Agenda item

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1. That the Emerging Strategy for Growth (Appendix 1) is published for consultation under Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

2.      That Cabinet consider the views of Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and officer response (Appendix 5) and to set out any changes to be made to the consultation document.

3. That the temporary changes needed to the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (Appendix 2) be approved to ensure the consultation can take place in accordance with the approved Local Development Scheme.
4. That authority is delegated to make changes to the Emerging Strategy for Growth , including any necessary to reflect the Cabinet’s and/or Council discussions and decision,  to the Assistant Director Planning, Development and Infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Infrastructure.

Decision

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1. That the Emerging Strategy for Growth (Appendix 1) is published for consultation under Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

2. That Cabinet consider the views of Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and officer response (Appendix 5) and to set out any changes to be made to the consultation document.

3. That the temporary changes needed to the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (Appendix 2) be approved to ensure the consultation can take place in accordance with the approved Local Development Scheme.

4. That authority is delegated to make changes to the Emerging Strategy for Growth , including any necessary to reflect the Cabinet’s and/or Council discussions and decision,  to the Assistant Director Planning, Development and Infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Infrastructure.

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, Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead and the Maylands Business Park.

Deputy Monitoring Officer:  

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 set out the requirements and statutory procedural arrangements for preparing Local Plans, which include the requirements to consult.

The recommendations in this report comply with statutory requirements and procedures under the Councils Constitution.

Deputy S.151 Officer

There are no direct financial implications as a result of consulting on the proposed Dacorum Plan.

Advice

Councillor G Sutton introduced the report to members. This report was a culmination of a great deal of work by members and officers to set out the draft proposals in the Local Plan. If agreed by Cabinet, the report will be recommended to council to approve the draft plan to go out to public consultation under regulation 18. The draft plan has been considered in depth by the Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and their recommendations are detailed in appendix 5 of the report. Councillor G Sutton thanked the committee and the work of the members on the Task and Finish group to help guide and shape the contact of the plan and its proposals. This draft plan is the most ambitious and challenging that Dacorum has faced and there has been a major step change in the provision of new housing and development required by central government but the challenge is to also protect the green belt and a high quality environment. The plan allows for a further 16,000 homes between 2020-2038 with a major expansion of Hemel Hempstead planned and a complete transformation of the town as part of the Hemel Garden Community plans. Major developments are also planned in Berkhamsted and Tring with smaller development in the surrounding villages. The council have engaged extensively with adjacent and nearby councils under the duty to cooperate. The plan is in draft form for consultation with residents, developers, land owners and other stakeholders. The consultation will begin at the end of November through to January and has been extended by two weeks to take account of the Christmas and New Year period. After the consultation has closed, the team will take into account the views expressed and move onto the publication stage and for the public to comment on the final plan in June 2021. It will then be submitted to the Secretary of State to conduct a public examination. He explained that the consultation will look different this year due to covid-19 but the team are doing everything possible to make sure it is accessible in a covid secure way.

Councillor Birnie was concerned that some of the evidence base behind the plan are not yet published and asked if there was a timeline for when these would be available. He also referred to paragraph 3.8 about the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and asked what would happen if it is not delivered in time.

J Doe responded that the draft Local Plan is complete. There may be some changes through refinements before it goes out to consultation which is allowed for in recommendation four. He said what is important is that the evidence base is complete when the plan is published. The Infrastructure Delivery Plan is a piece of work that is ongoing with Herts County Council and a range of other infrastructure providers. The plan is highly advanced but there are some gaps that need to be filled and the team are meeting with Herts County Council every month to work on these. He said it was essential that this plan is available when the local plan has been submitted and said he was confident this would be ready.

A Robinson referred to the list of items at appendix three and said a majority of these have reached an advanced stage in draft form. The studies that are complete will be published but there will be studies that will continue beyond this upcoming consultation but they will be finalised at regulation 19 stage.

Councillor Anderson paid tribute to the efforts of officers to get the plan to this stage. He said he supported the plan going out to consultation but under the heading we do so because we have to. He asked for clarification about the local plan’s position on requiring developers to replace trees lost as it seems the plan contradicts itself. Also he hoped that as a result of the consultation, we could be in a better position to require more sustainability and referred to the issue of allow proposals for solar farms to come forward where land is protected.

A Robinson said the local plan sets out requirements for tree planting and will result in a net increase of tree coverage. In developments that are proposing a loss of trees, the plan requires developers to plant additional trees above and beyond the original provision. He confirmed he would check the document to make sure this is clear. In relation to sustainability, the local plan takes into account the council’s climate change resolution and the policy set out in the plan seeks to ensure developments come forward and deliver net reductions in emissions, prioritising a fabric first approach. In order to reach the overall targets, it is inevitable that onsite renewable energy will be required in specific sites. The policy is drafted so that standalone energy schemes are encouraged in appropriate locations and balanced with the wider objectives alongside the protection of wider landscapes.

Councillor Birnie referred to appendix five and the officers reply to the recommendations made by SPAE OSC on point 1 and 2 about developments on green belt sites after 2038.

A Robinson clarified the Local Plan’s position. The north Hemel Hempstead site (Phase 2) is to be removed from the Green Belt and safeguarded to meet longer term needs, beyond 2038.

Councillor Birnie asked about the officer’s response to point 3 and what was meant by community engagement.

J Doe said once masterplans had been produced in draft form, they will come to Cabinet for approval. There are a range of consultation measures which can include members and the future of the task and finish group needs to be considered.

Councillor Williams confirmed that supplementary planning documents are subject to Full Council approval. He said this plan places significant challenges on the borough and if housing targets were not imposed by central government, the plan could have followed a different route. He highlighted that these housing targets could change over the consultation period.

Recommendations agreed.