Agenda item

The report of the Executive Director sets out the areas of support and concern for North Herts District Council’s (NHDC) Proposed Submission Local Plan.  There remains a number of strategic issues of particular relevance to Welwyn Hatfield, and which may have a ‘Duty to Co-operate’ implication.

Reportofthe ExecutiveDirector asked Members to note the areas of support and concern for the North Herts District Council’s (NHDC) Proposed Submission Local Plan, as set out within the report at Appendix A. Much like the Local Plan being prepared by this Council, the NHDC plan was a comprehensive single plan.  It combined strategic policies, development management policies and site allocations for various uses and various designations for certain areas.  It covered a 20 year plan period from 2011 to 2031.

NHDC previously carried out consultation in early 2015, with a document that set out the main issues which would be dealt with in the new NHDC plan and the various options NHDC was considering.  There were still a number of strategic issues of particular significance to Welwyn Hatfield and which may have a ‘Duty to Cooperate’ implication – these were set out within the report.

The consultation ran for six weeks.  Due to the timing of the deadline (30 November 2016) in relation to the meeting of this Panel (1 December 2016), the response as set out in the Appendix to this plus an additional response relating to Gypsy and Traveller provision was agreed with the Executive Member for Planning as the  response sent to NHDC. 

The Council’s response was generally supportive of the consultation document but also raised a number of matters in response to the Proposed Submission Local Plan 2016 consultation including: a request that NHDC’s early review of its Local Plan consider the potential to meet some of Welwyn Hatfield’s identified and longer term housing needs; given changing economic forecasts there was a need to jointly monitor the situation; setting out this Council’s willingness to jointly work with NHDC on any future assessment of infrastructure needs and provision.

During discussion on the proposed submission version of their Local Plan, Officers responded to the issues and concerns raised by Members which included the additional 1,950 homes on land in and around Cockernhoe as a contribution towards Luton’s unmet housing needs and land west of the A1(M) at Stevenage had been safeguarded for up to 3,100 dwellings in the period beyond 2016 to help meet future unmet housing needs arising in Stevenage.

The housing target had been made possible by releasing Green Belt around Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and a number larger villages including Codicote and Knebworth.  About 8,000 dwelling would be delivered strategic around development sites being released from the Green Belt.

The Panel received addition information relating to an additional response to SP8, HS7 in respect of Gypsy and Traveller pitches at the Pulmore Water site (CD4) which would meet the needs of the community,. The site adjoining the existing Gypsy and Traveller site at Pulmore Water had been identified for an additional seven pitches which would take the level of provision on the site to over the recommended 15 pitch threshold and the response referred to a recent application received by NHDC for a small Gypsy and Traveller site nearby.  

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the Panel notes the areas of support and concern for North Herts District Council’s Proposed Submission Local Plan as set out in the report at Appendix A and tabled at the meeting.