Decision details

Purpose of Report: The report will provide members with an update on Local Plan progress since the previous report to Executive in January 2017.

The Executive will be asked to consider progress on the Local Plan since the previous report to Executive in January 2017.

Resolved:  That the Executive agrees:

(i)           That on the basis of the housing analysis set out in paragraphs 82 - 92 of the report, the increased figure of 867 dwellings per annum, based on the latest revised sub national population and household projections published by the Office for National Statistics and the Department of Communities and Local Government, be accepted.

That the recommendation prepared by GL Hearn in the draft Strategic Housing Market Assessment, to apply a further 10% to the above figure for market signals (to 953 dwellings per annum), is not accepted on the basis that Hearn’s conclusions were speculative and arbitrary, rely too heavily on recent short-term unrepresentative trends and attach little or no weight to the special character and setting of York and other environmental considerations.

(ii)              That the employment land requirement included, arising from the draft ELR Addendum (Annex 2), be considered and agreed as the evidence base upon which the Local Plan should be progressed.

(iii)        That the increased figure to 867 dwellings per annum, be met by the  changes to sites within Table 4 (page 21 of the report) and by the following changes to sites from Table 5 (page 22 of the report),  the inclusion of Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Imphal Barracks, Nestle South, Grove House and the former Clifton Without Primary School, the deletion of Heworth Green North (H25) and Whiteland Field, Haxby (H54) and the change from a housing site to an employment site of Poppleton Garden Centre. The rest of the changes included in table 5 should not be included.

That the changes to employment sites highlighted in Table 6 (page 25 of the report) be accepted and to accept the following changes to sites listed inTable 7 (page 25 of the report) – the changes to York Central, the inclusion of Towthorpe Lines and Whitehall Grange, the inclusion of ST19 Land at Northminster Business Park based on the Preferred Sites Consultation (2016) position and the deletion of site ST6 – Land at Grimston  Bar. The rest of the changes included in table 7 should not be included (the refers to the proposed extensions at ST26 and ST27 and two new sites listed).

(iv)        That the revised policy approach to Gypsy and Traveller provision highlighted within the report and Annex 9 be agreed.

(v)         That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader to approve all housing and employment growth related policies (including site specific planning principles) and the non housing and employment site related policy modifications at schedule (Annex 7) in accordance with the approved evidence base.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings.

(vi)        That the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, be delegated to approve changes to the non-site related policy modifications schedule (Annex 7) following the completion of viability work.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings.

(vii)      That following the approval of the evidence base and policy in relation to housing and employment, authority be given to the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader to produce a composite draft Local Plan for the purposes of consultation.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings.

(viii)     That the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader be delegated the signing-off of further technical reports and assessments to support the draft Local Plan including, but not limited to the SA/ SEA, Viability Study and Transport Assessment.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings

(ix)        That the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader be delegated authority to approve a consultation strategy and associated material for the purposes of a city wide consultation starting in September 2017 and to undertake consultation on a composite plan in accordance with that agreed strategy.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings

(x)         That the Assistant Director of Planning and Public Protection in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader be delegated authority to approve a revised Local Development Scheme as per the timetable highlighted in paragraphs 98 to 101 of the report.

That the Leader and Deputy Leader keep Group Leaders informed through Group Leaders meetings.

Reason:    So that an NPPF compliant Local Plan can be progressed.