Issue details

Purpose

1.    South Cambridgeshire District Council adopted the Greater Cambridge Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) on 1 July 2019, jointly with Cambridge City Council.

2.    The SCI for planning sets out how and when we will involve the community and key stakeholders in preparing, altering and reviewing our plans and guidance to guide future development. It also explains how we will involve the community in planning applications.

3.    The Councils are committed to keeping essential services running during the Coronavirus outbreak.  Planning has an important role to play in supporting our economy and our communities. It is important that we find a way to keep the planning process moving forward. There are a number of ways in which the Councils are having to adapt the approach to planning applications and plan making while movement restrictions are in place.

4.    An Addendum to the SCI was agreed in May 2020, to set out which elements were impacted by restrictions, and how the Councils would continue to enable full involvement of people in planning matters. Updating the SCI reflects government advice, and advice from the Planning Advisory Service.

5.    As the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has continued into the autumn it is considered appropriate to agree a further update to the Addendum to the SCI to show how we are have adapted our processes during lockdown to involve the local community in planning matters.

6.    The update sets out how the public is involved at the planning application stage:

·         Site notices are being displayed

·         Measures are in place to allow officers to make site visits relating to planning applications and to planning enforcement

·         Copies of documents are available to view on our website

·         Planning Committees are being held virtually

7.    As the lockdown restrictions upon movement continue into the autumn and our council offices in Cambourne are closed to the general public it has been necessary to consider how we can carry out public consultations relating to neighbourhood planning as the government is keen that the progress of such plans continues during the current Covid-19 pandemic.  

8.    Each of the changes proposed is explained in the Addendum, included as Appendix 1 to this decision.

9.    When the SCI was adopted it was subject to Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA). An update of this assessment has been undertaken (Appendix 2 to this decision) to consider the impacts of the Addendum. No changes to the impact of the policy were identified each of the protected characteristics identified.

10.A decision is needed through the out of cycle decision process in order that the SCI amendment can be published, to provide greater clarity on the planning process during the Coronavirus outbreak.