Issue - meetings

1)     The post hearing letter of 1^st November 2016 from the Site Allocations Planning Inspector (enclosed as Annex A to the Cabinet report) be noted;

2)     The schedule of Main Modifications, associated changes to the Policies Map (set out in Annex B) and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Update Report (Annex C) for consultation be agreed;

3)     Authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning, Development and Regeneration (in consultation with the Planning and Regeneration Portfolio Holder) to make any necessary changes to the location of the changes within the Schedules in Annex B to the Cabinet report and renumber accordingly;  agree any additional minor modifications required as a result of the above and to ensure the text of the plan is up-do-date; and

4)     Confirm arrangements for public consultation on the Main Modifications as set out in the report to Cabinet.

Decision

1)     The post hearing letter of 1^st November 2016 from the Site Allocations Planning Inspector (enclosed as Annex A to the Cabinet report) be noted;

2)     The schedule of Main Modifications, associated changes to the Policies Map (set out in Annex B) and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Update Report (Annex C) for consultation be agreed;

3)     Authority be delegated to the Assistant Director – Planning, Development and Regeneration (in consultation with the Planning and Regeneration Portfolio Holder) to make any necessary changes to the location of the changes within the Schedules in Annex B to the Cabinet report and renumber accordingly;  agree any additional minor modifications required as a result of the above and to ensure the text of the plan is up-do-date; and

4)     Confirm arrangements for public consultation on the Main Modifications as set out in the report to Cabinet.

Reason for Decision

To agree a series of Main Modifications and associated map changes to the submitted Site Allocations DPD for consultation, in order to ensure the plan can be found ‘sound’ following examination

Equalities Implications

An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out for the Core Strategy.  Equalities issues are also picked up as part of the Sustainability Appraisal Report that accompanies the Site Allocations document.

Corporate Objectives

The Site Allocations forms part of the Council’s Local Planning Framework, which as a whole 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

The proposed main and minor modifications to Site Allocations are required to ensure that the plan can be found “sound” for adoption by the Secretary of State and are therefore recommended for further consultation.

Deputy Section 151 Officer

There are no direct financial implications of the recommended decisions. The costs of managing the process will be managed within existing approved budgets.

Advice

The Leader of the Council invited Councillor Guest, Gruff Edwards on behalf of Dacorum Environmental Forum and Lee Royal on behalf of West Hemel Action Groupto make their statements.

Councillor Guest made the following statement:

Leader, Cabinet, although I and my fellow Chaulden and Warners End councillors John Whitman and Graeme Elliot voted against the release of the Local Allocations, including LA3 from the Green Belt, the decision was made. It was disappointing, but it’s going to happen. The next battle is to get the infrastructure right to get the best deal for local residents, the environment and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 133