Agenda and draft minutes

To receive the notes of the meeting held on 7 November 2022.

The notes of the previous meeting held on 7 November were received.

Following the publication by Government of proposed changes to the Planning system, an update will be provided to Members outlining the content of this document, together with the proposed next steps in preparing a response.

The Senior Planning Officer reported that the Government published proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, for consultation on the 22^nd of December 2022. The proposed changes outline several reforms, mainly affecting the assessment of housing need, five-year housing supply, improving build out, plan-making, environment & energy, and national policy.

There will be a wider consultation later this year alongside the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which had passed through the House of Commons.  This includes the implementation of National Development Management Policies and the replacement of the CIL levy.

The Planning Team are drafting a response which will be circulated for discussion at the next Planning and Development PDAG. 

An update will be provided to Members on the outcomes of the recent Parking and Design study undertaken in Horsham District.

The Head of Strategic Planning presented the emerging findings from the parking review across Horsham District. Concerns had been raised by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s Task & Finish Group on Off Street Parking over the level of parking provision across the district and a resolution had been made at Council to appoint consultants to review the existing parking standard guidance.

The consultants had undertaken site visits and reviewed best practice. HDC officers had also undertaken site visits in the evenings when parking pressure is likely to be greatest. Sustainable Transport considerations showed that there were lower car-based trips in areas with better pedestrian/transport access and more parking and car ownership in lower access areas, and that parking issues have tended to arise in areas of older development (e.g., Victorian terraces) which were not designed with vehicles in mind.  Overall, the study found that in general, most areas had sufficient available parking, but in the town centres, there the parking standards are potentially too low.

This study and its scope were noted by the Group, and that the study would be progressed into further guidance, taking account of emerging data from the from the 2021 Census data between car ownership and household occupancy to better understand requirements.

There are no items on the current Forward Plan for the Planning and Development portfolio.

The forward plan extract was noted by the Group.