Issue - meetings

This report presents a revised timetable for preparation of the York Central Area Action Plan (AAP) and seeks approval to appoint consultants to produce an Issues and Options document and carry out public consultation relating to this.

Members considered a report which informed them of the revised timetable for the preparation of a York Central Area Action Plan (AAP) and sought approval to appoint consultants to prepare an Issues and Options document.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the revised timetable for the preparation of the York Central Area Action Plan be noted.

                        (ii)        That the appointment of Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners to produce the Issues and Options document, and carry out public consultation related to this, be approved.

REASON:      The appointment of a planning consultant to carry out this work is needed to deliver the shortened AAP programme.

                        (iii)       That the preparation of Interim Planning Guidance (IPG) be discontinued.

REASON:      The need for IPG has been superseded by the production of the Issues and Options document.

Members considered a report which informed them of the revised timetable for the preparation of a York Central Area Action Plan (AAP) and sought approval to appoint consultants to prepare an Issues and Options document.

Following a review of the current AAP programme, it was considered that, subject to the availability of funding from Yorkshire Forward (YF), the timescale could be reduced by a maximum of 8 months.  However, this was dependent upon carrying out the first stage, the Issues and Options document, by Christmas.  YF had agreed to fund a planning consultant to undertake this work, which would need to start immediately in order to meet the key milestones in the revised project plan, attached as Annex 1 to the report.  Tenders for this work had been invited and the four submissions received had been evaluated on price and against the tender specification.  Although none of the tenders fully met all requirements, two were considered capable of achieving the desired outcome within the available time.  Of these, Nathanial Lichfield and Partners was preferred, as offering a better response to public consultation issues and better value for money overall.

Members welcomed the additional funding from Yorkshire Forward and the emphasis on consultation indicated by the recommended consultants.  It was noted that public consultation was now likely to take place in the autumn and a developer appointed in March of next year.  The fact that the development would bring 6,000 new jobs to York was particularly welcome in view of the potential job losses at British Sugar.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the revised timetable for the preparation of the York Central Area Action Plan be noted.

                        (ii)        That the appointment of Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners to produce the Issues and Options document, and carry out public consultation related to this, be approved.

REASON:      The appointment of a planning consultant to carry out this work is needed to deliver the shortened AAP programme.

                        (iii)       That the preparation of Interim Planning Guidance (IPG) be discontinued.

REASON:      The need for IPG has been superseded by the production of the Issues and Options document.