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 17 November 2015 as a correct record.

The Planning Portfolio Holder signed, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2015, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 8 (Amendments to the current scheme of delegated powers and functions for planning decisions)

In the final paragraph, replace the words “…at least…” with the words “…up to…” so that it then stated, “Recognising the mood of the meeting, the Planning Portfolio Holder agreed to ask officers to look again at the scheme of delegation of planning decisions, and to defer making a recommendation to Full Council for a period of up to six months.”

The Planning Portfolio Holder agreed

1.     The policies in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007  that are proposed to be adopted as strategic for the purposes of neighbourhood planning as listed in Appendix B of the report from the Planning and New Communities Director; and

2.     To carry out a consultation with interested parties, in particular parish councils, the results of which would be reported back to a future Planning Portfolio Holder meeting.   

The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a report identifying policies in the adopted development plan that should be regarded as strategic and with which, therefore, a neighbourhood plan would have to comply. Legal advice stated that Parish Councils should be given the opportunity to comment during a consultation on the proposed list of strategic policies.to give them weight prior to a formal decision on them by the Council. The District Council intended to publish its consultation document before Christmas.  

Officers highlighted the differences between Appendix A (Strategic Policies in the emerging Local Plan) and Appendix B (Strategic Policies in the adopted development plan for South Cambridgeshire). Neighbourhood Plans adopted by the Council would become a material consideration in the planning process. The Planning and New Communities Director explained that those Neighbourhood Plans adopted on the basis of strategic policies identified in the adopted development plan would not have to be updated once the new Local Plan had been adopted.

Councillor Francis Morris, Chairman of Cottenham Parish Council, addressed the Portfolio Holder and those present. He pointed out that Parish Councils would find it helpful if consultation highlighted the difference between Appendix A and Appendix B.

The Planning Portfolio Holder agreed

1.     The policies in the adopted development plan for South Cambridgeshire that are proposed to be identified as strategic for the purposes of neighbourhood planning as listed in Appendix B of the report from the Planning and New Communities Director; and

2.     To carry out a consultation with interested parties, in particular parish councils, the results of which would be reported back to a future Planning Portfolio Holder meeting.   

That the Planning Portfolio Holder agrees the consultation response set out in Appendix 1 of the report from the Planning and New Communities Director.

The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a  report on the Local Plan Issues and Options consultation being undertaken by Uttlesford District Council.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer referred the Portfolio Holder to the two major concerns for South Cambridgeshire District Council, namely the areas of search along the South Cambridgeshire / Uttlesford border, and the impact on arterial transport links into Cambridge, and its surrounding area. The Planning and New Communities Director added that Cambridgeshire County Council, as Local Highways Authority, had also submitted comments in response to the consultation.

Those present noted the need for a cross-border transport approach, recognising South Cambridgeshire’s greater emphasis on public transport (including staff buses provided by businesses such as those at Granta Park) and Uttlesford’s reliance on private transport. The Planning and New Communities Director undertook to speak with officers at Cambridgeshire County Council to make sure that this issue was being considered.

Members highlighted the need to consider the impact of Uttlesford’s proposals on the adjacent part of Suffolk and, in particular, on Haverhill.

The  Planning Portfolio Holder agreed the consultation response set out in Appendix 1 of the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, with minor amendments to reflect discussion at the meeting.

The Planning Portfolio Holder and others present noted the contents of the Work Programme attached to the agenda.

Tuesday 12 January 2016 at 2.00pm

The next Planning Portfolio Holder meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday 12 January 2016, starting at 2.00pm.