and New Communities Director confirmed that this template is intended to assist the presentation of reports but does not affect the way the judgements are made.  She reported that reports to Planning Committee will start to include the new template. She said that cases would continue to be brought to Committee in a timely manner as delay could result in the Council being challenged.  As stated in the report, the Council is seeking an independent assessment of the way it is dealing with applications made under the lack of a five-year supply, and the findings would be reported to the Planning Portfolio Holder meeting on 10 August 2015.

In response to a question as to when the two Councils could expect to hear whether the Inspectors were minded to endorse the joint trajectory approach to housing delivery, the Planning Policy Manager referred to the letter attached at Appendix 3 to the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, and advised that they were in the Inspectors’ hands in terms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Appendix 1 has been circulated as a separate printed document to the Planning Portfolio Holder, the Scrutiny and Overview Committee Monitor, Opposition Spokesmen, and lead Officers.

The Planning Portfolio Holder:

(a)            agreed that the draft Cambridgeshire Flood and Water SPD (Appendix 1 to the report) be issued for consultation;;

(b)            agreed the draft Adoption and Maintenance of Sustainable Drainage Systems in South Cambridgeshire document be issued for consultation (Appendix 2);

(c)            agreed an addendum to the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Scheme setting out the timetable for the preparation of this SPD (Appendix 3); and

(d)            delegated any further minor editing of the SPD and approval of the supporting and technical documents to the Director of Planning and New Communities. 

 The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a report seeking his agreement for the draft Cambridgeshire Flood and Water Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to be published for consultation.

In response to a question, the Principal Planning Policy Officer said that Cambridgeshire County Council’s consultation on the Cambridgeshire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy was related to its role as Lead Local Flood Authority, whereas the Cambridgeshire Flood & Water SPD had been prepared by the County Council in conjunction with all the local planning authorities in Cambridgeshire to support the implementation of flooding and water related policies in each authority’s Local Plans. Once adopted by all of the district councils in Cambridgeshire, or a substantial number of them, the SPD would assist the County Council in its role as a statutory consultee.

The Planning Portfolio Holder:

(a)            agreed that the draft Cambridgeshire Flood and Water SPD (Appendix 1 to the report) be issued for consultation;

(b)            agreed the draft Adoption and Maintenance of Sustainable Drainage Systems in South Cambridgeshire document be issued for consultation (Appendix 2 to the report);

(c)            agreed an addendum to the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Scheme setting out the timetable for the preparation of this SPD (Appendix 3 to the report); and

(d)            delegated any further minor editing of the SPD and approval of the supporting and technical documents to the Director of Planning and New Communities. 

The Planning Portfolio Holder received and noted the Work Programme attached to the agenda.

One Member expressed some reservation about moving towards a paperless planning service.

Monday 10 August 2015 at 2.00pm

The next Planning Portfolio Holder meeting would take place on Monday 10 August 2015, starting at 2.00pm.