Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online via the zoom app. All councillors and registered speakers will have been sent an appointment with the meeting link

Contact: Wendy Harris  01395 517542; email  wharris@eastdevon.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

89.

Public speaking

Information on public speaking is available online

 

Minutes:

Councillor Matt Osborn representing Cranbrook Town Council and the residents of Cranbrook spoke about the continued delays and loss of faith of a promised town centre.  He advised the committee that residents want the delivery of a town centre now and thanked the Planning Officers, Ward Members and Committee Members for their hard work in the negotiations that had gone into producing the current proposal which delivers what Cranbrook needs.  He urged Committee Members to listen to the people of Cranbrook and look at how to start to deliver for Cranbrook.

 

Lythan Nevard, Minister for Cranbrook welcomed the changes that had been made since the last Strategic Planning Committee. She welcomed the provision of apartments on top of retail units in the town centre and saw this as a means of providing smaller and more affordable housing in the town. She also welcomed the additional space for community facilities which was so desperately needs.  She stressed there was so much potential for Cranbrook but this was held back because of the lack of space for people to meet and urged members to consider the extra space in the town centre which the town needs.  She stated this may not be the dream of what a town centre might look like but would rather have a living breathing town centre that worked for a community rather than something that was award winning.

 

Mr Paul Smith, a resident of Cranbrook, had submitted a statement read out on his behalf by the Democratic Services Officer, which stated:

 

I commend the extensive work undertaken by council officers in preparation of the New Local Plan preparation advisory report and draught ‘Issues & Options Consultation document – Jan 2021, prepared against a backdrop of changing Government Housing policy, and the introduction of Environmental and Agricultural Legislation which will have far reaching implications for the use of agricultural land, and permitted levels of air and noise pollution.

 

However I have concerns with regard to ‘information’ included in both report and Consultation documents.

 

Report para 7.8 suggests that at the present trajectory of house building within EDDC there will be a shortfall of 6415 dwellings by 2031. The existing Local Plan indicates an objectively assessed housing need figure of 17100 during the lifetime of the Plan. A review of the latest House Monitoring report, March 2020 indicates that between 2013-2020 houses in excess of 6000+ were built, and between 2020 -2031 houses totalling 18415 are projected to be built. This does not include an increasing number of windfall sites coming forward. A 5 year land supply was confirmed throughout the period. I question a shortfall?

 

Report Para 7.8 also refers to proposals initially set out in the Government white paper, ’Planning for the Future’ which translates to a new requirement for annual house building of 1614 homes per annum, also detailed within Chapter 5 of the Consultative document- Housing Needs. This information is factually incorrect, as it is clear that the Housing Minister under pressure from Conservative MP’s has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89.

90.

Minutes of the previous meetings held on 20 October and 22 October 2020 pdf icon PDF 312 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee meeting held on 20 October and 22 October 2020 were confirmed as a true record.

 

91.

Declarations of interest

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

Minutes:

Minute 94. Councillors Allen, Arnott, Blakey, Chamberlain, Dave, Hayward, Hookway, Howe, Ledger, McLauchlan, Moulding, Rylance, Skinner and Thomas advised they had been lobbied in respect of this item.

 

Minute 94. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Member of the Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Minute 94. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Kevin Blakey, Personal, Cranbrook Town Councillor and Members of the Cranbrook Strategic Delivery Board.

 

Minute 94. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Family member lives in Cranbrook

 

Minute 94. Cranbrook Town Centre.

Councillor Sarah Chamberlain, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor and a resident of Broadclyst Station.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Seaton Town Councillor.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Eleanor Rylance, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Mike Howe, Personal, Bishops Clyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Olly Davey, Personal, Exmouth Town Councillor.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Employee of All Saints, Chardstock and Newton Poppleford and Harpford Parish Councils.

 

Minute 96. Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report.

Councillor Sarah Chamberlain, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor and resident of Broadclyst Station.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Seaton Town Councillor.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Eleanor Rylance, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Mike Howe, Personal, Bishops Clyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Olly Davey, Personal, Exmouth Town Councillor.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Employee of All Saints, Chardstock and Newton Poppleford and Harpford Parish Councils.

 

Minute 97. Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement.

Councillor Sarah Chamberlain, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor and resident of Broadclyst Station.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Personal, Seaton Town Councillor.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Eleanor Rylance, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Mike Howe, Personal, Bishops Clyst Parish Councillor.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Olly Davey, Personal, Exmouth Town Councillor.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Paul Hayward, Personal, Employee of All Saints, Chardstock and Newton Poppleford and Harpford Parish Councils.

 

Minute 98. Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA.

Councillor Sarah Chamberlain, Personal, Broadclyst Parish Councillor and resident of Broadclyst Station.

 

Minute 99. East Devon Local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91.

92.

Matters of urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

 

Minutes:

There were no matters of urgency.

 

93.

Confidential/exempt item(s)

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no itemswhich officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway.

 

Minutes:

There were no items that officers recommended should be dealt with requiring exclusion of the public and press.

 

94.

Cranbrook Town Centre pdf icon PDF 2 MB

The report seeks to update Members on progress with negotiations with the developers and with the alternative proposals for a Supplementary Planning Document detailing the Council’s vision for the town centre and a pro-active approach to its delivery.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered and discussed the report presented by the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management that updated Members on the progress with negotiations with the developers on the alternative proposals for a Supplementary Planning Document that detailed the council’s vision of the town centre.

 

The following key amendments detailed below would provide sufficient land and flexibility to deliver a town centre for Cranbrook that would be fit for purpose for now and in the future:

·         The availability of parcel TC1 within the north west corner of the town centre to accommodate the extra care facility in lieu of parcel TC4C resulting in an additional 0.64 hectares of land coming to the council;

·         The option to purchase parcels TC3, TC4D, TC4E at market residential land values.  The Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised the Consortium would want the values for this land agreed before the signing of the MOU;

 

The Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management asked Members to be cautious of the amendments in the MOU and advised that the amendments would rely on a proactive delivery in some form of the town centre and the need to purchase land at a substantially higher value than it would be worth for the intended community, leisure and business used.  He also made Members aware that the Consortium had not delivered an all-weather pitch or the required sports pitch land that had been required in the original S106 agreement.  The Consortium had advised that this was because it had been already provided an all-weather pitch at the education campus and that the Consortium had overlaid the cricket square on the football pitches to save land.  Members noted the cost of delivering an all-weather pitch would cost in the region of £900,000 according to Sport England.

 

It was highlighted to Members that the S106 infrastructure contributions stated in the report did not reflect the increased offer made by the consortium towards the town council facility, however there remained a significant shortfall in infrastructure funding as part of the MOU and while this could be addressed by reprioritising funding from the expansion areas this would not cover some lower priority infrastructure.

 

Members noted concerns had been raised by Morrisons Supermarket about other food retailers and that the Consortium were seeking to  restrict food retail sales on EDDC controlled land through the MOU to premises with a gross internal floor area of less than 1,000 sq. ft. This would be for a time limit of 10 years from the date the land is transferred to Morrisons and 5 years from when the supermarket opens and would not include restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bakeries etc.  It was noted there were only 3 units at Younghayes Place opposite St Martin’s School under 1,000 sq. ft.

 

The Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management referred to the Supplementary Planning Document that Members had agreed previously and advised significant progress had been made in producing a draft document that represents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

95.

Local Development Scheme pdf icon PDF 188 KB

The report sets out a programme and timetable for production of future planning policy document.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Local Development Scheme report presented by the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management noting that the previous Local Development Scheme dates from 2018.

 

The Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised the report sets out a programme and timetable for the production of future planning policy documents and referred to key content that provided detail on plan production.

 

RESOLVED:

That Strategic Planning Committee recommend to Full Council that following consultation with Cabinet, approve the proposed new Local Development Scheme, as appended to this report and that it takes effect immediately following approval.

 

RECOMMENDATION to Cabinet

That Members approve the proposed new Local Development Scheme.

 

RECOMMENDATION to Council

That Members approve the proposed new Local Development Scheme following consultation with Cabinet and that is takes effect immediately following approval.

96.

Proposed consultation on a Local Plan Issues and Options Report pdf icon PDF 412 KB

The report seeks Members approval for consultation to start in January 2021 on a new local plan issues and options report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered and discussed the report that sought approval to commence an 8 week consultation to start on 18 January 2021 and conclude at midday on 15 March 2021 on a new local plan issues and options report.  The report provided Members with detail on the proposed work streams for the next 2 years with some background materials and considerations to ensure on-line questions were suited to software requirements.

 

Members noted that the feedback received from the consultation would be used to structure and form the new local plan which would be submitted for examination in early spring 2023.

 

The Service Lead - Planning Strategy and Development Management updated Members on the numbers of comments received from a Cranbrook resident including questioning the shortfall in housing numbers and advised taking into account the new plan period which extended beyond the current plan of 2031 the housing numbers would be extended to approximately 2040 which would lead to an increase.  He advised he was mindful to note the White Paper in the document as the figures may change in the future.

 

In the absence of Councillor Allen who left the meeting the Chair read out an email from him sent prior to the meeting that read:

 

‘I am writing to you direct because I would recommend a pause to think about how we are going to do the local plan review.  We can take the LGA guidance and review the local plan without take the LGA guidance and review the local plan without undertaking 3 or 4 years of costs and running the risk of 2 or 3 years with no updated plan which developers will undoubtedly exploit.  The LGA is being very clear on what is needed for review as opposed to a wholesale new plan.  The Service Lead’s belt and braces approach reflects not necessarily the legal requirement.  As far as I can see we can conduct the view via the issues and options process but then focus on what needs to be changed by the end of 2021.  We need to be very careful of our 5 year land supply issues but avoid our wholesale land grab by developers.’

 

In response the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management raised concerns that Councillor Allen may be referring to the review process and the Planning Advisory Service Framework that was discussed at the last meeting which had already been done

 

·         Concerns raised about losing the councils 5 year land supply;

·         Need to include something about villages.  In response it was suggested to broaden out this section in terms of town centres to encompass vibrant villages;

·         Clarification sought on heritage assets.  In response it was advised the question related to how important heritage assets was to people in terms of conserving and enhancing;

·         The need to include our communities, parish and town councils and partners to get this right.  This is the perfect vehicle.

·         Weight should be given to walking and cycling and not assume car ownership as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

97.

Local Plan Issues and Options Report Consultation Strategy and Review of Statement of Community Involvement pdf icon PDF 295 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report presented by the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management advising Members about the consultatation strategy for the first stage of the forthcoming issues and options report.  He updated Members on the revised Statement of Community Involvement which set out the overall engagement framework for planning matters to meet the Council’s legal obligations to ensure that it remains appropriate in light of the restrictions imposed by Covid-19.

 

Discussion covered:

·         The need to engage with the public to help understand how the public want to be engaged.  How can the council reach the people who do not usually respond so that their views can help make decision?  The need to consider the modern way of working and a suggestion was made to work with Strata on the East Devon App.  In response the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised he was working with Strata on the consultation software which should be in place by mid January 2021.

 

RESOLVED:

1.    That the consultation strategy for the forthcoming issues and option report as detailed in his report be considered and approved;

2.    That the Statement of Community Involvement should be updated but that the amendments are minor and do not require public consultation be approved;

 

RECOMMENDATION to Cabinet

That Members approve the proposed new Statement of Community Involvement.

 

 

RECOMMEND to Council:

That following consultation with Cabinet, approval of the proposed new Statement of Community Involvement, as appended to this report, and that it takes effect immediately following approval be agreed.

98.

Local Plan Site Identification Process and HELAA pdf icon PDF 605 KB

The report outlines the process for engaging Members and the public in the preparation of the Local Plan, summarises the legislative requirements and outlines a timetable and process for future HELAA work.

 

Minutes:

The report before Members summarised the legislative requirement about how the work had been done in the past and how it was intended to carry out the work now.  Members noted the Sidford employment site was used as an example to illustrate how that process had worked in the past and how such sites like this would come through the HELAA process alongside the housing sites in the future.

 

Comments and discussions from committee members covered:

·         Clarification sought about how to make sustainability work better for most of our countryside small villages.  The need to consider small scale growth to allow families to stay close to each other.  The Service Lead Planning Strategy and Development Management agreed it was a big issue for the local plan in terms of how the council supports rural communities and in the past had left communities to pursue growth through their neighbourhood plan.

·         Reference was made to a village in East Devon that was told it was unsustainable even though it had a shop, a school, a train line and a main road running through it;

·         Need to be mindful a village is not just a collection of houses, it is a community;

·         A rethink is needed on our Villages Policy.  If a village wants to develop it should be allowed to develop;

·         Chair welcomed the Service Lead – Planning Strategy Development Management comments about the draft Service Plan and the implementation of community led development into the Service Plan next year.  In response he advised it was going to be a challenge through the local plan to get the balance between enabling communities to bring forward development without imposing on those who do not want it.

 

RESOLVED:

1.    That the summary of the approach to site identification, consideration and allocation, undertaken on the adopted Local Plan be noted  and the approach outlined in the report for undertaking this work in production of the new Local Plan be endorsed;

2.    That work be undertaken to assess the smaller sites submitted into the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan call for sites in 2017 be approved;

3.    The timetable and process for future work on the Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment be approved.

 

99.

East Devon Local Plan - Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report pdf icon PDF 203 KB

There is a legal requirement for Local Plans to be supported by an exercise called Sustainability Appraisal.  It is a process that seeks to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts that could arise from implementation of plan policy and in so doing the work should help inform strategy and policy choices as a plan evolves from early drafts through to the final document.

 

Minutes:

Members considered the report that updated Members on the legal requirement for the Local Plan which was to be supported by a Sustainability Appraisal to seek and assess the environmental, social and economic impacts that could arise in doing this work.  Members noted that appended to the report was a draft scoping report that sought support for a six week consultation starting in January 2021.

 

RESOLVED:

That Strategic Planning Committee approve the Sustainability Appraisal scoping report for consultation to run for six weeks starting in January 2021.

100.

Garden Communities and Delivery Vehicles pdf icon PDF 546 KB

This report follows on from one considered by the Committee in October 2019 and then subsequently by Cabinet in November on the same topic.  It starts to fulfil the terms of the resolutions of these meetings by setting out the findings of the work commissioned through Local Partnerships to explore different delivery vehicle options.  It also provides an update on the Expression of Interest submitted to the MHCLG New Development Corporation Competition.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Service Lead – Growth, Development and Prosperity presented a follow up report to one that had previously come before Members in October 2019.  This concerned the importance of having an assertive delivery vehicle to support the implementation of the Local Plan and to be developed alongside the Local Plan Review.  He outlined the key objectives of an oversight authority for a development corporation which were to achieve a high quality development and to ensure that effective stewardship and legacy arrangements were in place from the outset.

 

Members noted the requirement for a £300k budget over a 3 year period to develop a business case work and that the council had not yet received the outcome of the MHCLG Development Corporation competition which if successful would overtake the need for the Council to fund the work.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    The importance of having effective delivery vehicles/mechanisms in place at the earliest stage possible in order to support the development of high quality placed be acknowledged;

2.    The findings of the Local Partnerships study and accompanying future routemap be agreed;

3.    The Expression of Interest that has been submitted to the MHCLG New Development Corporation Competition be noted;

4.    Progressing key technical work, including the development of a business case, necessary to support the establishment of a locally led development corporation alongside the development of the new Local Plan be endorsed;

5.    Further reports to Strategic Planning Committee at key stages as the work progresses be received.

 

RECOMMENDED to Cabinet

That a budget of £300k over a 3 year period is established for this work to be funded through the business rate retention reserve to approved.

101.

Approval of Modification to Area of Special Control of Advertisements pdf icon PDF 193 KB

The report updates Members on the amendments to the area covered by the ‘Area of Special Control of Advertisements’ (ASCA).

 

Minutes:

The Service Lead, Planning Strategy and Development Management updated Members on the approval by the Secretary of State on the amendments to the areas covered by the Area of Special Control of Advertisements and noted the modifications had been agreed by the Secretary of State and advertised in the London Gazette.

 

RESOLVED:

That modifications to the Area of Special Control of Advertisements that came into effect on 30 November 2020 be noted.

102.

Infrastructure Funding Statement 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 722 KB

Minutes:

The Infrastructure Funding Statement 2019/20 report presented by the Service Lead – Planning Strategy and Development Management summarised the contents of the East Devon District Infrastructure Funding Statement and highlighted to Members some of the key elements of the Final IFS.

 

RESOLVED:

1.    The contents of this report and the requirement to provide an ‘Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement by 31 December be noted;

2.    That Council approval had been sought for the publication and submission to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government by the 31 December 2020 of the 2019/20 ‘Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement’ based on the information detailed in this report be noted;

3.    That Council had been asked to delegate to the Strategic Planning Committee the power to consider and approve for publication and submission future ‘Annual Infrastructure Funding Statements’ on behalf of the council and that the committee’s Terms of Reference within the Constitution be updated to reflect the delegated be noted.