Agenda item

Consultation on the draft East Devon Local Plan - first draft of the proposed local plan consultation draft

This report introduced, as appended, the first draft of the proposed East Devon Local Plan – consultation draft plan for autumn 2022.

Minutes:

The first draft of the proposed East Devon Local Plan – consultation draft plan was before the Committee with a recommendation that the committee agree to endorse this version of the plan for public consultation, subject to refinement to the plan to come before the Committee at their scheduled meeting on 1 November 2022.  The consultation would run from the 7 November to the 21 December 2022.  The committee had already undertaken significant work on the draft in late 2021; as well as more recent meetings in September and October 2022.

 

Whilst there were still elements of evidence awaited on allocation of land for development of a new town and development generally on the western side of the District, the report sought to focus attention on what elements of the extensive plan should be highlighted as part of the consultation.

 

Explanation was given as to how the consultation would be presented through consultation software, ‘Commonplace’.

 

A number of sites had come forward through the “call for sites” at Feniton and Whimple; as a result there was the potential for substantial build in that area, but the Committee were specifically asked to make a recommendation for the scale of housing development that they felt was appropriate.  The committee had already heard from Councillor Bruce on the excessive scale of growth that could come forward from the sites.

 

The committee had, at previous meetings, received presentations for a number of sites; it was recommended that the committee should also invite presentations for second choice sites not in Tier 4 classification.  These were planned to be delivered at the scheduled meeting on 1 November 2022.

 

General discussion by Members before considering the draft consultation plan by chapter, included compulsory purchase options to deliver more social homes.  Difficulties in following this option were debated.  Some Members felt that, due to the outstanding work still to include in it, they could not support the document at that time; others felt the document still presented a weak plan for consultation.

 

Comments were invited, chapter by chapter; followed by a straw poll for agreement to progress the chapter forward.

 

Chapter 1: Introduction, evidence and policies

·      Suggestion to include a reference to explain why compulsory purchase was not referenced due to its difficulties.  Whilst the comment was noted, it was not felt appropriate to include that in the document.

 

Chapter 2: Vision and objectives

·      General support for the chapter, including reference to “protect and enhance” villages.

 

Chapter 3: The spatial strategy

·      Consider asking for views under this section, for allocation at Whimple and Feniton to give opportunity to those communities to put across their views; as well as for Upottery for more growth. As per debate under minute 43 Public Speaking, the Tier classification had been previously discussed by the committee at previous meetings, and making any changes now impacted on the rest of the plan significantly.  The Committee could still request additional consultation next year on those communities discussed; it was re-iterated that the plan must be evidence led, and in line with policy that homes must be in sustainable locations;

·      Some villages showed no increase in homes at all, could the numbers be more balanced. Members were reminded that the plan was evidence based, and some areas had location constraints and a lack of sites;

·      Ottery St Mary Town Council’s view was clear that they opposed the allocations;

·      Disagreement with Tier classification and lack of reference to climate emergency;

·      Plymtree was explained as not having enough suitable sites when the assessment was undertaken, and the view on that had not changed since that evidence had been obtained;

·      Any community had the right to bring forward an exception site or work to deliver a neighbourhood plan.

 

Chapter 4: Addressing housing needs and identifying sites for development

No comments from the committee other than agreement with the chapter.

 

Chapter 5: Future growth and development on the western side of East Devon

·      Discussion against and in support of the reference to the expansion of Exeter Airport;

·      Query over location of employment land; in response, the land identified in the plan version they were considering included land carried over from the current Local Plan.  Whilst there was still evidence gathering under way, the information within the consultation draft was felt sufficient to proceed to consultation;

·      In response to a query about the location of land for gypsy and traveller sites, the Committee were shown a map of location BRCL_26, alongside the M5 east of the Science Park.  This land had been put forward by the land owner as a possible site for this use, where there was already historic storage use in that area – however again this site was out for consultation only at this stage, no decision on the use had been made.

 

Chapter 6: Strategy for development at Principal Centres, Main Centres and Service Villages

·      Excessive expansion at Whimple, when there were a number of constraints in that location – the level set out in the consultation draft was felt to be too high;

·      Feniton level of growth too high;

·      Consider adding to the consultation some wording explaining that the number of sites that have been put forward in Feniton and Whimple, combined with the available services and facilities, has raised an issue of whether a greater level of growth than other villages would be appropriate. Specific questions are then to be included seeking views on the scale of growth that would be appropriate in Feniton and Whimple and asking respondents to rank the site allocation options in order of preference;

·      Ottery St Mary Town Council not in support of many sites put forward for that area, because of issues with flood risk and highways;

·      Suggestion was made to set out clearly in the document in this section, which were the preferred sites, and which were second choice sites; plus to check before going out to consultation that all site numbers added up to totals listed correctly;

·      Sid Valley has no viable sites due to issues of flood risk and impact on AONB, so those sites should not be included;

·      Settlement containment area of Ottery St Mary needs protecting.

 

The committee were in agreement for the chapter content, excluding reference to Feniton and Whimple, which would be dealt with as a separate recommendation.

 

Chapter 7: Tackling the climate emergency and responding to climate change

·      Need for clear target dates for actions; 2040 target date is referenced in the document, but this is for the Council overall, not just the local plan;

·      Scale of growth of solar farms needs quantifying;

·      Add reference to “odour” in policy 29.

 

Chapter 8: Meeting housing needs for all

·      Debate on the percentage of affordable housing under policy 39, stated in the document and supported by evidence at 15%, but Members felt that this was not high or ambitious enough, and that level gave out the wrong message to the public;

·      40% affordable housing level at Cranbrook was delivered with grants in place, which are unlikely to be available again;

·      Concern over viability arguments, with 15% being the starting point for negotiations, rather than being delivered;

·      Balance between the level of affordable homes and the delivery of infrastructure which a new community requires.  Expectation of level of affordable homes is lower where the developer will also be contributing to the infrastructure of a new community – the consultation plan could include wording to explain this position.

 

Chapter 9: Supporting jobs and the economy and vibrant town centres

The committee were updated on the outstanding Economic Development Need Assessment, of which a draft had been seen but further work was being undertaken; the evidence already held was sufficient to produce the consultation plan before the committee at this meeting.  Allocations were also set out in chapter 6, and there were existing sites in the current Local Pan included.

 

Chapter 10: Designing beautiful and healthy spaces and buildings

No comments from the committee other than agreement with the chapter.

 

Chapter 11: Prioritising sustainable travel and providing the transport and communications facilities we need

·      Debate covered the inclination back to using cars, partly due to fewer bus services;

·      Making additional bus stops seemed futile if so few or no buses were running;

·      Some cycling habits were remaining in areas like Exmouth.

 

Chapter 12: Caring for our outstanding landscape

No comments from the committee other than agreement with the chapter.

 

Chapter 13: Protecting and enhancing our outstanding biodiversity and geodiversity

·      Comment that the chapter does not do enough and should be enhanced, particularly after so much work had been undertaken to protect designations.

 

Chapter 14: Open space and sports and recreation facilities

·      Should include exploring an opportunity to provide a new facility within the new town proposal; this may come out of the Leisure Strategy work to determine where such facilities are needed;

·      Allotment provision is dependent on how much land for allotments can be provided.

 

Chapter 15: Our outstanding historic environment

No comments from the committee other than agreement with the chapter.

 

Chapter 16: Ensuring we have community buildings and facilities

No comments from the committee other than agreement with the chapter.

 

Chapter 17: Implementation and monitoring of the local plan

In response to queries, the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management responded that employment land review was monitored and reported annually; monitoring on businesses was done in-house looking at data already held by the Council, such as business rate data.

 

Chapter 18: Have we missed anything

Some suggestions were highlighted as already present under various chapters.  The suggestion of a chapter relating to the shoreline of the District was put forward, but there were land ownership issues there in that the local authority had no authority past the mean high water mark.

 

RECOMMENDED to Senior Officers to:

1.    Endorse the  draft local plan, as completed to date and as appended to the committee report and voted upon in the earlier straw polls for public consultation, subject to refinements to the plan to be received at Strategic Planning Committee on the 1 November 2022;

2.    Agreement to receipt of a further report on the 1 November 2022 with plan refinements incorporated and with a recommendation for consultation to take place in autumn 2002;

3.    That the Local Plan consultation will not specify a proposed level of growth in the villages of Feniton and Whimple and that wording in the consultation be included to make this clear. Instead wording to be included explaining that the number of sites that have been put forward in these locations combined with the available services and facilities has raised an issue of whether a greater level of growth than other villages would be appropriate. Specific questions are then to be included seeking views on the scale of growth that would be appropriate in Feniton and Whimple and asking respondents to rank the site allocation options in order of preference so that responses can inform Members future consideration of these issues

4.    To agree the revised timetable (as set out in section 9 of the report to committee) for the consultation on the draft Local Plan.

 

RESOLVED

To receive presentations from land owners or their agents in respect of land that is being promoted for development on the western side of East Devon.

 

DECISION:

The recommendation(s) was/were approved by a Senior Officer. The Senior Officer Decision Notice is listed below.

Supporting documents: