Issue - meetings

(Planning & Governance Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-008-2017/18).

That the following be noted:

(a)      the findings of the Draft Local Plan Consultation; and

(b)      current progress in relation to the production of the Local Plan.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder, setting out the findings of the Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan Consultation that had been undertaken in late 2016, in accordance with the Council’s agreed Statement of Community Involvement. The Portfolio Holder reminded members that an interim analysis of the results of the consultation exercise had been considered by the Cabinet in March 2017.

Members were advised that the Council had received a large number of representations to the Draft Local Plan Consultation, from a wide range of stakeholders.  The Portfolio Holder reported that a detailed analysis of the comments received had now been completed and presented a summary of the key issues raised, which provided both quantitative and qualitative analysis and the Council’s response to each issue. Members noted that the full analysis of the responses to the consultation was available as a published background paper to the report of the Portfolio Holder, which also detailed the most frequent comments made in all forms of response to the consultation.

The Cabinet noted that, since the end of the period for the site selection process used to inform the Draft Local Plan, a significant number of additional ‘new’ residential sites had been put forward for consideration in the finalisation of the Local Plan. Members were advised that some landowners/site promoters had also requested changes to the boundaries of residential sites, that many amended residential sites were also now to be assessed and that three sites had been withdrawn from consideration. The Portfolio Holder reported that a process of further detailed assessment of potential sites would now be commenced, taking into account comments received through the Draft Local Plan consultation, which would result in a further site selection process. The Cabinet was advised that the site selection methodology would be published on the Council’s website, but that it was not currently possible to indicate whether any sites proposed for allocation in the Draft Local Plan would change as a result of this process. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that the Council was committed to assessing and evaluating all site options consistently and robustly, in accordance with its agreed methodology and national planning policy guidance.

The Portfolio Holder reported that, as part of the finalisation of the new Local Plan, the Council was required to produce a Consultation Statement setting out how it had involved local communities, stakeholders and statutory bodies in the formulation of the Local Plan. Members noted that the Consultation Statement would provide a summary of the main issues raised by the Regulation 18 consultation and how representations had been taken into account in the plan preparation process. The Cabinet was advised that member and local council workshops would remain an ongoing part of this process.

As part of the report of the Portfolio Holder, the Cabinet also received an update on the current position in relation to the completion of the Local Plan. The Cabinet was advised that the Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan was due to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25

(Planning Policy Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-068-2016/17).

(1)        That the initial findings of the Draft Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation be noted;

(2)        That the progression of the Draft Local Plan to Pre-Submission publication under Regulation 19 of the Local Plan Regulations 2012 be agreed; and

(3)        That the updated Local Development Scheme included within this reported be agreed and published on the Council’s website.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy presented a report on the Draft Local Plan, Regulation 18 consultation.

The Portfolio Holder updated members on the progress of the Draft Local Plan by providing high level findings from the Regulation 18 consultation that took place between 31 October 2016 and 12 December 2016.  The Council had received a large number of representations from a wide range of stakeholders. The findings from the questionnaire responses were set out in Appendix A  of the report which was the Feedback Interim Report from Remarkable.  It should be noted that this was an initial indication of the responses, based on the results of the multiple choice questions online and the hard-copy questionnaires only. It was therefore representative of around half of the respondents to the consultation.  Initial analysis of the responses from statutory consultees, Parish and Town Councils had also been undertaken.  Many of these were supportive of the overall vision and objectives of the Plan, the provision for additional affordable housing and the scale of growth being proposed.  The main concerns and issues identified so far through consultation analysis of these responses included:

-       Concern that the infrastructure requirements for the development proposed was not met particularly with respect to the capacity of the Central Line, education provision and health provision;

-       The proposed distribution of growth across the District;

-       Concern over the potential loss of managed open space and leisure facilities;

-       Impact on the roads/traffic congestion;

-       Loss of local identity and character and potential for coalescence; and

-       Proposed alterations to the Green Belt boundary.

The Portfolio Holder advised that a more detailed analysis of all responses received, including consideration of findings on an area basis, was still to be undertaken and will form the basis of a further report which would be presented at a future meeting.

The Portfolio Holder advised that agreement was sought to an updated Local Development Scheme (LDS), the high level project plan for the preparation of the Epping Forest District Local Plan. The proposed new scheme would supersede the earlier Local Development Scheme agreed in July 2016, with the preparation of the single District wide Local Plan scheduled for submission to the Secretary of State for examination in May 2018.

The Portfolio Holder addressed some of the concerns by the Public Speakers and advised that the Council had commissioned new work to update the open space playing pitch and indoor sports facilities information working with Sport England. The Environment Agency have misunderstood our Draft Local Plan as no sites have been proposed for allocation in any area higher than a flood risk zone 1.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the Council was successful (together with East Herts and Harlow Councils) in securing £500,000 Garden Towns funding from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town to support the delivery of strategic sites in and around Harlow. This included the four strategic sites to the South, West and East  ...  view the full minutes text for item 141