Agenda and draft minutes

To receive the notes of the meeting held on 9 November 2017

The notes of the meeting of the PDAG held on 9 November were received.

Update on the progress that has been made in considering the business case for a shared Building Control service

The Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property gave a brief update on developing a business case for a shared Building Control service with Crawley and Arun councils.  Discussions were on-going and legal advice was currently being sought.  The PDAG would be further updated before the report, scheduled to be considered by Cabinet in March 2018, was finalised.     

Those awarded to and against us and cost claims successfully defended

The Cabinet Member announced that information on appeal costs, including those awarded to and against the Council and cost claims successfully defended, would be given to all Members at a Development Management Training Seminar on 30 January.

• Local Plan Review

An update on the timing of the issues and options consultation on the Local Plan Review, which will focus on a review of the rural and economic strategies

• Gypsy & Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document

An update on the comments received on the current consultation, which started on 1 December 2017 and runs until 26 January 2018

• Authority Monitoring Report

The AMR is a report on the extent to which the planning policies set out in the Horsham District Planning Framework are being achieved for the period 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017, including the latest position in terms of five year housing land supply. This update will include a highlight report.

• Walking and Cycling Strategy

West Sussex County Council has been awarded 60 days of consultancy time from the Department for Transport to develop Local Walking & Cycling Infrastructure Plans

• Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places Consultation

Update on the Leader of the Council’s meeting with Jeremy Quin MP and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid 

Local Plan Review

Work on the review was progressing and the Head of Strategic Planning & Sustainability advised that the report on issues and options for the Local Plan Review would be brought to Cabinet on 22 March 2018 instead of the meeting in January.  This delay did not raise any issues because there was no pressing timescale for this stage of the review, which will concentrate on a review of the rural and economic strategies.

Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document

Item deferred to the next PDAG on 8 March.

Authority Monitoring Report

The Council had recently published its Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) on its website, as required under Section 113 of the Localism Act 2011. A document outlining details of the AMR regarding the Council’s latest position in terms of five year land supply was distributed to the group. 

The Cabinet Member invited the group to contact the Head of Strategic Planning & Sustainability with any comments or questions arising from the document.  Members requested that the housing information in the AMR be brought to the Development Management Training Seminar on 30 January.

Walking and Cycling Strategy

Item deferred to the next PDAG on 8 March.

Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places Consultation

The Director of Planning, Economic Development & Property advised that there were no significant updates arising from the Leader of the Council’s recent meeting with Jeremy Quin MP and the Secretary of State for Communities.  The Council had made a strong representation for the need for investment in infrastructure to support recent development in the district. The group noted that the government was undertaking a year-long review of the impact of ‘land banking’ by developers.

Any recommended amendments to come to this PDAG before being submitted to Cabinet on 25 January

The Principal Planning Officer reminded Members of the background to the Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans that were to be considered by Cabinet on 25 January 2018.  Public consultation on proposed additions and deletions to the draft conservation area boundaries within Pulborough, Billingshurst, Henfield, Storrington and Steyning had taken place in September 2017. 

Members noted the main points raised in responses to the consultation and any proposed amendments to the conservation area boundaries that had resulted from them. It was noted that no emerging Neighbourhood Plan would be affected by the changes. The PDAG were broadly supportive of the amended plans and the Cabinet Member asked them to contact officers if they had any further comments.

Once approved by Cabinet, documents for the five areas would be drawn up and used to inform planning decisions.  The PDAG was supportive of progressing the documents.   

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, together with amendments that had been made since publication of the agenda.