Agenda item

The Service Director for Planning presented the Borough Local Plan update, advising members of requests for further information received from the inspector. Responses were provided by the Council and the fulfilment of its duty to cooperate was acknowledged by the inspector. Additional work had been requested and the intention was for officers to submit the required information by 30^th September if not before. A set of modifications to the plan would subsequently be agreed and go out for consultation for a six-week period.

Cllr Edgington-Plunkett wondered about the implications in relation to supplying the additional information requested in the required timeframe.

The Service Director for Planning advised that the Council was relying on external parties who had been identified and contacted. Officers would submit what was deemed appropriate based on the information received and the inspector would let them know if further information was needed.

Cllr Grocott asked if there were any alternatives to the use of green belt as suggested in the plan.

The Service Director for Planning responded that one of the questions the inspector had asked was if the Council was comfortable that the amount of land taken out of the green belt was appropriate and fully justified, which officers were endeavouring to positively respond to.

Cllr Gordon asked if the inspector had issued any recommendations in favour of taking some sites off the draft Plan in addition to any information requested.

The Service Director for Planning confirmed that there were certain sites that the inspector suggested to remove the Plan. As sufficient buffer had been included in the Plan to account for this possibility, looking for additional sites wouldn’t be necessary when following the recommendation.

Cllr Holland shared his confidence that the report received was to be perceived positively as it was rare for a local plan to be adopted without any corrections  and the take away was that the Plan was sound and would pass the inspection with the introduction of a few modifications. The fulfilment of the Council’s duty to cooperate had been successfully demonstrated which was a big plus.

The Deputy Leader added that it was a very encouraging report and that the inspector was on the Council’s side willing to see the Plan to go through.

Cllr Gorton raised the fact that national planning policy was undergoing changes and wondered if the grey belt concept which was brought up at a meeting he recently attended had been mentioned by the inspector.

The Service Director for Planning advised that the grey belt was introduced in the last iteration of National Planning Policy Framework which did not apply to the Plan and may be of interest for future plans only.

Cllr Holland added that a sound local plan would give protection to the green belt as currently defined and ensure that inappropriate development would not be permitted in the future regardless of any evolution of the grey belt concept.

Resolved:     That the update on the progress of developing a new Local Plan for the Borough be noted.

Watch the debate here