Agenda for Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel on Thursday 2nd November 2017, 7.30 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Campus East, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6AE. View directions

Contact: G Paddan Email: democracy@welhat.gov.uk 01707 357349 

Items
No. Item

17.

SUBSTITUTIONS

To note any substitution of Committee Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19 – 22.

 

 

Minutes:

The following substitutions of Panel Members had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:-

 

Councillor M.Cook for G.Hayes

Councillor M.Larkins for A.Chesterman

Councillor S.Markiewicz for D.Bennett.

18.

APOLOGIES

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D.Bennett, A.Chesterman and G.Hayes.

19.

MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2017 (previously circulated).

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

20.

HERTSMERE LOCAL PLAN ISSUES AND OPTIONS CONSULTATION pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which sets out the main planning issues facing Hertsmere as it looks to meet the need for growth, and examines different approaches, or options, for how to best provide for growth.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the proposed response to the Hertsmere Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation.

 

Hertsmere Borough Council had begun the process of preparing a new Local Plan.  It was carrying out an “Issues and Options” consultation which sought views on how the Plan should approach providing for growth in homes, jobs and infrastructure that were required in the next fifteen years.

 

Whilst the consultation report did not contain draft policies or detailed proposals, there were a number of strategic issues of relevance to Welwyn Hatfield. As neighbouring Boroughs, Welwyn Hatfield and Hertsmere had a legal ‘Duty to Co-Operate” on cross-boundary strategic issues.

 

The report identified the strategic issues which arose from the consultation and summarised the proposed response including detailing any actions which were considered necessary for the Council to discharge its legal duties.

 

The Principal Planner referred to an email from the North Mymms Green Belt Society which raised concerns that the proposed response did not include reference to the Green Belt.  It was agreed that a section on the Green Belt would be included in the Council’s response to the consultation.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the proposed response to Hertsmere Borough Council’s Issues and Options consultation as set out in Appendix A to the report be approved.

21.

DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION: PLANNING FOR THE RIGHT HOMES IN THE RIGHT PLACES pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the consultation document called Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places which seeks to take forward proposals in the Housing White Paper. 

Minutes:

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the consultation document called “Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places” which sought to take forward proposals in the Housing White Paper. 

 

These proposals included a standardised methodology for calculating housing need, a requirement to prepare a statement of common ground to aid the duty to co-operate and engage with adjoining authorities, criteria for increasing planning application fees by 20%, proposals relating to housing mix, Section 106 planning agreements, viability assessments and neighbourhood planning.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Executive Member (Planning, Housing and Community) be authorised to submit the Council’s response by 9 November 2017 and circulate it to the Panel.

22.

LOCAL PLAN EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC

Minutes:

Following completion of the Stage 2 hearing sessions of the process, the Head of Planning gave a verbal update to the Panel.

 

The Inspector had advised the Council that the submitted Local Plan had passed the legal test but he believed that modifications were needed to make it sound, particularly in respect of meeting the objective need for 16,000 homes to 2033 in the Borough.  It was now intended that Officers would carry out additional work in respect of urban capacity assumptions, modifications, green belt evidence and employment policies, that would ultimately be submitted to the Inspector as proposed modifications and subject to further public consultation and Council approval.

 

The Panel thanked the Planning Policy team for all their hard work to date on the Local Plan.