Agenda and minutes

At this point, members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Watt declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 3 (Minute 3 refers) as he managed an industrial unit on Clifton Moor, was on Skelton Parish Council, and was a member of Skelton Village Design Statement steering group.

Cllr Moore declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 3 (Minute 3 refers) as chair of Skelton Village Design Statement steering group and Director of Clifton Moor Business Association.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak, regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the remit of the Working Group, may do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00 pm on Monday 9 July 2007.

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

Mr Warters addressed the committee regarding the Open Space Study agenda item from the last meeting. Mr Warters stated that there was increasing pressure on green space in York due to an increasing population, and that in York’s urban east area there was a sufficient deficiency in open space. He highlighted that in Osbaldwick there was a 50 acre wildlife site which had been missed and that Osbaldwick residents were trying to register the site as a village green to protect it. Mr Warters asked Members to support their application.

This report advises Members of the production of Stage One of the Employment Land Review (ELR) we have commissioned as a key part of the Evidence base to support our Local Development Framework. It has been prepared by economic development consultants, SQW.  The Stage One study is attached as Annex A to this report. The detailed Annexes that accompany the Stage One study will be available to view ahead of the meeting in the Members Library, in Guildhall Reception and from the author of this report. Members are asked to approve this document for publication as part of the LDF evidence base.

Members considered a report which advised Members of the production of Stage One of the Employment Land Review (ELR) commissioned as a key part of the Evidence base to support the Local Development Framework. It had been prepared by economic development consultants, SQW.  The Stage One study was attached as Annex A to this report. Members were asked to approve this document for publication as part of the LDF evidence base.

Members had two options relating to the Stage 1 Report of the Employment Land Review:

Option 1: To approve the Stage 1 Report, attached as Annex A, for publication as part of the Local Development Framework evidence base;

Option 2: To seek amendments to the Stage 1 Report through recommendations of the LDF Working Group, or request further work from SQW and/or officers.  This would be over and above the budget allocated for SQW’s commission.

Members received a presentation from the consultants SQW Consulting which covered the following areas:

• Purpose of the study
• Current SQW Study 2006/07
• Regional Economic and Spatial Strategies
• Site Survey of 36 allocated and potential employment sites
• Employment Forecasts
• Science City York (SCY)
• Implications for York’s LDF

Members discussed the quality and possible refurbishment of office space at Clifton Moor, the omission of environmental constraints in the report e.g. housing and transport links, the omission of tourism in the report, the need to make existing employment areas more attractive, and the impact of CYC imposing SCY planning conditions for development on high quality site.

Members requested that officers investigate further into the space per head figure of 15 for the city centre, as detailed in paragraph 4.3 of the Stage 1 Final Report, and conduct a sampling of offices in York to see how accurate this figure was.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That, subject to the recommendations of this Working Group, the proposed Stage 1 Study of the Employment Land Review, included as Annex A to this report, be approved for publication as part of the Local Development Framework evidence base.

REASON: So that the Stage 1 Study of the Employment Land Review  can be used as part of the Local Development Framework evidence base.

(ii) That the making of any other necessary changes arising from the recommendation of the LDF Working Group, prior to its publication as part of the Local Development Framework evidence base be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member for City Strategy.

REASON: So that any recommended changes can be incorporated into the Stage 1 Study of the Employment Land Review.

This report presents Members with findings from the 2007 Strategic Housing Market Assessment undertaken by Fordham Research during the last 6 months and, with reference to this comprehensive study of housing in York, highlights the key issues for the City Council to consider in progressing the current Local Development Framework (LDF) programme.

Members considered a report which presented Members with findings from the 2007 Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) undertaken by Fordham Research during the last 6 months and, with reference to this comprehensive study of housing in York, highlighted the key issues for the City Council to consider in progressing the current Local Development Framework (LDF) programme.

Members received a presentation from the consultants Fordham Research which covered the following areas:

• Why undertake a SHMA
• Demographics
• Housing Market
• Financial Situation
• Need for Affordable Housing
• Profiles of particular groups of people
• Rural Areas
• Policy Implications

Members discussed the growth in the private rented sector, the rise in the number of flats being built in York, the higher demand for houses rather than flats, and the need for more affordable housing.

The following amendments were agreed:

• Wording of Paragraph 1.22 be amended
• Paragraph 1.32 be amended to make figures more clearer
• Paragraph 1.41 be deleted
• Map under Paragraph 1.10 be amended to show the suburban area more accurately, in particular around Haxby.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That, subject to the recommendations of this Working Group, the 2007 Strategic Housing Market Assessment be published as part of the LDF Evidence Base.

REASON: To inform decisions on the market and affordable housing mix policy options for York.

(ii)               That the making of any other necessary changes arising from the recommendation of the LDF Working Group, to include the impact of social policy and taxation policy on affordable housing, prior to its publication as part of the LDF Evidence Base, be delegated to the Director of City Strategy, in consultation with the Executive Member for City Strategy. 

REASON: So that any recommended changes can be incorporated into the 2007 SHMA prior to its publication.

(iii)             That it be recommended to CYC Planning Committee that they endorse the use of the SHMA study for development control purposes, in terms of agreeing the most appropriate housing tenure, size and type on individual sites, therefore replacing the 2006 SHMA Study.

REASON: In order to help create mixed and balanced communities and to maximise opportunities for providing good quality affordable housing in the city.