Issue - meetings

1.      That the progress on preparing Dacorum’s Local Plan as set out in the report be noted.

2.      That the setting up of a Task and Finish group to consider key issues related to the Local Plan be agreed.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Housing and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder Planning and Infrastructure to submit a bid for financial support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ‘Garden Cities Prospectus’.

Decision

1.      That the progress on preparing Dacorum’s Local Plan as set out in the report be noted.

2.      That the setting up of a Task and Finish group to consider key issues related to the Local Plan be agreed.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Housing and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder Planning and Infrastructure to submit a bid for financial support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ‘Garden Cities Prospectus’.

Corporate objectives

The Council’s Local Plan helps support all 5 corporate objectives:

• Safe and clean environment: e.g. contains policies relating to the design and layout of new development that promote security and safe access;
• Community Capacity: e.g. provide a framework for local communities to prepare area-specific guidance such as Neighbourhood Plans, Town / Village Plans etc.;
• Affordable housing: e.g. sets the Borough’s overall housing target and the proportion of new homes that must be affordable;
• Dacorum delivers: e.g. provides a clear framework upon which planning decisions can be made; and
• Regeneration: e.g. sets the planning framework for key regeneration projects, such as Hemel Hempstead town centre and the Maylands Business Park.

Monitoring Officer/S.151 Officer comments

Monitoring Officer:  

If Cabinet approves the request to set up a Task and Finish Group, the request will be referred to the Programming Panel, which consists of the political group leaders or their representatives, who will appoint the membership of the group and decide upon the terms of reference for the group.

Deputy S.151 Officer

The submission of a funding application can be produced within the existing local plan approved funding and these funds will be profiled as required to support the delivery of the local plan.

Advice

Councillor G Sutton introduced the report to members and said it was an update on the progress of the Local Plan. Cabinet last considered the Local Plan in July and the timetable was agreed. The draft plan will be issued in Autumn 2019 alongside the production of a Growth and Infrastructure strategy. There is an intention to submit a bid to the Garden Communities programme to assist with the delivery of land.
Site falls to both sides of the boundary – HCC, DBC and St Albans. Major opportunity to bring forward new infrastructure. There is ongoing work to gather evidence for members to make informed decisions. This report also recommends setting up a Task and Finish Group.

Councillor Tindall referred to paragraph 14 and asked if this was a misphrasing as it sounds like Hemel Hempstead is being extended but placed in St Albans.

Councillor Williams said it refers to the St Albans extension to the East of Hemel Hempstead. The extension to the north is DBC. He said it was of benefit to DBC to emphasise the considerable issues arising from the east expansion. It may be in the St Albans district but the infrastructure, education and transport issues will fall heavily on DBC.

Councillor G Sutton said that Crown Estates are already marketing it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109