Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update on the ongoing work relating to the LDF Core Strategy, including the outcomes of the Core Strategy Preferred Options consultation.

Members considered a report which provided them with an update on the ongoing work relating to the LDF Core Strategy, including the outcomes of the Core Strategy Preferred Options consultation.

Annex A to the report provided a draft summary of the responses to the Core Strategy Preferred Options document and Annex B, which had been made available to Members, contained a full detailed summary of all the consultation responses. Officers advised that the feedback, alongside technical work would be used to inform the production of the Core Strategy pre-submission draft for the consideration of Members in Summer 2010. Members were then invited by Officers to comment on Annexes A and B.

Due to the volume of Annex B, the Chair advised that if any Members of the Committee felt that comments contained in Annex B should be considered for inclusion in Annex A, the Draft Consultation Summary, then they should email Officers with the details. Members proceeded to offer comments on the Officers report and Annex A.

Report.

• Paragraph 17(i) – Members commented that the way the percentages expressed are misleading and that while 52% felt York’s economy should grow by 1000 or more jobs, a similar but a much larger amount, 48 91% had suggested a 1000 or less lower amount would be preferable and the wording should reflect this. Members commented there were other examples of this throughout Annex A and Officers advised they would look into the matter.
• Members also requested a breakdown of the results by postcode to be shown on a map.
• Paragraph 19 – It would be useful for Members to have a bar chart or similar which outlined the timescales for producing the technical work. Officers confirmed that a chart could be produced and would be tabled with a future report to the LDF Working Group.

[As amended at the LDF Working Group meeting held on 5 July 2010]

Annex A – Core Strategy Preferred Options Draft Consultation – Summary.

Officers advised that Annex A and the current comments included in it are what they felt were ‘headline’ comments. The status of the comments included in Annex B are not diminished by not being included in Annex A and reiterated the Chairs advice to Members to email Officers with anything they wished to be included in Annex A. Members comments below are referenced by Section of Annex A:

Section 2 Consultation Documents.

• Para 2.1: Include web links to the original consultation documents.

Section 6 General and Key Diagram.

• Include comments from Government Office Yorkshire and Humber (GOYH) on deliverability and viability testing, as well as comments from others on air quality; emissions; and the Climate Change Act.

Section 9 Spatial Strategy.

• Spatial Principles -  In relation to agricultural land not being listed as an area of constraint, Members expressed their disappointment over this. Officers advised they are in continued talks with Natural England.
• Questions were raised regarding the flood maps used for the Spatial Strategy. Officers advised that maps which support the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment were currently being updated based on new information from the Environment Agency.

Section 10 The Role of York’s Green Belt.

• Members commented that a single comment from English Heritage regarding the safeguarding of York’s special character is not adequate and felt that this aspect  needs to be addressed further, in particular in reference to sites such as Whitehall Grange identified by map in Section 9.
•  In relation to the following sentence 6) under  ‘Do you think that the proposed lifespan of 20 years is appropriate?’ A Member considered that it was important to include additional comments made by GOYH.

Section 11 York City Centre.

• Members commented again on the way some of the percentage figures had been expressed, particularly in relation to the matter of shops being built on York Central.

Section 13 York’s Special Historic and Built Environment.

• Members had an in depth conversation regarding the matter of Design Policy in particular the matter of innovative design versus conservative design in a historic City such as York.
• Members discussed comments made about the need to identify the special qualities of York in determining the future development strategy for York.

Section14 Housing Growth, Distribution, Density, Mix and Type.

• Members queried where the statement of needing to increase the 36 additional pitch requirement by a factor of 6 had come from. Officers agreed to look into this.

Section 15 Access to Affordable Housing.

• Members discussed the matter of the supply of affordable housing in particular the need to promote mixed communities and for developers to provide housing rather than cash payments as at the moment they are concerned it is not happening. Other Members commented that it is important to retain flexibility at this stage and not to rule out any options at stage one.
• Officers agreed to circulate a breakdown of the levels of support for Options detailed at 9b, page 55 of the agenda.
• Under the heading ‘Other Issues’, page 56,, Officers agreed to look into where the comment contained at number 2 had come from.

Section 17 Future Economic Growth.

• Members commented that provision for industrial land would need to be looked at. In particular B1c and B2 uses need to have the option to develop in locations other than in existing industrial buildings.

Section 19 Sustainable Transport.

• Members asked officers to amend the questionnaire box to indicate that only some parts of question 16 were relevant to section 19 on transport.

Section 20 Green Infrastructure.

• On the deliverability of Green Infrastructure, a Member queried why an SPD may not be the best vehicle for a Green Infrastructure policy. Officers confirmed this was a technical issue and they are still in discussions with relevant bodies such as Natural England and Sport England to identify the best approach.

Section 21 Resource Efficiency.

• A Member expressed concern over the 10% Renewable Energy Target.
• A Member requested that comments on biomass boilers and air quality were included.

Section 22 Flood Risk.

• A Member queried whether foul water flooding had been addressed under ‘Policy and General Approach’ as it is known there is a problem with this in some areas of York.

Section 25 Delivering New Infrastructure.

• A Member highlighted comments from  National Grid, Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire Forward that may be of importance. Officers agreed to review the relevant section in Annex B.

Section 27

• Members questioned how sustainability Appraisal comments would be integrated into the production of the Core Strategy pre-submission draft. Officers said that a clear audit trail would be provided for Members at the next stage.

RESOLVED: (i)That Members noted the comments received from    consultees in response to the Preferred Options consultation and noted the next steps in developing the Core Strategy.

                     (ii) That Officers will circulate revisions to Annex A and Members to email any further comments to Officers as soon as possible.¹

REASON:                  To keep Members informed of the consultation responses and the next stage of the Core Strategy production.