Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, 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 asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of business on the agenda. No additional interests were declared. 

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Wednesday 24 September 2014.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

“Please note this meeting will be filmed and webcast and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

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/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

It was reported that there had been six registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, and that one Member of Council had also requested to speak in relation to the City of York Local Plan Publication Draft.

Martin Hawthorne, spoke on behalf of the Tees Valley Housing Association, in relation to housing site SF14 at Earswick. He referred to the missed opportunity if part of this site was not allocated for housing, particularly as the Trust considered that any transport issues could be mitigated with infrastructure improvements and that the site could be proven to be viable and deliverable. He asked for the site not to be allocated as safeguarded and for further discussions with Members and Officers to enable the site to be included in the Plan which would include 50% affordable housing.

Colin Valentine spoke on behalf of Rufforth with Knapton Parish Council regarding the late inclusion in the Plan of GT1: Land at Moor Lane for a Gypsy and Traveller site. He stated that the site failed to meet the Council’s own selection criteria for Gypsy and Traveller sites, particularly as it was adjacent to the landfill site at Harewood Whin. He also referred to the Council’s duty of care to future residents and of the need to protect the green corridor in the Green Belt.

Cllr Steward spoke on behalf of Helen Butterworth from Rufforth with Knapton Parish Council in relation toSite RE3:772 allocated for a Solar Farm at Knapton Moor. The Parish Council felt that this was an inappropriate use in the Green Belt and in the green corridor in to York mentioned by the earlier speaker. They requested the removal of this site from the Local Plan.

Alan Charlesworth, spoke on behalf of the Earswick Action Group, who questioned the robustness of the Local Plan, in its present form. He made reference to the 14,000 comments received and to the myth relating to land referenced as ‘safeguarded’ which appeared to give it protection. He also raised concerns regarding the impact of proposed developments on the infrastructure, pointing out that special circumstances needed to be proven for development in the Green Belt. He confirmed that whilst Earswick residents had no objections to housing development it was the scale proposed that was of concern which would affect the character of the village. An invitation was made to Cabinet Members and Officers to attend a public meeting in the village on Monday 13 October.

Jennifer Hubbard, spoke on behalf of a number local developers, confirming the need for a sound Local Plan which required the inclusion of deliverable small and medium housing sites. She referred to the timescales involved in both the planning and building of properties, particularly in relation to larger sites and to the risks if the authority were unable to deliver the proposed housing numbers. She also made a request to reinstate land north of Escrick in the Plan, which already had the support of Officers,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

This report asks Members to consider whether the Local Plan Publication Draft and Proposals Map should be published for statutory consultation in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012 (SI2012/767). The minutes of the Local Plan Working Group meeting of 22 September 2014 will be circulated, prior to the meeting.

Resolved:  That Cabinet agree to:

(i)        Approve the Local Plan Publication Draft (attached as Annex A), along with supporting information for public consultation in accordance with Regulation 19 of the 2012 Regulations subject to the following amendments circulated at the Cabinet meeting:

·        Amendments tabled at the LPWG meeting on 22 September 2014

·        Amendments raised at the LPWG meeting on 22 September 2014 and the

·        Additional list of amendments circulated at the Cabinet meeting.

(ii)      Instruct officers to prepare a report for Full Council on the outcomes of this consultation along with a recommendation regarding whether it is appropriate to submit the Publication Draft for public examination pursuant to Section 20 of the 2004 Act.

(iii)   Delegate to the Director of City and Environmental Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member the making of any incidental changes to the Publication Draft prior to consultation that are necessary as a result of the recommendations of Cabinet.

(iv) Delegate to the Director of CES in consultation with the Cabinet Member the approval of a consultation strategy and associated  documents.

Reason:  (i)&(ii)  So that an NPPF compliant Local Plan can be progressed.

(iii)           So that changes recommended as a result of discussions at this meeting can be made

(iv)           To ensure that the proposed methods of consultation are satisfactory to Members and compliant with the 2012 Regulations and Statement of Community Involvement.

Members considered a report which asked them to consider whether the Local Plan Publication Draft and Proposals Map, at Annex A should be published for statutory consultation in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012.

Officers confirmed that the Plan aimed to deliver sustainable patterns and forms of development to support the delivery of the city’s economic, environmental and social objectives. This included the promotion of economic growth through the creation of 13,000 jobs across the plan period and meeting the housing needs of the city with the provision of 996 dwellings per year.

Consideration was also given to the following additional documents circulated at the meeting:

·        Draft minutes of the Local Plan Working Group meeting, held on 22 September 2014

·        List of amendments to the Draft Local Plan document, tabled at the Local Plan Working Group meeting, 22 September 2014 (copy attached to these minutes)

·        List of amendments raised at the Local Plan Working Group meeting, 22 September 2014 (copy attached to these minutes)

·        List of amendments circulated at the Cabinet meeting, 25 September 2014 (copy attached to these minutes)

·        Representations received from Jane Widgery, a Strensall resident, in relation to housing site H30 at Strensall

·        Representations received from Andrew Waller, of Acomb relating to site H9 (off Foxwood Lane), Our Lady’s School site, Bachelor Hill and the former Lowfield School site.

In relation to points made by speakers earlier in the meeting, the Chair acknowledged that it would have been preferable to have consensus between the Groups regarding housing figures however this had not been possible. He reiterated that the city required a Local Plan setting out a long term vision for the area in order to prevent an unplanned approach to development and to define a permanent Green Belt for York.

The Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Planning and Sustainability made a presentation to the meeting in which he confirmed that the Plan should operate to encourage and not impede sustainable growth and he outlined the timetable for the Plans production. He explained the various drivers and shapers involved in the Plan together with details of the approach taken to the Green Belt. He confirmed that the Plan needed to be viable and deliverable and reported on work undertaken to ensure that any investment in transport infrastructure would deliver the growth ambition for the city.

Officers went on to make the following comments in relation to earlier speaker’s comments:

·        With regard to the Escrick site, on the boundary between York/Selby, as Selby District Council were not at an advanced stage with their Local Plan, it was not possible to ascertain, at this stage, if the site could be progressed. The site had therefore been safeguarded at this stage.

·        Housing site SF14 at Earswick had been evaluated and although it met some criteria, it had not met all so this site had also been safeguarded at the present time.

·        The Authority had a duty to meet the needs of the Gypsy,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.