Issue - meetings

Planning and Sustainability – (C-066-2020-21) - This report provides members with regular updates on the progress of Masterplans and Concept Frameworks within Epping Forest District to ensure that members are kept fully up to date.

That the progress of Masterplans and Concept Frameworks, including the use of Planning Performance Agreements and the progress of other proposals at pre-application and application stage be noted.

The Planning and Sustainability Portfolio Holder, Councillor Bedford introduced the report on the update of the implementation of the Local Plan.

He noted that this report provided members with an update on the progress of Strategic Masterplans, Concept Frameworks and Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs) within the District, including major projects and planning applications dealt with by the team.  Scheduled meetings and workshops were taking place with site promoters and developers in accordance with project plans agreed within PPAs, albeit virtually. Project programmes were being adjusted where necessary to account for the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular community engagement arrangements.

The Council had adopted the Interim Air Pollution Mitigation Strategy.  Following consultation on the draft strategy approved by Cabinet on 20 July 2020, Natural England had now confirmed that if the measures identified in the Interim Air Pollution Mitigation Strategy were secured through appropriate policy wording within the emerging Local Plan to provide the necessary link between the Habitat Regulations Assessment and the mitigation they consider that it could provide a sound strategy for the purposes of avoiding and mitigating air quality impacts on Epping Forest SAC that result from plan led development. The Council would be proposing Main Modifications to Policies DM 2 and DM 22 to the Inspector to address this matter and would be finalising the HRA to take account of the latest evidence.  Pending the adoption of the Local Plan the Council can adopt the strategy to support the Local Plan HRA process and facilitate the determination of planning applications which have the potential to have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Epping Forest SAC in relation to atmospheric pollution without mitigation.

Councillor Philip welcomed the renewal of the Quality Review Panel contract noting that this would be of benefit to the District and also lined up with the Governments drive for higher build quality. He asked when the appendix of allocated sites was updated as he thought the second site listed there had changed status since. Councillor Bedford said that he would have this checked out.

Councillor Janet Whitehouse asked about the South Epping Masterplan, noting that the ward councillors had not seen this as yet. Could they have a copy. Councillor Bedford noted that this was not yet in the public domain, but he would get officers to speak to her privately about this.

Decision:

That the progress of Masterplans and Concept Frameworks, including the use of Planning Performance Agreements and the progress of other proposals at pre-application and application stage was noted.

Reasons for Proposed Decision

To ensure that members were kept fully up to date on the progress of Masterplans and Concept Frameworks and other major proposals being promoted within the District.

Other Options for Action:

Not to update members on the progress on the above issues would be contrary to the commitment made by the Implementation Team as noted in the 18 October 2018 Cabinet Report.