Agenda item

1.               That issues arising from comments received to the draft master plans and the impact of new advice be noted;

 

2.               That the responses set out in Table 3 of the Consultation Report for the draft master plans and the proposed changes arising, as shown in the track change master plans attached to this report, are agreed;

 

3.               That authority is delegated to the Assistant Director (Planning, Development and Regeneration), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, to approve any further wording changes to the draft master plans prior to submission.

 

1.               That issues arising from comments received to the draft master plans and the impact of new advice be noted;

 

2.               That the responses set out in Table 3 of the Consultation Report for the draft master plans and the proposed changes arising, as shown in the track change master plans attached to this report, are agreed;

 

3.               That authority is delegated to the Assistant Director (Planning, Development and Regeneration), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, to approve any further wording changes to the draft master plans prior to submission.

 

Reason for Decision

 

1.     Consider the issues raised through consultation on the draft master plans in late 2014;

2.     Agree changes proposed to draft master plans arising from the consultation; and

3.     Agree the process for submitting the draft master plans as supporting documents to the Site Allocations DPD when it is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

 

Implications

 

Financial

Having adopted master plans for the development of the Local Allocations will help reduce the incidence of planning appeals (and hence costs associated with these).  It will be the most effective way of ensuring the planning application stage is smooth, and will speed up the decision making process.  It will also ensure optimum level of developer contributions to infrastructure and in mitigation of development impacts can be achieved. 

 

Value for money

Where possible, technical work that supports the master plans has been undertaken by landowners to ensure value for money.  The costs associated with the preparation of the master plans have also been shared where possible.

 

Legal

Although the master plans do not form part of the Site Allocations DPD, they are Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPGs) that will support delivery of key policies within this DPD.  Attwaters Jameson and Hill Solicitors have been retained to provide external legal support for the Site Allocations.  The same advisers acted for the Council through the Core Strategy Examination process and subsequent (unsuccessful) legal challenge to this document.   They will support the Council’s own legal team by providing any advice required regarding the implication of new Government advice; assist with responding to key representations; advise on the production of any additional evidence and support Officers through the Site Allocations Examination process, where the master plans will be considered as supporting documents. 

 

Staff

Joint working with land owners to develop the master plans has reduced the burden on the Strategic Planning and Regeneration team.  Going forward, at the planning application stage, having adopted master plans, agreed by land owners, will similarly assist the development management team.

 

Land

The Local Allocations support delivery of the Council’s adopted Core Strategy which will play an important role in decisions regarding future land uses within the Borough. 

Risk Implications

 

The master plans have been developed in conjunction with land owners and have been subject to public consultation, which reduces the risk of lengthy delays at the planning application stage.

 

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.  The master plans support the delivery of the Core Strategy and Site Allocations DPDs.

 

Health And Safety Implications

Implications are included in the planning issues covered by the Core Strategy and Site Allocations DPDs.

 

Corporate Objectives

The master plans set out site requirements and information about the design and layout for the development of the Local Allocation housing sites.  As such, they help 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. give consideration as to how the new developments can support existing communities and help address local deficiencies etc;

·        Affordable housing: e.g. require 40% of dwellings on the sites to be affordable; which is higher than the usual policy requirement;

·        Dacorum delivers:  e.g. provides a clear framework to inform planning decisions regarding the Local Allocations; and

Regeneration: e.g. encourages high quality housing development, which will support Dacorum’s vibrant economy.

 

Advice

 

The Portfolio Holder for Planning & Regeneration explained that this had been a long and rigorous process, which resulted in consultation and minor tweaks being made to the plan.

 

The Assistant Team Leader Strategic Planning and Regeneration said that Members would be aware that we consulted on the Site Allocations and masterplans last year and the feedback had previously been reported to Cabinet. The feedback received on the recent Focussed Changes consultation for the Site Allocations will be reported to members in December.

 

The report before members’ sets out the feedback received specifically on the masterplans for the local allocations, and the Council’s proposed responses, which are consistent with those given to the Site Allocations. Most responses did not raise any new issues that have not been brought previously to Members’ attention either through previous reports on the Site Allocations, or relating to the Core Strategy process.

Members will be aware that the masterplans are additional guidance to the Site Allocations document which sets the formal policy.  They do not contain all the detail for delivery of the sites which will be finalised at the planning application stage. 

The masterplans will be submitted to the planning inspectorate as background evidence to the Site Allocations so they won’t be subject to examination themselves.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources raised concerns around road capacity in certain areas, which he had raised previously and was opposed the strategy. He asked how much more investigation had been done to look into this.

The Assistant Team Leader Strategic Planning and Regeneration said the Transport model had been updated. Hertfordshire County Council were confident that any impacts could be mitigated and they fully supported the plan.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources noted there was a change in Government Policy recently regarding gypsy and traveller sites. He asked what the changes were.

The Assistant Team Leader Strategic Planning and Regeneration explained that there had been some changes in July and the council was meeting with its external legal advisor to consider the implications. A report would be considered by Cabinet in December as part of the Site Allocations Policy.

The Team Leader for Strategic Planning & Regeneration added that the principle change was the definition of gypsy and travellers. She was unsure how they would define this and monitor things in reality. The council was taking legal advice to see if the numbers needing accommodation would change.

 

The Leader of the Council was aware of the huge pressures for developments to include parking but he felt there was a desire to see better provisions made and wanted it to be included somewhere in the planning process or policies. He added that this had been an issue over the past 5-10 years as developers were keen to keep the numbers low.

The Assistant Director for Planning, Development & Regeneration said the parking issues would be addressed as part of the full local plan review.

The Team Leader for Strategic Planning & Regeneration said that the transport plan identified suitable requirements.

 

Consultation

Consultation took place with:

Formal consultation on the draft master plans took place alongside the pre-Submission Site Allocations DPD from September to November 2014.

To help inform the master plans, workshops and/or meetings with local residents and other stakeholders were held in May 2013. For LA3, this was followed by public consultation (including a manned exhibition) in July 2013, to seek feedback on development principles for the site.

 

Advice from key stakeholders, such as the Local Education Authority and Highway Authority, has been sought where appropriate.  Feedback on the Council’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan has also been significant in developing a clear understanding of local infrastructure needs. This advice is referred to within the relevant Background Issues Papers that form part of the Site Allocations DPD evidence base. The Consultation Reports relating to the Core Strategy (Volumes 1-7) are also relevant.

In terms of internal processes, a Task and Finish Group gave informal advice on the preparation of the master plans. A report seeking agreement for the content of the draft master plans for consultation was agreed by Cabinet in July 2014.  There have also been reports to Cabinet at key stages in the preparation of the Local Planning Framework and the Planning and Regeneration Portfolio Holder has been kept appraised of progress.

 

SPEOSC also considered a progress report, which highlighted key emerging issues, on 27 January 2015 (see below).

 

Voting

 

None.