To consider questions (if any) by members of the public of which the appropriate notice has been given to the Solicitor to the Council.
Decision:
Questions were received from Lee Royal, Christine Mabley and Anne Lyne.
Full details can be found in the minutes.
Minutes:
Two questions submitted by Lee Royal on behalf of West Hemel Action Group (WHAG).
Question A:
With hands on hearts can councillors, when voting for the adoption of the Site Allocations, genuinely declare that they believe that the overwhelming feedback from the residents who vote for them, challenging many aspects of particularly LA3, during public consultations, has been fairly and impartially considered, given that other than for LA5, no key changes have been made as a result of public feedback from the consultations, particularly for the residents of West Hemel who are affected by far by the biggest & most negatively impacting allocation of LA3?
Response from Councillor Graham Sutton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration:
Yes. The process for altering the Green Belt is through the development plan preparation process and the Council has followed all necessary steps set out in legislation. If full Council approve adoption of the Site Allocations DPD tonight, the land will be formally released from the Green Belt.
The developer will need to ensure that they too are complying with national and local policy requirements as part of the forthcoming planning application process.
Question B:
Given that through public consultations on the Core Strategy before and the Site Allocations and Master Plan since, have described the location of the G&T site in LA3 as “potential” & “indicative”, can DBC please explain what process is in place to review the location and timing of the Gypsy & Traveller Site within LA3 to ensure that it is not built on a site in isolation from the rest of the development for potentially many years in advance of any new housebuilding in the same area of LA3, leaving the G&T site in contravention of national policy for G&T sites? It should be noted that even prior to any planning application, developers are positioning the G&T site & standing firm on it, in the location that will leave it in contravention of national policy based upon their phased planning for LA3.
Response from Councillor Graham Sutton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration:
The matter of LA3 has been given very great consideration by the Council since the Core Strategy was prepared – key dates are:
o Independently run workshops with stakeholders on LA3 to discuss the masterplan (May 2013).
o Consultation on draft masterplan (September 2013)
o Consultation on Pre-Submission (draft) Site Allocations (Sept 2014)
The Borough has an evidential need for new housing, and as a result, some release of land from the Green Belt was needed – LA3 is an important part of this
Consultation on the SA DPD took place in September / October 2014 for a period of 6 weeks; publicity was given in the press, Dacorum Digest (which is delivered to every home in the Borough) and the Council’s website. There was also an exhibition at Warner’s End Community Centre. WHAG have actively engaged with the process, and together with their response, a further 119 residents’ individuals and organisations responded also.
All these views have been set out in a comprehensive report of consultation and this was considered by Cabinet and Council, in July 2015. Members of the Council have considered the development and peoples’ views on it very carefully and closely.
Furthermore the development has been subject to further public scrutiny at the Independent examination of the SA DPD conducted by a Planning Inspector last October. This was attended by WHAG who spoke and presented its case to the Inspector. Apart from the timing of the development, which I will come to, the Inspector recommended no significant changes to the content of the SA DPD in respect of LA3, and was satisfied that the Council had carried out adequate public consultation in accord with the “Statement of Community Involvement” the Council’s adopted policy for engaging the public and organisations.
Having considered all the evidence and views on the scheme, I do believe that the end product of the SA DPD, and what it says about LA3 applies the right balance of firm requirements we will make from the developers and flexibility for the scheme to be worked up in detail.
I believe that DBC has planned carefully for this development – we have engaged residents and the developers to prepare a masterplan to guide the shape of the development and inform the preparation of planning application, which is expected later this year.
The masterplan is not definitive – it will help shape the development but as details emerge of the design and layout of the scheme, some aspects may change.
Ultimately no development will proceed without planning permission, and the Council’s Development Management Committee will have to make the final decision about the detailed aspects of the scheme in due course.
I can reassure WHAG and Members that there will be public consultation on this important scheme when the application is made.
Question from Christine Mabley.
Can you assure us that in order remove the land from the green belt the developers have been held to compliance with local and national policy requirements?
Response from Councillor Graham Sutton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration:
The SA DPD makes a firm requirement for the G&T site to be provided. Whilst the location’ is shown as ‘potential’ the need for the site itself has always been a clear requirement.
As I indicated earlier, the Planning Inspector recommended that the delivery of LA3 be brought forward from the Council’s initial stance of the first homes being occupied post-2021, in part to ensure that earlier provision of travellers’ pitches can be made, but also to help meet the immediate and pressure need for bricks and mortar housing.
In terms of timing of delivery of both new homes for the settled community and the G&T site, this will be considered in the planning application process, which as I say there will be consultation on.
Regarding its indicative location on Chaulden Lane, this has the support of both the Planning Inspector, the County Council’s Gypsy and Traveller liaison officer and the local Highway Authority.
The G&T site can be brought forward separately from the rest of the development as it will take its access from Chaulden Lane and is therefore not dependent on the main access routes which will need to be laid out throughout the LA3 site to serve new housing.
There is a pressing need for G&T accommodation – just to remind members that the Council is expected through Govt policy to maintain a 5 year supply of sites in the same way it needs to for bricks and mortar housing. If we do not so, then we will be under pressure from speculative applications and unauthorised encampments.
Govt policy expects travellers sites to be provided in sustainable locations, close to services and as part of established settlements (extract from latest Govt (2015) guidance is overleaf). The Inspector spent some time before and during the Site Allocations examination checking that the Council had complied with this policy and her final Report makes it clear that she is satisfied we have done so. It is important to look at the development of LA3 as a whole – although it will take many years to fully build out, the end product will be a new residential community as part of the urban area of Hemel Hempstead, providing accommodation for the settled community with a modestly sized site for Gypsies and Travellers.
Question from Anne Lyne.
What actions will Dacorum Borough Council be taking (and can share in public now) to ensure that the developers mitigate the impact of construction at LA3 from the outset and provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities from, and as part of, the first phase of development, especially given that developers for LA3 are already planning and publicly consulting on a 22% increase in housing numbers, that is from 900 to 1100.
Response from Councillor Graham Sutton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration:
This will be a matter for the planning application process.
The developers of LA3 are, as Members know, preparing to submit a planning application later this year.
An important part of this will be the timing of infrastructure and facilities, particularly road access and a new school to serve the site.
The developers have made it known publicly that they are seeking permission for a total of 1100 homes.
The SA DPD refers to the site accommodating 900 new homes, yet one change the Planning Inspector requested was the addition to text to the document to make it clear that 900 was not to be treated as a maximum.
In terms of the impact of 1100 new homes, when the Development Management Committee eventually has to make a decision on the planning application, it will need to be satisfied that the adequate provision of facilities and infrastructure has been made to support that level of development
That, of course, is a decision yet to be taken by the Council.