Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – REGULATORY

To review previous resolutions and to recommend a revised programme of work to support the implementation of the new Local Plan.

Mr John Web and Mr Roger Lovegrove Transition Town Letchworth, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address Cabinet regarding the Local Plan.

The Chair thanked Mr Webb and Mr Lovegrove for their presentation.

RESOLVED:

            :

(1)     That the North Hertfordshire Masterplanning Guidance, attached as Appendix A, be approved and recognised as a material consideration in the determination of relevant planning applications with the following amendment;

(i)      That Paragraph 3.2 be amended to include references to Neighbourhood Planning Groups and the Design SPD.

(2)       That officers be authorised to commence work on a revised and updated programme of Supplementary Planning Documents and supporting evidence as set out in this report to support the Council’s corporate priorities.

(3)       That to support resolution (2) above, Cabinet:

a.         Resolve not to pursue the preparation of a Community Infrastructure Levy for the District at this time;

b.         Approve the reallocation of the existing approved revenue budgets for Community Infrastructure Levy (£87,000) and the potential Single Issue Review of the Local Plan (£80,000) to create a budget for the delivery of the work on a revised and updated programme of Supplementary Planning Documents;

c.         That information included on the NHDC website regarding assets of community value be reviewed and further information, particularly in respect of process, included.

(4)       That a Member working group be arranged to discuss the Design and Sustainability SPDs prior to consideration of these by Cabinet.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that resources are used most effectively to support the implementation of the new Local Plan for North Hertfordshire and to improve delivery upon corporate priorities relating to place leadership and the declared climate change emergency.

Audio recording – 1 hour 26 minutes 32 seconds

Mr John Web and Mr Roger Lovegrove Transition Town Letchworth, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address Cabinet regarding the Local Plan including:

·                They were pleased and impressed that the Council was considering National design codes;

·                Transition Town Letchworth keenly welcomed the development of the SPDs;

·                They were experienced in responding to the Local Plan and had built up a knowledge base of building standards in regard to energy;

·                They had provided Members with a document that included a comparison of 2013 standards with Passivhaus and BREEAM building standards;

·                They requested that they be able to participate in the development of SPDs at an early stage of development;

·                Although they understood that the Council was extremely busy, consideration of the 2031-2050 Local Plan should start now, particularly in regard to the optimum solution for growth being the planning of a New Town.

The Leader of the Council advised that the Council would wish to involve the public and that planning for this period was taking place through the Hertfordshire Growth Board.

He thanked Mr Webb and Mr Lovegrove for their presentation.

Audio recording – 1 hour 33 minute 33 seconds

The Executive Member for Planning and Transport presented the report entitled Local Plan Implementation together with the following appendix:

·                Appendix A – North Hertfordshire Masterplanning Principles.

He drew attention to the following:

·                The Inspector had not made any substantial changes to the submitted Plan;

·                There was a lot of new Government legislation and advice that needed to be considered;

·                An enhanced Design SPD was required including more detail regarding local character was required;

·                A Sustainability SPD would consider issues holistically such as transport, building performance and green infrastructure;

·                A Biodiverstity SPD would be developed;

·                The evidence base for the SPDs required updating including character assessments and ecological mapping;

·                Community Infrastructure Levy had been put in abeyance for the present.

Councillor David Levett, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the referral from the meeting of that Committee held on 9 March 2021 regarding Local Plan Implementation. The Committee had made the following recommendations:

(1)     That the North Hertfordshire Masterplanning Guidance, attached as Appendix A, be approved and recognised as a material consideration in the determination of relevant planning applications with the following amendment;

(i)      That Paragraph 3.2 be amended to include references to Neighbourhood Planning Groups and the Design SPD.

(2)     That officers be authorised to commence work on a revised and updated programme of Supplementary Planning Documents and supporting evidence as set out in this report.

(3)     That to support recommendation 2.2, Cabinet:

a.       Resolve not to pursue the preparation of a Community Infrastructure Levy for the District at this time; and

b.       Authorise the reprofiling of existing, approved revenue budgets for Community Infrastructure Levy (£87,000) and the potential Single Issue Review of the Local Plan (£80,000) to deliver this work;

(4)     That a Member working group be arranged to discuss the Design and Sustainability SPDs  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109