Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) which provides the Panel with an overview of the key issues raised during the consultation, prior to next meeting when a full list of the key issues and a schedule of proposed modifications will be presented to the Panel.

Members received the report of the Executive Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance), which provided an update on the Local Plan and an overview of the key issues raised during the consultation, prior to the next meeting when a full list of the key issues and a schedule of proposed modifications would be presented to the Panel for Members to decide whether to recommend to submit the documents to the Secretary of State.

The report noted that over 3,000 comments had been made on the five consultation documents.  In addition during the consultation period one petition was received with 493 signatures with an objection to the allocation of a site for residential development in the Green Belt in Woolmer Green and proposing that Entech House be allocated for residential rather than employment development.

The following key points were raised and discussed:

·         Means of consultation – a variety of methods were used to raise awareness of the consultation including a prominent placement of information on the Council’s website.

·         Six events took place and approximately 700 people took the opportunity to view and discuss the proposals.

·         A more comprehensive list of main issues was being drawn up together with Officer recommendations as to whether any modifications needed to be made as a result of the issues raised.

·         The legal and soundness tests were being applied to this stage of consultation.

·         Noted that some residents considered that they had not had sufficient opportunity to be involved in the process of plan making and felt that their representations were not listened to, although the Plan had changed direction due to a number of responses received.

·         Duty to Co-operate (DTC) – some respondents had referred to the failure to comply with the Duty to Co-operate, however only one of these (St Albans City and District Council) was a DTC body.  St Albans had expressed its willingness to have further DTC discussion prior to submission and it was hoped that its concern would be addressed prior to submission.

·         60% of responses to the draft Plan felt that the plan was unsound and had requested changes.

·         In terms of growth, St Albans City and District Council considered that the job figures target was too high and there were others that had indicated that more land for employment was required.

·         Broxbourne Borough Council confirmed that it was unlikely to be able to meet any of Welwyn Hatfield’s housing development shortfall.

·         The use of Green Belt land continued to be controversial. It was suggested that the Council needed to demonstrate why it was using Green Belt land.

·         Some respondents considered there was too much growth proposed around the villages and others that the villages should be accommodating more.  Similarly some felt the towns were accommodating too much growth and others that they should have less.  Some believed that there should have been more consideration given to the creation of a new settlement.

·         Secondary school capacity was a constraint on overall numbers in the Plan.

·         The need for good quality development that would not compromise decent quality of life.

·         A comprehensive report would be provided at the next meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Officers for their work and confirmed that a more comprehensive report would be provided at the next meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Panel note the report and the next steps for the preparation of the Local Plan.