Agenda item

Report C/17/27: On 14 September 2016 Cabinet agreed report C/16/35, which sought approval to publish the Preferred Options Shepway Places and Policies Local Plan for public engagement and to agree the consultation arrangements.

The Preferred Options draft was subsequently published for consultation for six weeks in October to November 2016 and the Council received over 2,000 representations from more than 600 individuals, community groups and organisations. The representations have now been considered and the Plan has been amended to reflect these and other considerations.

The new version of the plan, called the Submission Draft Places and Policies Local Plan, is attached at Appendix 1. 

The next stage in the process is to publish the Submission Draft Places and Policies Local Plan and undertake public consultation for a minimum six week period in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. Following this, the Places and Policies Local Plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State and an examination in public will be held.   

Report C/17/27: On 14 September 2016 Cabinet agreed report C/16/35,

which sought approval to publish the Preferred Options Shepway Places

and Policies Local Plan for public engagement and to agree the

consultation arrangements.

The Preferred Options draft was subsequently published for consultation

for six weeks in October to November 2016 and the Council received over

2,000 representations from more than 600 individuals, community groups

and organisations. The representations have now been considered and

the Plan has been amended to reflect these and other considerations.

The new version of the plan, called the Submission Draft Places and

Policies Local Plan, is attached at Appendix 1.

The next stage in the process is to publish the Submission Draft Places

and Policies Local Plan and undertake public consultation for a minimum

six week period in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local

Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. Following this, the Places and

Policies Local Plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State and an

examination in public will be held.

This report was considered at Cabinet on 19 July 2017.

David Whittington and Adrian Tofts presented members with an update following the first consultation and the next stage in the process. A copy of the presentation is attached for information.

Particular attention was paid to the following:

Preferred options consultation – there was an increase in people responding from previous consultations and this is partly due to the success of the communications team and the use of social media (such as Twitter and Facebook) in generating interest.

The main areas in the “places” section that received the most interest were Princes Parade, Land adjacent to the Battle of Britain Museum – Hawkinge, Greatstone car park and Land south of New Romney. In respect of the “policies” section particular attention was paid to the transport and local green spaces.

17 new sites were submitted and it is intended to take 3 forward to allocate in the Submission plan; Cherry Gardens, New Romney, Rhee Wall Road, Brenzett and Rye Road, Brookland.

As well as new sites some sites will be deleted and this is due to uncertainty over delivery, lack of adequate highways access, objections to loss of playing fields and where development on site is advanced. The sites deleted are shown in the attached papers. The Council will still meet the development requirements set out in the 2013 Core Strategy, particularly the numbers of homes that need to be built.

The main proposed changes on the sites being kept are in respect of Princes Parade, Hythe, Land adjacent to the Kent Battle of Britain Museum, which is to be a mixed-use development including land for the expansion of the adjoining museum, and Land adjoining The Marsh Academy, which is to help with the provision of health facilities.

Members noted the additional proposed changes listed in the attached papers with their attention drawn to the need to get correct and proper clarification on requirements for S106 and CIL contributions and the changes in relation to parking standards.

Officers informed members to finalise the submission draft will mean map changes to reflect the plan, final discussions with Highways England, further sustainability work along with monitoring and evidence base work.

Once all the above has been finalised then the next stage can begin, this will include a six week consultation followed by submission of the plan to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS). PINS will appoint an independent Planning Inspector who will conduct a public examination into the plan and who will then write a report into the plan, setting out any changes that need to be made.

Following these changes, the amended plan will be taken back to Cabinet and Council, with the recommendation that it is adopted. This will enable the plan to be used to decide planning applications.

Members asked a number of questions paying particular attention to the following:

·         Health provision –it is clear that there is a need to look at and allocate site provision throughout the district not just the Marsh area and the recruitment of doctors is a particular problem.

·         Leisure facilities – looking at existing policies and adding to them.

·         Broadband provision – officers want to improve the facilities for this provision and the previous policy has been redrafted, drawing on best practice elsewhere, to improve the policy and get the best service for residents a priority, members were keen also for this to be achieved using the correct infrastructure at the start.

·         Local green space/open spaces – the former local green space policy has been deleted as few of the candidate sites put forward would meet the criteria in national policy (the National Planning Policy Framework or NPPF). However, these spaces can still be proposed through neighbourhood plans as parish and town councils have the local knowledge. Sites could also be put forward by people as part of the next round of consultation.

·         Affinity Water site, Shearway – residents have expressed concern in respect of drainage and officers were able to confirm that the number of dwellings had reduced, it might be better suited to business development.

·         Parking – more homes means more vehicles and this can be an issue for residents.

·         Consultation responses – the full text of responses can be found on the council’s website with the document summarising the main points raised.

Members were informed that when the plan goes out for the next stage of consultation (the Submission consultation) a schedule of people’s comments will be published with the Council’s response to each comment, highlighting any changes made.

Proposed by Councillor Peter Gane

Seconded by Councillor Michael Lyons and

Resolved:

1.         To receive and note report C/17/27.

(Voting: For 5; Against 0; Abstentions 1)