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.
Minutes:
The question set out below was received from a member of the public.
“My name is Howard Dawson. I am a resident of Welham Green. I am also a Chartered Surveyor and a Regulation 19 party at the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan Examination.
The Liberal Democrats and the Labour Members of this Council have been staunch opponents against the allocation of High Harm housing sites in the Green Belt. Equally, the Conservatives, despite being the party which originally advanced the three High Harm sites for allocation in the Local Plan, have also committed themselves unequivocally to the removal of High Harm sites from the Local Plan. In a letter written by the Cabinet of this Council to the Prime Minister on 21 September 2022, it stated;
“A key point for us was that this allocation removed three sites classed as ‘high harm’ to the Green Belt, following a review instigated by the Inspector.”
Two of the three High Harm sites are in Cuffley where, Mr Jonathan Shack, a resident in that village has recently mounted a successful Judicial Review against this Council for trying to grant planning permission for 14 dwellings on one of those High Harm sites. Well done Mr Shack. The third of the High Harm sites is in the Welham Green Ward. It is known as BrP4 (HS22).
In January 2020, the full Council resolved unequivocally to remove all three High Harm sites from the Local Plan. This received cross-party support without any dissention.
At the full Council meeting in January 2020, the now Leader of the Council, Paul Zukowskyj, made crystal clear that the Liberal Democrats would not, under any circumstances, support the allocation of High Harm Green Belt sites in the Local Plan. Now is the opportunity to fulfil that promise.
The Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition is now in a position to deliver its direct promises to the communities of Cuffley, Welham Green and Water End. The three High Harm Green Belt sites must be deleted from the draft Local Plan.
The Labour and Liberal Democrats members must now take ownership of the Local Plan. You cannot duck that responsibility and then hope to blame the Conservatives for their past mistakes. The Conservatives have made clear that High Harm sites in the Green Belt must be deleted from the Local Plan. Their letter to the Prime Minister in September 2022 was unequivocal;
“We have made a decision to remove these sites and we will not reverse that decision.”
There are solid lawful grounds to delete the High Harm sites from the Local Plan. In fact, the Council has itself identified suitable housing sites for over 1,000 dwellings on sites that were found to be Moderate or Moderate-High Harm, none of which have been allocated. The Inspector has made clear that he would be willing to see those sites of less harm to the Green Belt allocated, which the Council should now present to him as an alternative to the High Harm sites.
With power also comes responsibility. The Council must stand by its cross-party conviction and insist to the Inspector that the three High Harm Green Belt sites be deleted from the draft Local Plan. If you fail to do this, you will lose the trust of those people who voted you into office based on your Green Belt convictions.
Would the Chair please confirm that the Council will take a fresh look at the housing sites that are of less harm to the Green Belt and offer some or all of these sites to the Inspector in replacement for the three High Harm Green Belt sites? Thank you.”
The response below was provided to the question:
“Thank you for your question. The position in relation to the draft Local Plan has evolved considerably since the full Council meeting in January 2020. Most recently, in December 2022, full Council agreed to carry out the main modifications consultation, as requested by the Planning Inspector. This was after consideration of over two years of engagement with the Inspector on some of the matters you have referred to, as well as a request to government by Cabinet for intervention. The Inspector subsequently decided to carry out another consultation, on further main modifications, which focussed on a much narrower range of changes; this followed his consideration of the consultation responses from earlier this year. The Council anticipate receiving the Inspector’s report in the coming weeks. There will then be a decision for full Council in relation to whether or not to adopt the plan, based on current planning policy, the merits and risks of proceeding, and any other options available, following recommendation from CPPP and Cabinet in the usual way. In relation to the sites that you have specifically referred to, these are sites which have been in the plan since the beginning and the Inspector has found sound, and the Council does not have the power to remove them.”