Agenda item

(Planning Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (LPC-001-2012/13).

(1)        That the “Statement of Community Involvement” be approved for public consultation;

(2)        That, prior to publication, the Portfolio Holder for Planning be authorised to agree any further minor amendments which might be necessary; and

(3)        That the consultation period be commenced on Monday 30 July 2012 and run for 8 weeks until Friday 21 September 2012.

The Assistant Director for Planning (Policy & Conservation) presented a report on the Statement of Community Involvement for the Local Plan.

The Cabinet Committee was informed that the Statement of Community Involvement outlined the different processes that would be engaged by the Council when determining a planning application or preparing a Local Plan. The document outlined how the Council would consult and engage with both statutory and general consultees throughout the delivery of the Local Plan. It also gave an indication of how people could get involved at each stage of the process and where to find supporting information. The Assistant Director highlighted that the consultation period was actually proposed to start on Monday 30 July for 8 weeks, not 8 July as stated in the report.

The Director of Planning & Economic Development added that the Statement was part of the process of being open and transparent with the public. The Assistant Director explained that the volume of paperwork precluded printed copies of every document being available, and hence everything had been published to the Council’s website. However, copies would be available for public viewing at both the Civic Offices and local libraries. The Chairman also assured the Cabinet Committee that a series of Local Plan Road Shows would be held around the District in September.

Some concern was expressed about part of the consultation period being conducted during the summer holidays. It was highlighted that the proposed eight-week consultation period was two weeks longer than the statutory minimum, and that all the requisite documents would be available for viewing before the official consultation period begun. These documents had been included as part of the published agenda for this meeting in a near final form. The Cabinet Committee was informed that stages one and two in the Statement – Evidence Gathering and Issues & Options Preparation – had been completed and that the Council was about to embark on stage three – First Public Consultation (Issues & Options). There was some concern about the Planning Inspectorate potentially taking up to twelve months to make a decision upon the soundness of the Council’s Local Plan. The Chairman stated that this issue had been raised at a recent conference, and it was a worry that the Planning Inspectorate could be inundated with Local Plans to examine. The Assistant Director stated that some discussions had already taken place with the Planning Inspectorate regarding the timetable.

Some of the Members present were worried about the level of development proposed by some of the options within the Strategic Land Availability Assessment. It was emphasised again that the Assessment only indicated the land available for development within the District, and that no decisions had yet been made about which sites would be chosen for further expansion. The final draft of the Local Plan would be agreed by the full Council before being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for approval, which was still intended to be in the autumn of 2013.

Decision:

(1)        That the “Statement of Community Involvement” be approved for public consultation;

(2)        That, prior to publication, the Portfolio Holder for Planning be authorised to agree any further minor amendments which might be necessary; and

(3)        That the consultation period be commenced on Monday 30 July 2012 and run for 8 weeks until Friday 21 September 2012.

Reasons for Decision:

To publish the Statement of Community Involvement for public consultation and meet the statutory requirements for the preparation of a Local Plan.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not publish the  Statement of Community Involvement for consultation.

To agree an alternative consultation period but which still meets the statutory minimum of six weeks.