Agenda and draft minutes

To approve as correct the notes of the meetings of the PDAG held on 13 July and 1 August 2017

The group approved the notes of the meetings held on 13 July and 1 August 2017.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a levy that local authorities can charge on new developments in their area. The money raised can be used for infrastructure provision that the council and communities want. Horsham District Council will be introducing a CIL charge on 1 October 2017.

Although CIL largely replaces Planning Obligations, for some infrastructure requirements Planning Obligations (or Section 106 Agreements) are still required. The Council’s Planning Obligations SPD clarifies what will be sought through legal agreements once CIL commences on 1 October 2017.

Members were reminded that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would be introduced by the Council on 1 October 2017.  This would largely replace Section 106 legal agreements with a flat rate charge on developments calculated on the additional floor space developed.

The Principal Planning Officer advised that once CIL commences in October, Section 106 legal agreements would only be used to acquire affordable housing and on-site mitigation.  The Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) would provide guidance to developers and land owners on when, how and why the Council will seek these planning obligations through a Section 106 agreement. 

Consultation on the SPD had taken place in 2016 and Members of the PDAG noted that the draft SPD had been amended to take into account key issues raised by consultees.  The draft SPD would be considered for approval by Cabinet on 21 September. 

The PDAG was supportive of progressing the document.

In accordance with recent government legislation, the Council must publish a register of brownfield land which it considers is suitable for residential development. It is anticipated that a draft register will be published for consultation in the early Autumn of 2017.

Members were advised that, in accordance with government legislation and guidance published in 2017, the Council was required to publish a register of brownfield land which it considered to be suitable for residential development.  A draft Register had been prepared and was scheduled to be considered by Cabinet in October, prior to consultation.  

The Principal Planning Officer reported that there were two parts to the register; (1) a list of identified brownfield sites, and (2) ‘Permission in Principle’ sites.  Members were advised that all the sites in Part 1 had already been identified prior to compiling the list.  These included sites identified as part of the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2016 (SHELAA), and other allocated sites which did not have planning permission.  

In response to Members’ questions, it was confirmed that many of the sites were not currently considered appropriate for development, but were regarded as potential sites for the long-term and subject to a number of factors.  Sites on the list would therefore be regularly reviewed.

The Head of Strategic Planning & Sustainability advised that Part 2 of the Register would be left blank.  This was in part because of the short timescale in which the Brownfield Land Register had to be prepared given that the guidance was not published until late July 2017.  The legislation required any site included in Part 2 would be granted Permission in Principle would have to be developed within five years.  Most local planning authorities are leaving Part 2 blank for submission this year.

Members noted that a four week consultation period on the draft register was scheduled to commence shortly after the Cabinet decision on 12 October 2017 and supported the document progressing.

• Local Plan Review
• Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocation Document
• Conservation Area Appraisal

An update will be provided on the preparation of the Local Plan Review, including work on settlement boundaries and agricultural buildings. The update will also cover the work on the Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocation document and the forthcoming consultation on the Conservation Area Appraisals.

Local Plan Review

The Head of Strategic Planning & Sustainability updated the group on progress on the Local Plan Review, which would set out issues and options for an updated Horsham District Planning Framework.  The Cabinet Member assured Members that all comments and issues that had been raised by the PDAG had been taken into account and would be reflected in the review, which was now scheduled for consideration by Cabinet on 25 January 2018.

Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocation Document

The Head of Strategic Planning & Sustainability reported that since the PDAG had been updated on progress on the draft document at the meeting in July, some of the sites included in the consultation were no longer likely to be deliverable.  In order to meet the current and future needs of the district additional potential sites were being sought, including some identified in the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2016 (SHELAA) that did not meet the criteria for residential or employment development. 

In response to Members’ concerns, the Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property assured Members that officers were actively pursuing all potential sites and the next round of consultation would be later in the year.

The Cabinet Member agreed that an update on progress on the draft document would be brought to the next PDAG on 9 November.

Conservation Area Appraisal

The Principal Planning Officer reminded Members that heritage consultants had undertaken a review of the five historic settlements of Billingshurst, Henfield, Pulborough, Steyning and Storrington, as reported to the PDAG in July.  The draft Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans had subsequently been approved for public consultation by Cabinet on 20 July. 

Members were advised of the extent of the consultation, which included emails to relevant Ward and Parish Councillors and to statutory and other consultees.  Residents within or close to the conservation areas had also been contacted and officers attended Parish Council meetings in the five areas.

Members were advised that the final report would be brought to Cabinet on 23 November 2017 and, if approved, the Appraisals and Management Plans would be adopted by the Council as material consideration when determining planning applications. 

The Cabinet Member advised that the consultation responses would be brought to the PDAG on 9 November before the Cabinet report was finalised.

To note the Forward Plan extract for the Planning and Development Portfolio

Items on the Forward Plan for the Planning and Development portfolio were noted.