Issue - meetings

To consider and decide on the recommendations set out in the report.

RESOLVED –

1.    That a six-week period of consultation on the Draft Local Plan 2016 – 2036 (Regulation 18) and Sustainability Appraisal from 20 September – 01 November 2019 be agreed; and

2.    That the Head of Planning be authorised to make minor modifications to the Draft Local Plan and Sustainability Appraisal prior to 20 September 2019 to ensure robustness and for consistency, with any minor modifications to be agreed with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To facilitate the production of the Local Plan, allowing planning decisions to be made in a “genuinely plan-led” approach, and to reflect the extensive work undertaken in the preparation of the Plan to this point.

Margaret Borland, resident of Southborough, had registered to speak which included the following comments:

·         There’s confusion in the draft Local Plan about the location and boundaries for  allocation ALSO3, land at Mabledon and Nightingale.

·         From an ordinary residents perspective, the way information is given on the website and all the documents contained with will influence how people respond to the consultation.

·         The key diagram in the report to the Planning and Transportation Cabinet Advisory Board didn’t show the intended housing development of site ALS03.

·         ALS03 was highlighted within the report as a site for development but mislabelled as ‘within the Southborough urban area’.

·         Some other issues have been covered in errata sheet.

·         Development locations and boundaries particularly near AONB should be visible.

Stewart Gledhill, resident of Capel, had registered to speak which included the following comments:

·         Residents of Capel are extremely concerned about flooding.

·         There was no flood assessment for CA1 site in Tudeley despite parts of the site flooding regularly nor was there an assessment on the effects of this development on the surrounding communities on this flood plain.

·         Recent examples in Yorkshire and the damn breach in Derbyshire showed that flooding was an increasing risk.

·         There were several uncertainties with regards to the adjacent stone quarry. KCC were considering the planning application for a new processing plant and the minerals plan was with the inspector. There was a question over safeguarding mineral assets and the implications of the existing landfill areas.

·         Wider national issues economically and politically provided further uncertainty.

·         Cabinet were requested to delay the publication of this plan to allow for a comprehensive flood risk assessment and for a reconsideration once the wider contextual uncertainties and their implications become better understood.

Councillor Maggie Fenton, Vice Chairman of Capel Parish Council but speaking as an individual, had registered to speak which included the following comments:

·         Good planning depended upon community engagement and Local Authorities should ensure communities are engaged early with appropriate strategies for strong for community involvement.

·         The Duchy of Cornwall enterprise near Newquay was an interesting example, over 7 years consultation, instead of the 1,000 homes proposed, the local community now supported 4,000 organically over 50 years.

·         This was achieved by working with the local community to ensure development met their needs. Plans were not imposed on the community and instead a detailed engagement process was undertaken. Compared with Capel where after 4 years consultation still no local engagement had taken place.

·         Property ran the risk of being devalued or subject to CPOs. There had been no thought for the needs of the existing community. Responses to these concerns had been inadequate.

·         The example of Sevenoaks should be followed and green belt only released for development if there was a local need, Capel had no need for 400 new homes.

Farah Brooks-Johnson, for Save Capel campaign group, had registered to speak which included the following comments:

·         In 2017 it was said in the Issues and Options Conclusions that a new settlement would provide most of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49