Agenda item - DRAFT DESIGN SPD

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR REGULATORY

To consider the Draft Design SPD prior to consideration by Cabinet.

RESOLVED: That the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Sam Collins be requested to consult with the Executive Member for Planning and Transport , the Service Director – Regulatory and the Principal Landscape and Urban Designer to consider strengthening the wording of the document in accordance with the comments made in the body of the Minutes, prior to the Cabinet meeting where the report would be considered.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:

(1) That the Draft Design SPD be amended to take into account the comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as detailed in the Minute above;

(2) That the Draft Design SPD be amended in line with the outcome of the meeting mentioned in the resolution above;

(3) That the consultation period on the Draft Design SPD be extended from the standard 6 weeks.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment on the report entitled Draft Design SPD prior to consideration by Cabinet.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 15 seconds

The Executive Member for Planning and Transport, Councillor Paul Clark, presented the report entitled Draft Design SPD together with the following documents:

· Draft Design SPD – Addendum;

· Appendix A - Draft Design SPD.

The Principal Landscape and Urban Designer informed Members:

· That the SPD supported the emerging Local Plan;

· That this was an update to the current policy;

· The Design SPD had been structures to give guidance.

The following Members took part in the debate and asked questions:

· Councillor Sam Collins;

· Councillor Toy Hunter;

· Councillor David Levett;

· Councillor Claire Strong.

Member discussion included:

· That this was an opportunity to be more prescriptive;

· That minimum standards should be applied to new housing or redevelopment;

· There were sections that did not give much guidance;

· Wording throughout the document needed to be stronger;

· Higher standards such as BREEAM or PACIF should be required;

· That words like “expected to” should be replace with “required to” for example in Paragraph 5.1.3;

· That the section regarding shopfronts be amended to take into account DDA accessibility requirements such as wider doorways and ramps;

· Paragraph 6.27 should include parking facilities for town centre apartments;

· The document should be a set of specific regulations rather than guidance;

· Council in February had agreed three years of funding for Town Centre Strategies from April 2021.

In response to questions the Executive Member for Planning and Transport advised:

· That this was an update to the 2011 version;

· The consultation would be directed by the Consultation Strategy and would be publicised and promoted;

· Parish Councils would be consulted.

The Service Director - Resources advised:

· That a bid had been submitted for a single policy review for environmental reasons;

· That the Government were limiting standards to Future New Homes Standards;

· This document showed an initial direction of travel, however officers were looking for a stronger policy upon adoption of the Local Plan;

· That, in respect of the Design Review Board, Officers could refer prior to getting payment. There may be cases where the Council would make the referral and absorb the costs;

· That town centre parking had been used as a reason for refusal, only to be overturned.