Agenda and minutes

Information on public speaking is available online

Four members of the public commented on item 47, as follows:

Jeremy Wollen, speaking as a member of the public, raised concerns that the Cranbrook expansion was still included on Green Wedge surrounding Rockbeare which was contrary to the Rockbeare Neighbourhood Plan and to Strategy 12 of the Local Plan.  Mr Wollen also raised concerns about the proposed expansion and said it would create unsafe areas with no benefit to Cranbrook.  Mr Wollen advised his views were supported by Cranbrook Town Council.

Paul Smith, speaking as a resident of Cranbrook, asked why East Devon District Council’s Planning Department had favoured their own plan which mirrored the Consortium’s outline planning application submitted in 2015.  He also asked why the planning officers considered it acceptable to misrepresent the number of dwellings proposed to influence the vote made by members to remove the Green Wedge development from the document.  Mr Smith raised concerns about the final draft document and said it was insufficiently detailed to permit diligent scrutiny of the planning proposal which would be necessary for consideration by Full Council.

Nick Freer, speaking on behalf of the East Devon Community Partnership, made reference to the second recommendation of agenda item no. 6 and raised concerns if the Development Plan Document was forwarded to the Inspectorate without first addressing the consultation responses.  Mr Freer said East Devon District Council would need to demonstrate that the consultation had taken place and that the responses had been taken into account.  Mr Freer said the Consortium would like to work with East Devon District Council on the viability issues to avoid any disagreement at the examination stage to avoid a delay.  Mr Freer said he did not want the Development Plan Document to be submitted to the Inspectorate without the Consortiums comments.  Mr Freer asked members to reconsider recommendation no. 2 and asked for the Development Plan Document to come back to the Strategic Planning Committee before it is submitted to the Secretary of State.

Barry James speaking on behalf of the Consortium, shared Mr Freer’s concerns and said the Development Plan Document had been rushed with no time to fully assess the documentation.  Mr James said he would endorse the request to members to allow further scrutiny of the document.

The minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee meeting held on 29 January 2019 were confirmed and signed as a true record.

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

Councillor Geoff Pook – minute 49 – Personal interest – involved in the construction industry.

Councillor Eleanor Rylance – minute 49 – Personal interest – Ward member for Broadclyst Parish Council.

Councillor Geoff Pook – minute 50 – Personal interest – Chairman of a Community Land Trust

The Chief Executive addressed the issues raised by the Consortium and East Devon Community Partnership and asked members to consider two amendments to the recommendations.  Recommendation 2 to include ‘subject to any necessary changes arising from consultation being approved by the Strategic Planning Committee’ and recommendation 4 to replace ‘prior to consultation’ with ‘up to the point of submission’. 

The Service Lead, Planning Strategy and Development Management addressed the points raised by the Consortium and Persimmon Homes and acknowledged East Devon District Council had worked with the Consortium and Persimmon Homes throughout the process and in the development of policies in the Cranbrook Plan.  He addressed the issues that had resulted from the late arrival of the viability work.   The Service Lead, Planning Strategy and Development Management advised the consultation process would be part of the ongoing engagement with the Consortium and any concerns would be considered and addressed as appropriate.

The Cranbrook New Community Manager presented the report, which related to the publication of the proposed submission version of the Cranbrook Plan Development Plan Document and sought Member endorsement for consultation and recommendation to Full Council for submission to the Planning Inspectorate to allow the production of a Development Plan Document to guide the expansion of Cranbrook.

The Service Lead, Planning Strategy and Development Management addressed the confusion surrounding development in the Green Wedge and advised the Cranbrook Plan DPD does not propose any development in the Rockbeare Green Wedge area the subject of policy Rock06 of the Rockbeare Neighbourhood Plan. 

Members raised the following points during discussion of the Cranbrook Plan Development Plan Document:

·        Concerns about how the approach taken would influence other Green Wedge areas.  Members were advised that the proposed incursion into the Green Wedge in Clyst Honiton incorporated into the plan is considered to be in accordance with the Local Plan as it does not undermine the purpose of the Green Wedge.  It was also noted that to date Clyst Honiton Parish Council had not raised concerns with this proposal;

·        Clarification was sought about additional schools including a secondary school and special needs school.  In response members were advised the plan included an infrastructure contribution of £1million and East Devon District Council were meeting the requirements set by Devon County Council’s Education Infrastructure Plan;

·        The lack of community centres.  One community centre will be funded for its construction costs and other sites have been permitted;

·        Clarification was sought about meeting the needs of health care provision. In response members were advised there were plans for a Health and Wellbeing Hub to serve Cranbrook and a contribution of £8.7million would be made towards the full cost of the delivery of the hub;

·        Clarification was sought about Green Wedges. Members were referred to Strategy 8 of the Local Plan;

·        Issues with affordable housing delivery and CIL contributions;

·        Members sought clarification on the application of Strategy 36 – Accessible and Adaptable Homes and Care/Extra Care Homes.  Members were advised that Strategy 36 would be applicable at Cranbrook but  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

The Service Lead, Planning Strategy and Development Management presented the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule to set out the context and to highlight the key findings from the viability evidence.  The report highlighted the current Charging Schedule which contained three different charging zones for residential development and the revised Charging Schedule.  Members’ attention was also drawn to the proposed new instalments policy which had been designed to strike a better balance between spreading the burden of CIL payments over the build out of developments to aid development viability against the administrative burden on the Council.

Discussion covered:

·        Concerns about how infrastructure would be delivered for Sheltered Housing;

·        Clarification was sought about land being reduced to pay for CIL.  Members were advised that in concept this was correct but reference was made to the restricted availability of good development land in the district and the high aspirations of land owners when it comes to values;

·        Concerns about affordable housing viability;

·        Concerns about leading retirement home developers making bigger profits if they are not required to pay CIL;

·        Some members highlighted the need to ensure houses built in Cranbrook were sustainable for the future;

RESOLVED:

1.     That the findings of the CIL Review and Cranbrook DPD Viability Report be noted.

2.     That the Community Infrastructure Levy Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule be approved for public consultation over a period of four weeks.