Agenda item - City of York Local Plan Further Sites Consultation

This report informs Members of on going work relating to potential Local Plan allocations and seeks permission to undertake public consultation on potential new sites and boundary changes on some of the sites originally identified. Details of these sites and potential changes are included in the proposed consultation document – City of York Local Plan – Further Sites Consultation (attached as Annex A to this report).

Resolved: That, Cabinet agree the recommendations of the Local Plan Working Group from their meeting held on 17 April 2014, circulated at the meeting, namely to:

(i) Approve the City of York Local Plan – Further Sites Consultation attached at Annex A, along with supporting information for public consultation, subject to the inclusion of:

· the addendum to the report to address the shortfall of sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

· the technical amendments agreed at the LPWG meeting

· details of the covenant in relation to the Old Vinery site, Cinder Lane (Site 733) and

· amendment to technical appendix 5 (Strategic Sites) to reflect the need to ensure appropriate access to the Whinthorpe site (ST15).

(ii) Delegate to the Director of City and Environmental Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member, the making of any incidental changes to the draft document that are necessary as a result of the recommendations of Cabinet.

(iii) Delegate to the Director of City and Environmental Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member, the approval of a consultation strategy and associated documents.

(iv) Delegate to the Director of City and Environmental Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member, the approval of supporting information and documentation to be published during public consultation.

Reason: (i) So that a National Planning Policy Framework compliant Local Plan can be progressed.

(ii) So that changes recommended as a result of discussions at this meeting can be made.

(iii) To ensure that the proposed methods of consultation are satisfactory to Members.

(iv) To ensure that the proposed methods of consultation are satisfactory to Members.

Members considered a report which informed Members of on going work relating to potential Local Plan allocations and sought permission to undertake public consultation on potential new sites and boundary changes on some of the sites originally identified. The information had been included in the proposed consultation document, City of York Local Plan Further Sites Consultation, at Annex A to the report.

Consideration was also given to the following additional information, circulated prior to the meeting and republished with the Cabinet online agenda for the meeting:

· Draft minutes of the Local Plan Working Group, meeting held on 17 April 2014

· Addendum report – detailing the outcome of further technical work, since the preferred options consultation, to address the shortfall of sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.

The Cabinet Members presented the report referring to the tight timescales necessary to ensure the city had a Local Plan to both protect and meet the cities future development needs. It was confirmed that the proposals had been discussed in some detail at the Local Plan Working Group meeting on 17 April. At that time a number of technical amendments had been raised and speakers had raised points relating to the Old Vinery site. Subsequent to that, an amended site boundary and access had been put forward for site ST15 at Whinthorpe.

It was noted that there would be a 6 week consultation period, to commence as soon as possible after the meeting, which would give residents further opportunity to view the plans and documents and comment on the proposals.

Other Cabinet Members reiterated the importance of a Local Plan for the city and expressing their full support for the proposed consultation measures. It was confirmed that all residents’ comments would be considered in detail however the authority had a moral and legal obligation to allocate land for future development over the next 15 year period. Thanks were also expressed to Officers for preparation of the document with the tight timescales involved.

Following further discussion it was