Agenda item

To answer questions asked after notice in accordance with the provisions contained in paragraph 9.3 of the Council Procedure Rules of the Constitution on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the District:

(a)           to the Leader of the Council;

(b)           to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee; or

(c)          to any Portfolio Holder.

Questions, if any, will follow if not received in time to be incorporated into the agenda.

(a)        Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation

(i)         By Mr G Osen, Chigwell Residents’ Association to Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

In the absence of Mr G Osen, by leave of the Council, the following question was asked by Mr E Bow, Chairman of the Chigwell Residents’ Association

“ Does the Council generally consider and/or implement the views of the Local Plan inspector?”

Response by Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

“The new Local Plan will be subject to an Examination in Public conducted by an independent Inspector who will review the evidence gathered by the Council and decide whether or not the plan is sound.

         The examination process provides the opportunity to respond to the views of the Inspector once he has the opportunity to form an opinion”.

(ii)        By Mr G Osen, Chigwell Residents’ Association to Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

In the absence of Mr G Osen, by leave of the Council, the following question was asked by Mr E Bow, Chairman of the Chigwell Residents’ Association

“The Local Plan inspector has previously stated that Chigwell Brook Valley is strategically important (i.e. 'the  potential loss of this area of Green Belt for residential development would have  a significant impact on the setting of the Chigwell Brook Valley').  Therefore as development on CHG-D would destroy this area of Green Belt will this result in it being removed from the draft Plan?”

Response by Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

“The question is not specific about which previous Inspector is referred to, so it is difficult to comment further.  However, the position at a national and regional level has changed since the last Inspector’s report into Local Plan Alterations in 2006.

The current process is undertaking the comprehensive review of available sites suggested by the Inspector in that report.

If Mr Osen would like to provide some further details we will endeavour to provide a more specific answer”.

Supplementary Question from Mr Bow

Mr Bow asked the Portfolio Holder if he agreed that the housing proposals for the Chigwell Brook Valley as set out in the Local Plan consultation document would have a huge impact and destroy that area.

Reply to the supplementary question from Councillor Bassett

Councillor Bassett emphasised that the consultation to date had been on all the issues and options identified.  He said that he was aware that there had been many responses from Chigwell residents and he would like to take this opportunity to thank those who had responded.  He continued that the current list of issues and options would now be considered by members in a series of workshops and at that stage councillors would be able to stress points made by respondents to the recent consultation exercise.  Councillor Bassett stated that this could then result in the removal of sites which were not considered suitable or which might cause problems for the community.  He repeated that at this stage no decisions had been made with respect to any sites.

(iii)       By Mr E Bow, Chairman of Chigwell Residents’ Association to Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

“(1) Is it appropriate to include Green Belt sites not put forward by owners in the Local Plan when brownfield sites owned by the Council have not been included? Why?

(2)        Does the Council consider that sites under multiple ownership and not listed in the call for sites by owners are deliverable under the Local Plan?”

Reply from Councillor Bassett, Planning Portfolio Holder

“At this stage the Council has undertaken a consultation on the Issues and Options stage of the Local Plan preparation.  Sites identified by the Strategic Land Availability Assessment formed a significant part of the evidence on which this consultation document was based.  As part of this process all land owners/agents were invited to tell the Council whether they would object to or support the development of their land.  I am not sure which Council-owned brownfield sites Mr Bow feels have been omitted.  If he could clarify I will provide a more specific response.

A detailed assessment is now being undertaken to assess the deliverability of the sites based on the evidence gathered during the consultation.  Clearly land within single ownership will probably be easier to develop than land under multiple ownership”.

Supplementary Question from Mr Bow to Councillor Bassett

Mr Bow drew the attention of the Portfolio Holder to the views of Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners in relation to the Glebelands and Vicarage Lane sites and asked why these had been included as one site in the consultation document. 

Reply to the supplementary question from Councillor Bassett

Councillor Bassett advised that he would need to speak to Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners in order to provide an answer to such a detailed question.  He undertook to send Mr Bow a written reply following discussions with them.  The Portfolio Holder pointed out however that account would need to be taken of such things as assessability and suitability for development.  He emphasised that the aim had been to provide the public with sufficient information about sites to enable them to make meaningful responses.