Agenda item

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, HOUSING AND ENTERPRISE

To inform Cabinet of the current positions regarding:

·      Duty to Co-operate with neighbouring authorities;

·      Other Local Plans and Examinations;

·      North Hertfordshire Local Plan

·      Neighbourhood Plans; and

·      Government Announcements.

RESOLVED:  That the report on Strategic Planning Matters be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To keep the Cabinet informed of recent developments on strategic planning matters and progress on the North Hertfordshire Local Plan.

The Executive Member for Planning and Enterprise presented a report of the Strategic Director of Planning, Housing and Enterprise informing Members of the current position regarding the Duty to Co-operate with neighbouring authorities; Other Local Plans and Examinations; North Hertfordshire Local Plan; Neighbourhood Plans; and Government announcements.  The following appendices were submitted with the report:

Appendix A – Copy of NHDC response to Luton Borough Council on the “proposed main modifications” to their Pre-Submission Local Plan; and

Appendix B – Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Planning Panel (HIPP) joint response to consultation on DCLG Housing White Paper “Fixing our broken Housing Market”.        

The Executive Member for Planning and Enterprise updated the Cabinet on the following matters:

·         Duty to Co-operate with neighbouring authorities – 19 Memoranda of Understandings/Statements of Common Ground with neighbouring authorities were at various stages of completion (11 had been signed; 4 were under consideration; 2 were in preparation; and 2 were about to be prepared).  When completed, these would be provided to the appointed Local Plan examination Inspector as part of the examination submission documents;

·         East Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield Local Plans – these were on similar timelines to the North Hertfordshire Local Plan, and were consequently awaiting dates for their respective examinations;

·         Luton Local Plan – the Inspector’s report had been published and consultation had taken place on some “proposed main modifications” and the Council had prepared a response, attached at Appendix A to the report, primarily in respect to transport matters;

·         Stevenage Local Plan – the examination sessions had concluded and consultation on the some “proposed main modifications” had commenced on 12 June 2017 for a period of six weeks.  If required, a response would be prepared and reported to Cabinet in due course;

·         St. Albans Local Plan – a Judicial Review into the Inspector’s conclusion that St. Albans Council had failed to meet the legal requirements under the duty to co-operate on its Local Plan would be held on 21 and 22 June 2017;

·         North Hertfordshire Local Plan – The Plan had been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 9 June 2017.  An Examination Inspector (Simon Berkeley) and Programme Officer (Louise St. John Howe) had been appointed.  The Council’s website will be updated accordingly and Members will be informed via the Members’ Information Service.  Dates for the Examination had yet to be supplied.

·         Neighbourhood Plans – consultation on the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan had taken place between 9 February 2017 and 23 March 2017.  205 representations had been received and would be collated by an independent examiner before a referendum on the Plan could be held;  an application to designate Bygrave Parish, Clothall Parish and the unparished area of Baldock as a Neighbourhood Planning Area had been received and would be consulted on for four weeks from 9 June 2017, with outcomes being reported to Cabinet in July 2017; Delegated authority to undertake public consultation on the Wymondley Neighbourhood Plan proposed submission document had been agreed and the consultation period would be commencing during the week commencing 19 June 2017; and

·         Government announcements – A joint Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Planning Partnership response to the Government Housing White Paper “Fixing our Broken Housing Market”, attached as Appendix B to the report, had been prepared and sent; the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) had published a discussion paper on strategic planning and governance in the Cambridge/Milton Keynes/Oxford corridor; the Neighbourhood Planning Bill received Royal Assent on 27 April 2017, and the subsequent Regulations would be reported as soon as they were received.

RESOLVED:  That the report on Strategic Planning Matters be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To keep the Cabinet informed of recent developments on strategic planning matters and progress on the North Hertfordshire Local Plan.