Agenda item

This report provides an update on the consultation published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 3 December 2020 entitled ‘Supporting housing delivery and public service infrastructure’. The consultation runs until the 28 January 2021.

Resolved:

(i)           That the content of the report and annex 1 be noted.

(ii)         That the Council’s response, including the Executive Members comments, to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation be submitted by the Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection.

Reason: To enable the MHCLG to receive the Council’s overall response to the consultation.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided an update on the consultation published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 3 December 2020 entitled, ‘Supporting Housing Delivery and Public Service Infrastructure.’

The Corporate Director of Economy and Place, the Assistant Director of Planning and Sustainable Development and the Development Manager were in attendance to provide an update and respond to questions.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Sustainable Development confirmed that the MHCLG consultation sought views on a series of proposed measures that sought to support housing delivery, economic recovery and public service infrastructure. The Executive Member noted that specifically, the measures being consulted on were:

a.  A proposed new permitted development right for the change of use from Commercial, Business and Service use to residential to create new homes.

b.  Measures to support public service infrastructure through the planning system – extended permitted development rights for Schools, Colleges, Universities and Hospitals; with the right to also include prisons and in the future Ministry of Defence sites, and

c.   An approach to simplifying and consolidating existing permitted development rights following changes to the Use Classes Order.

The Development Manager addressed each main area of the consultation and he highlighted the Council’s draft responses to the questions, as noted in Annex 1 to the report.

The Executive Member thanked the general public, the Chamber of Commerce and Councillors for corresponding with him on this item and he highlighted his concerns and made a number of additional suggestions to be included, following discussion it was agreed that:

·        All elements of noise related impacts should be considered, not just commercial noise impacts. 

·        There was a need to respond to structural changes in the retail industry but that this should be properly planned to concentrate retail frontages and avoid the scenario where remaining shops and services were pepper-potted among residential uses.

·        The Council would be supportive of a new use class covering houses used for short-term letting and visitor holiday accommodation so that any gain to the housing stock from the proposed change of use delivers benefits to residents.

·        The scope for the re-purposing out of town retail should be subject to planning permission given the scale, surroundings and location of such uses.

·        The special character of York’s city centre was derived in part from the historic environment of its shopping streets and to not have suitable safeguards in place would be harmful to its character and appearance.

·        The special character of York’s Conservation Areas needed full consideration when assessing any approvals.

·        The Government’s stated aim of increasing the supply of housing through the permitted development right would only be delivered if it provided homes with a decent standard of amenity for future residents.

·        Relevant partner organisations should oversee the provision of medical/health facilities to avoid them being clustered in hard to reach places.

It was also noted that members of the public/consultees should be given sufficient time to fully consider public service applications.  This change would undermine public confidence in the planning process and should this aspect of the proposals be taken forward, the Council would want to see the detail of a system to require public service applicants to undertake meaningful pre-application consultation with the community.

The Executive Member thanked officers for their comprehensive review and confirmed he would also be writing to MHCLG to address specific concerns.

Resolved:

(i)           That the content of the report and annex 1 be noted.

(ii)         That the Councils response, including the Executive Members comments, to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation be submitted by the Assistant Director for Planning and Public Protection.

Reason: To enable the MHCLG to receive the Councils overall response to the consultation.