Agenda item

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, Roma and Traveller community which included the identification of suitable sites. The proposed site at Moor Lane, Rufforth had been put forward by the landowner and both Highways and Environmental Protection considered the site suitable. As the whole site would not be required, landscaping works would be undertaken and the green corridor would be retained.

·        Confirmation that neither 575 nor 800 homes per year would, on the basis of the Council’s evidence base, be considered sufficient to ensure that the Local Plan would be considered sound on examination.

Members confirmed the need to adopt a Local Plan and, in particularly a Green Belt for the city, to ensure that the local authority were not vulnerable through planning applications to an unplanned approach and inappropriate development. They also reiterated the importance of providing homes in the city for local people.

The Chair confirmed that a full city wide leaflet drop would be undertaken as part of the consultation process and that, following approval of the Publication Draft, the document would be subject to a six week consultation period commencing on 13 October 2014.

Following further discussion it was

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.