Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Wallis Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Items
No. Item

30.

Notes of previous meeting pdf icon PDF 75 KB

To receive the notes of the meeting held on 4 January 2018

Minutes:

The notes of the meeting of the PDAG held on 4 January were received.

31.

Consideration of business case for shared Building Control service with Crawley and Arun Councils

Update on the progress that has been made in considering the business case for a shared Building Control service.  The Cabinet Member seeks the view of the PDAG before recommendations are submitted to Cabinet on 24 May.

Minutes:

The Director of Planning, Economic Development and Property updated the group on work that had been done on developing a business case for a shared Building Control service with Arun District Council and Crawley Borough Council.  The proposal would allow resources to be pooled, thus making the service more resilient, and help to maintain market share.

 

At the invitation of the Director of Planning, Economic Development and Property, Councillors Brian O’Connell, Karen Burgess, Paul Marshall, and the Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Planning and Development agreed to work with the Head of Building Control on reviewing the business case and developing an implementation plan.

 

Further details, in particular financial implications, would be brought to the next PDAG on 10 May, before the proposal and recommendations are considered by Cabinet on 24 May.  

32.

Updates

·         Local Plan Review

 

      An update on the issues and options consultation on the Local Plan Review, which will focus on a review of the rural and economic strategies.  Feedback from the PDAG is sought prior to consideration by Cabinet on 22 March.

 

·         Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document

 

      An update on the comments received on the current consultation, which ran from 1 December 2017 to 26 January 2018.

Minutes:

Local Plan Review – Issues and Options Consultation Draft

 

The Head of Strategic Planning reminded the group that the first stage of the Local Plan Review focussed on issues relating to employment, tourism and sustainable rural development. The draft consultation document included amendments that took into account the views of the PDAG which had been sought at previous meetings. 

 

Key Employment Sites and sites put forward for employment use:  The document included proposed amendments to existing KEAs, new KEAs and an assessment of sites that have been put forward for employment use. Although some sites were outside the built-up area, they were in sustainable locations close to infrastructure. It was noted that the area of land included in the consultation exceeded the anticipated area of employment land needed to fulfil the required targets.

 

Rural Strategy:  Changes to Built-Up Area Boundaries were included in the document as well as a new suggested policy for ‘secondary settlements’, which were identified on plans. These are hamlets with limited services and facilities that have a sense of place. The policy would not propose development but it would allow for very small scale development when in accordance with all other policies. The need for some organic growth in smaller settlements, currently within the defined countryside emerged from the community when developing their Neighbourhood Plans.  Members were advised that plans would be shared with relevant Ward Members and relevant Parish Councils notified before being considered by Cabinet.

 

Conversion of agricultural buildings to other uses:  The Local Plan Review included a new draft policy regarding the conversion of unused agricultural buildings with a view to allowing conversion into other uses including commercial use and housing.  The draft policy had been amended in the light of previous comments from the PDAG. 

 

There was still concern that the policy could be too restrictive and officers agreed to review the draft policy in the light of this.

 

The group agreed that the draft Local Plan Review should be considered by Cabinet on 22 March prior to a seven week public consultation from 6 April 2018 to 25 May 2018. 

 

Gypsy and Traveller Site Allocations Development Plan Document

 

The Head of Strategic Planning advised the group of the outcome of the six week public consultation on the draft site allocations document, which had ended on 26 January 2018.  There had been 323 responses, a large majority of which were objections from members of the public to the proposed sites at Smithers Rough and Bromeliad Nurseries.  Members noted details of these objections and other comments received, including six from statutory consultees. 

 

Members were advised of the actions being taken by officers following consultation, and the proposed timetable for adoption, which included further consultation in the summer once the draft proposal had been agreed by Cabinet on 24 May and Council on 13 June 2018.

 

Members were assured that the proposed site allocations were anticipated to provide the 10 year requirement of pitches.  The Cabinet Member highlighted the importance of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

The Publication of Viability Appraisals

This item will consider the advantages and disadvantages of full public disclosure of viability assessments submitted to the Council along with reports from specialist viability consultants, and an exploration of the position of other planning authorities

 

Minutes:

The Head of Development briefed Members on the current situation regarding the Council’s position on the public disclosure of viability assessments submitted by the developer and reports submitted by specialist viability consultants, when required, to assess a developer’s capacity to achieve policy compliant affordable housing or other contributions. 

 

Members noted the background, including the approach of other local authorities, and the potential advantages and disadvantages of disclosing this information. 

 

On 5 March the Government had launched consultation proposals on the National Planning Policy Framework, and other draft guidance, which included a question on the disclosure of viability studies.  Officers would respond to the consultation before it ended on 10 May.  The Head of Development advised that the consultation response would seek clarity on whether the government supported the publication of assessments in their entirety, or just an executive summary.

 

Members requested that the consultation response should refer to the use of the term ‘harm’ and seek clarification on the scope of such a term in determining whether disclosure would cause harm.

 

It was agreed that further research and a review of the position of neighbouring authorities would be undertaken, with the finding and recommendations to be brought to a future PDAG.

 

The Head of Strategic Planning had attended the launch of the consultation on the new National Planning Policy Framework on 5 March and outlined the broad sweep of the changes that were proposed, which supported housing growth, particularly in urban areas and sought a net gain for biodiversity. 

 

Once prepared, the Head of Strategic Planning would send Members of the PDAG a summary of the draft NPPF.

34.

Forward Plan Extract for the Planning and Development Portfolio pdf icon PDF 108 KB

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

Minutes:

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