Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Howard and Newman.

Councillor Vickers welcomed members to the first meeting of the Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group.

Annual Council agreed the meeting dates of the Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group. The group is asked to agree the start time of forthcoming meetings.  

The group agreed that the start time of meetings of the group for the forthcoming year be 10:00 am.

The documents may be viewed here:

https://www.horsham.gov.uk/planningpolicy/planning-policy/community-infrastructure-levy

The CIL Charging Schedule sets a charging schedule against which proposed development will be expected to contribute in order to bring forward infrastructure provision to help meet the needs of new development. The Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule was published for consultation in May/June 2014 and following the adoption of the Horsham District Planning Framework in November 2015, the Draft Charging Schedule was published for consultation in May/June 2016. It is anticipated that it will be submitted for examination in the autumn.

The Planning Obligations & Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document sets out the Council’s approach to securing planning obligations and affordable housing from new development. It is not a policy document but provides guidance on the policy requirements of the Council so that developers and landowners know when, how and why the Council will seek planning obligations from new development. It is an important background document for the Inspector who will be examining the CIL Charging Schedule because it shows the relationship between CIL and planning obligations (s106).

The Head of Strategic Planning and Sustainability explained that following the adoption of the Horsham District Planning Framework in November 2015,  the Draft Charging Schedule had been published for consultation in May / June 2016. The consultation had now closed and 24 individuals or organisations had responded of which 5 were statutory responders, 9 were developers and 7 were parish or neighbourhood councils. The group discussed with officers:

·         the proposed recommended modification to the zero-rating of large strategic sites, consequent to developers having provided evidence following the consultation stage

·         that CIL was otherwise non-negotiable, save for exemptions

·         that CIL was a general levy on all development whilst s106 was site specific and that;

·         CIL regulations required charging authorities to demonstrate a funding gap between infrastructure requirements and available funding in order to provide evidence for the need to charge CIL.

The group duly noted and supported the forthcoming timeline of a report to Cabinet scheduled for 22 September, followed by consultation, and examination by the Planning Inspector, with the view to adoption of the Schedule by the end of 2016.  

This document will set out site specific allocations for development, including any necessary Gypsy and Traveller, employment or housing sites. Allocations will identify requirements of the development and sites will be identified on the Policies Map.  It is anticipated that an early consultation document will be published for consultation by the end of this year, subject to the necessary evidence gathering.

The Head of Planning and Sustainability explained that following the adoption of the Horsham District Planning Framework, a Site Allocations Document was required to  set out site specific allocations for development, including any necessary Gypsy and Traveller, employment or housing sites. It was anticipated that an early consultation document would be published by the end of the year, subject to the necessary evidence gathering. The group discussed with officers:

·         The importance of the consultation, particularly with parish and neighbourhood councils

·         The benefit of using ‘in-house’ experienced officers

·         The number of sites required to be identified due to national need not being met

·         That the government had sought to address national need by changing the definition of traveller for planning purposes

·         Size of pitches and the requirement to offer permanent sites for employment and education needs

·         That officers had liaised with neighbouring authorities and the county council.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the group noted that the next steps would be a consultation by the end of 2016. A report to Cabinet would be required, subsequent to the advice of the policy development advisory group.

·         Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document  (SPD) – recent housing growth in Billingshurst, including the 475 dwellings granted permission in 2014, has resulted in a need to plan for improvements to the village centre to support the growing population.  A series of studies took place which helped to identify the issues and opportunities for the village centre. There has been targeted stakeholder consultation and a formal round of consultation on this SPD, which is being considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 21 July 2016. The document may be viewed on the Cabinet agenda.

·         Affordable Housing – potential implications of Housing & Planning Act

·         Strategic Sites – progress on allocated strategic sites

·         Neighbourhood Planning – key points of learning  from experience within the District and elsewhere

The Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group received four updates from officers.

      i.        The group discussed and supported the Billingshurst Village Centre Supplementary Planning Document, scheduled for Cabinet on 21 July 2016.

     ii.        Evidence seemed to support the maintenance of the existing policy position on affordable housing, consequent to understanding the implications of the secondary legislation flowing from Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    iii.        Developers had reported that strategic sites were progressing as expected. Forthcoming strategic sites would be subject to a full programme of member engagement.

   iv.        90% of the district was now covered by a neighbourhood plan, 3 parishes were not yet designated. Officers were proactively monitoring and advising on the early stages of plan preparation.