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

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

Councillor S. Markiewicz for D. Bennett.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor D. Bennett.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 8 February 2018 and 8 March 2018 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meetings held on 8 February 2018 and 8 March 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which lists the actions from the previous meeting and their current status.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which listed the actions from the previous meeting was noted.

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

Councillor S. Boulton declared a non-pecuniary interest in items on the agenda as appropriate by virtue of being a Member of Hertfordshire County Council.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) summarising the content of the Government’s draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which summarised the content of the Government’s Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which had been issued for consultation until 10 May 2018 and then set out a number of proposed responses that this Council could make.

Members considered the proposed responses and made the following comments:

·         Welcomed retention of plan-led system.

·         Welcomed emphasis on presumption in favour of sustainable development.

·         Noted that the Council would have the option of preparing a joint strategic plan with adjoining authorities.

·         Asked that the resource and cost implications of updating a plan every five years be highlighted as part of the response.

·         Observed that a standard housing methodology could achieve more consistency but could result in even higher numbers for the Borough.

·         Members supported the vitality of town centres which the Draft NPPF guidance on the economy specifies.

·         Members welcomed the suggestion that Council should use planning conditions to force housing development start within a shorter period than the usual three years.  There would be an issue if there was under-delivery, as the Council would be required to prepare an action plan (at 95%) and an annual position statement (at 85%) or treat its policies as out of date and apply the presumption in favour of sustainable development (at 75%).

·         Consideration was given to developers being responsible for part of the Council Tax to speed up developments in a timely manner including the highways and landscaping.

RESOLVED

1)    That the Panel’s comments be included within the response.

2)    That the Panel authorise the Head of Planning to prepare and submit a final response in consultation with the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) and the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which sets out the Hertfordshire County Council’s (HCC) Waste Local Plan Initial Consultation document (WLP).

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the Hertfordshire County Council’s (HCC) published Waste Local Plan Initial Consultation document (WLP).  This was open for consultation between 5 February 2018 and 30 March 2018, however it has been agreed with the HCC that Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council could submit a late representation so that Members would have the opportunity to debate the consultation.  This will replace the policies contained within its existing Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document (adopted 2012) and covers the period between 2011 – 2026, as well as the Waste Site Allocations Document (adopted 2014) and the Employment Land Areas of Search (ELAS) Supplementary Planning Document (adopted 2015).

The WLP’s initial consultation was the first stage of reviewing the existing Plan and it was informal.  This stage was expected to be followed by a call for sites (if required), a Draft WLP Pre-Submission Consultation (REG 19) in autumn 2019, submission to an independent examination in winter 2020 and adoption by autumn 2021.

The consultation document had been informed by Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Habitats Regulation Assessment Scoping Reports, as well as a Draft Waste Capacity Report (2017).  It was also accompanied by 12 topic paper covered areas such as; cross boundary issues, criteria for assessing applications, policies transport, safeguarding sites and waste parks.  The Council’s proposed response was set out in italics in section 4 of the report.

Members considered the recycling rates and how much effort had been put into collecting waste and its safe disposal; particularly hazardous waste.  It was agreed that the Council’s response should support the proposed objectives but suggest that they could be added to include references to the need to protect the Green Belt.  Further consideration was given to construction, demolition and excavation waste (CDE) issues, particularly in regard to having to transport such waste across the Borough to the appropriate waste sites.  Members welcomed the suggestion that the targets to recover and divert CDE waste should be supported, as this would encourage the efficient use of resources and reduce the need to extract minerals.

Members expressed concern on the robustness of Hertfordshire County Council’s waste data and considered that waste authorities should lobby the government on this matter. Members also considered that when determining the need for future waste management facilities account should be taken of the location of facilities just outside Hertfordshire, as part of the consideration of strategic cross boundary issues and the Duty to Cooperate.

RESOLVED

1)    That the Panel agrees the proposed response to the Draft Hertfordshire Waste Local Plan Initial Consultation Document (2018), as set out in Section 4 of the report.

2)    The Panel authorises the Head of Planning in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community to finalise the response.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) summarising the key issues arising from East Herts Main Modifications consultation and sets out the Council’s response to the consultation which was agreed with the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community.

Members received a report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the East Herts District Council’s Plan which was in the process of being finalised.  The Plan had been submitted for examination in March 2017 and an independent Planning Inspector examined the Plan during hearing Sessions held between October 2017 and January 2018.  Following the close of the Hearing Sessions, the Council proposed modifications to the Plan.

The report summarised the key issues arising from East Herts Main Modifications consultation and set out the Council’s response to the consultation which was agreed with the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community. The Council raised no objection to the proposed Main Modifications to the East Herts District Plan.  It considered that the proposed Main Modifications would help ensure that the Plan met the ‘tests of soundness’ as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.  The report noted that East Herts District Council were proposing around 180 Main Modifications which were subject to consultation as well as a number of minor modifications to the Plan and Policies Map which were not consulted upon.

The consultation response set out the Council’s support for the proposed Main Modifications to Policy EWEL 1 Land East of Welwyn in the East Herts District Plan.  The land allocation in the Plan at East of Welwyn formed part of the larger Birchall Garden Suburb site that falls partly within Welwyn Hatfield Borough and partly within East Herts District.

It was suggested that a map would be useful in future when discussing Plans, as it would easily categorise the area being deliberated.

            RESOLVED

That the Panel notes the consultation response set out in paragraph 3.13 of the report.

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) setting out the draft Greenspace Action Plan (GAP) that has been prepared for Cole Green Way by the Countryside Management Service (CMS) on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC).

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the draft Green Space Action Plan (GAP), which had been prepared for Cole Green Way by the Countryside Management Service (CMS) on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC).  The report noted that the Cole Green Way was a 6.2km non-motorised transport route following the former Hertford to Welwyn Garden City branch line.  It provides a traffic free connection between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City connection at both ends to links to the respective town centres and formed part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 61.

The draft GAP focused on the section of Cole Green Way between Hertford and the A414 which is owned by HCC and would make recommendation for the management of the remainder of the route.  A briefing document was produced by CMS in August 2017 as a first stage of engagement on the GAP.  The Council’s proposed consultation response was reported to this Panel on 5 October 2017 and following agreement of the Panel it was submitted to the CMS on 12 October 2017.

The CMS had considered the feedback from the consultation on the briefing document and had subsequently prepared a draft Cole Green Way Greenspace Action Plan 2018-2023. Members reviewed the draft GAP which set out the Council’s response to the consultation which had been agreed with the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community and submitted to HCC by email on Friday 16 March 2018.

Members suggested that a site visit may be useful and raised a question in respect of the tarmac walk way being environmentally friendly and future maintenance requirements/arrangements.

RESOLVED

1.    That this Panel notes progress by the CMS on behalf of HCC in the preparation of a Greenspace Action Plan for Cole Green Way.

2.    That this Panel notes the proposals and action plans for Cole Green Way as set out in the draft Greenspace Action Plan.

3.    That this Panel notes the Council’s response to the draft Cole Green Way Greenspace Action Plan 2018-2023 consultation which was agreed with the Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Community and submitted to HCC on Friday 16 March 2018.

The Chairman thanked everyone for their attendance over the past year.</AI9>

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Meeting ended at 8.50pm

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