Agenda and draft minutes

To note any substitution of Panel Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.

The following substitution was made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules:

Councillor Darrell Panter for Councillor S Goldwater.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor S Goldwater.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2024 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

None.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillors Kingsbury, Thusu and Zukowskyj declared an interest as members of Hertfordshire County Council.  

Up to thirty minutes will be made available for questions from members of the public on issues relating to the work of the Committee and to receive any petitions.

There were no public questions or petitions.

Officers introduced the report which presented the Hertfordshire Development Quality Charter for the Panel’s consideration and onward recommendation for endorsement by Cabinet. The charter, which was created by the Hertfordshire Growth Board, sought to improve sustainability and design quality for new development in the county. The charter did not stretch much beyond the requirements of the adopted Local Plan; however, through the Growth Board, there was an ambition to support a benchmark level of development quality across the county and this could be the start of that process. Further work would come back to Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel (CPPP) in the summer including Welwyn Hatfield’s sustainability SPD. Endorsement of the charter would mean it became a material planning consideration.  

A member noted the Council’s ambitions about sustainability and sought clarification as to whether the charter did not prevent it from doing more than it would want to and was an outline of the minimum that was required. Officers confirmed the charter was a baseline; the Growth Board had been trying to draw a baseline level across the county but each council had the option of developing its own policies and guidance beyond that, subject to planning processes.

RESOLVED:

(Unanimous)

Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel:

a)    Recommended to Cabinet that the Hertfordshire Development Quality Charter be endorsed as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications by the Council, as Local Planning Authority; and

b)    Agreed the decision would be taken by the Executive Member using their delegated powers under paragraph 18.1(b) of the Cabinet Procedure Rules.