Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, and any prejudicial or discloseable pecuniary interests, which they might have in the business on the agenda.

No interests were declared at this point but whilst discussing Agenda Item 5, Huntington Neighbourhood Plan – Examiner’s Report, Cllr Orrell declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in that he was a member of Huntington Parish Council.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Local Plan Working Group held on 20 October 2020.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2020 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chair at a future date.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee.

Please note that our registration deadlines have changed to 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at remote meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is at 5.00pm on Friday 12 March 2021.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact Democratic Services, on the details at the foot of this agenda. 

Webcasting of Remote Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this remote public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

During coronavirus, we've made some changes to how we're running council meetings. See our coronavirus updates (www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy) for more information on meetings and decisions.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Cllr Vassie raised some suggestions to the Local Plan that would help enable the Council to achieve a zero carbon pathway for York. He highlighted the importance of using special planning documents (SPD’s) to reduce energy consumption and support York’s carbon reduction targets. He raised some best practice models in other Local Authorities and suggested that the Council should have an SPD linked to a map of local energy potential and he noted some local low carbon leisure opportunities.

The Chair thanked the speaker for his comments and the Interim Forward Planning Manager confirmed a climate change supplementary planning document was being prepared and would be released for a 6 week city-wide consultation, before it was brought to a future Local Plan Working Group. 

The purpose of this report is to update Members on the Local Plan examination and progress made in relation to the schedule of further work as well as other outstanding work to be submitted. The report focuses on correspondence between the Council and Inspectors since December 2020.

Members considered a report which provided them with an update of the Local Plan examination and progress made in relation to the schedule of further work as well as other outstanding work to be submitted. The report focused on correspondence between the Council and Inspectors since December 2020.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection and the Interim Forward Planning Manager were in attendance to provide the update and answer any questions.

Officers referenced the work undertaken since the last report to this Committee and they explained how the Local Plan had progressed in response to the pandemic and in response to the requests made by the appointed Planning Inspectors.

The Interim Forward Planning Manager raised some key points, noting that:

·        The Habitat Regulation Assessment (HRA) had been completed and consultation with Natural England had taken place. She confirmed that the points raised and the proposed modifications, particularly in relation to Strensall Common, had been submitted to Inspectors.

·        An updated Green Belt Addendum report had been submitted in January 2021, which simplified and clarified the methodology that had been adopted for setting York’s Green Belt Boundaries.

·        A submission timetable of the TP1 Green Belt Addendum Annexes had been set and officers were working to complete the remaining annexes within the agreed timescales.

In response to Members’ questions, it was confirmed that:

·        The Inspectors had requested officers’ work with the DIO on a statement to common ground with Natural England and it was officers’ intentions to have this formulated and submitted as part of the examination process.

·        Officers would continue to liaise with the Inspectors to ensure work progressed and were deploying resources from within the council and using external organisations to ensure the timetable and the deadlines set for the submission of the Green Belt annexes were met.

·        Hearing sessions had taken place virtually and would continue to take place remotely.

·        That many polices within the Local Plan could be reviewed and refreshed during the examination process.

·        Withdrawing the Local Plan would result in the Council using standard methodology, which would not represent the best interests of the City or local residents.

·        The Government’s Planning White Paper and Devolution proposals could affect the Local Plan but would not hinder its progress at this stage.

Further discussions took place regarding the process to ensure the Inspectors requirements and the submission deadlines were met and concerns were raised regarding the future use of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks site in Strensall.  Officers confirmed that the Council were fully committed to progressing the Local Plan and they believed they could meet the schedule set.

The Chair recognised the challenges encountered when agreeing the Green Belt boundaries and he thanked officers for their update and for the work they had achieved during the pandemic.

Resolved: That the progress on the Examination of York’s Local Plan be noted.

Reason: To confirm that the Local Plan Working Group was aware of the current position on the Local Plan.

This report informs Members of the Examiner’s recommendations and the proposed additional Green Belt officer modifications to enable the Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to Referendum.

Members considered a report that presented the Examiner’s recommendations to the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan and proposed additional Green Belt officer modifications to enable the Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to Referendum.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection, the Interim Forward Planning Manager and a Development Officer were in attendance to update Members and answer any questions.

Members noted that the Neighbourhood Plan had concluded its examination with receipt of the Examiner’s report, attached at Annex A of the report and that further consultation held regarding proposed additional modifications pertaining to the Green Belt policies were attached at Annex B. Annex D set out the Council’s proposed response to the Examiner’s recommended modifications and the proposed additional officer recommended modifications to the plan.

The Development Officer thanked Huntington Parish Council and noted their hard work and dedication to produce a locally representative document. 

She confirmed that the Examiner had recommended to the Council that subject to the incorporation of his proposed modifications, as set out in Annex D, the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum. She highlighted the proposed additional officer recommendations and modifications in terms of the Green Belt, as noted in Annex B and D.

In terms of the Decision Statement, officers were satisfied that subject to the proposed modifications, the plan met the Basic Conditions and was compatible with the Convention rights and complied with the definition of a Neighbourhood Plan and the provisions that can be made by a Neighbourhood Plan.

Officers stated that the Council must organise a referendum on any Neighbourhood Plan that meets legislative requirements and that the decision whether to hold a referendum on the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan would be made at Executive on 18 March.

In response to Members questions regarding the referendum date, officers confirmed they would consult with colleagues in Electoral Services to determine if it could be held on 6 May 2021, the same day as the Police and Crime Commissioner Election.

Officers also confirmed that, if agreed by Executive, the Neighbourhood Plan would hold significant weight in the planning decision making process.

Huntington Parish Council, particularly Cllr Jobling, were thanked for all their hard work and commitment to producing an exemplary Neighbourhood Plan for Huntington.

Resolved: That Executive be recommended to:

(i)           Agree the Examiner’s modifications, the Examiner’s consequential minor modifications and the proposed additional Green Belt recommended modifications to the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan, as set out at Annex D to the report and that subject to those modifications the Neighbourhood Plan meets the Basic Conditions and other legislative requirements.

(ii)         Agree that the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan, as amended, proceeds to a local referendum based on the geographic boundary of the parish of Huntington as recommended by the Examiner.

(iii)        Approve the Decision Statement, attached at Annex D to the report, to be published on the City of York Council’s website.

Reason: To allow the Neighbourhood Plan to progress in line with     neighbourhood planning legislation.