Decision details

Purpose of report: The Core Strategy is part of the Local Development Framework (LDF), the plan for the future of York up until 2030.

The Core Strategy will be the first development plan document produced by the Council under the new planning system. It will set out the overall vision and strategy for the LDF as a whole and any delay will result in a significant risk of further delays to subsequent LDF documents. It is anticipated that a city-wide public consultation on the preferred options document will take place in May/June time, with a submission draft following later this year and adoption in 2010.

Members are asked to: Approve the Core Strategy preferred options document for the purpose of public consultation, taking into account the Minutes recorded at LDF Working Group meetings on this issue.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the view of the LDF Working Group in respect of housing demand numbers, which was also endorsed by Council, be supported; namely, that the numbers that central government wishes to see incorporated into the Local Development Framework are deeply flawed, as they fail to recognise that:

·        it will be many years before housing demand will return to pre-recession levels;

·        windfall sites will continue to arise in the City and these will go some way to meeting demand over the next 20 years at least;

·        the City cannot continue to expand at a rate of an additional 850 homes indefinitely as this will fundamentally change the character and setting of York and the surrounding area;

and in addition the density assumptions, for the last 5 years of the plan, fail to recognise the impact that the needs of smaller and single person family units will have on the demand for different types of property.

                        (ii)        That the threat to develop green belt land, particularly in the areas near Huntington and Osbaldwick, which could be a consequence of central government failing to modify its policies, be noted.

(iii)             That, therefore:

a.      The draft LDF Core Strategy Preferred Options document be approved for the purposes of public consultation, subject to being amended to include questions for consultees that address the recommendation of the LDF Working Group, which can be used as evidence to support the challenge to Government on York’s housing targets and the current rules that prohibit the inclusion of ‘windfalls’ in delivering the City’s future housing supply.

b.      Authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to make any incidental changes to the draft document that are necessary as a result of the recommendations of the LDF Working Group, as endorsed by the Executive.

c.      Authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve the full sustainability to accompany the Preferred Options document consultation.

d.      Authority be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member for City Strategy, to approve a Consultation Strategy and associated documents.

REASON:      In order to address the concerns of residents and Members regarding the protection of green belt land in the City and to enable the Local Development Framework Core Strategy to be progressed to the next stage.