Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee held on 9 January 2024 were confirmed as a true record.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management updated Members on Minute 55; Resolution 3 from the meeting held on 9 January 2024 advising that the pending technical guidance from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had now been received which confirmed the council was only required to demonstrate a four-year housing land supply instead of the five-year which meant that the council no longer needed to apply the tilted balance when considering planning applications.

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

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

All Members of the Strategic Planning Committee advised receiving various lobbying communication on this item.

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Dan Ledger, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Owns property in Seaton directly opposite to a Green Wedge.

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Mike Howe, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Bishops Clyst Parish Councillor.

Minute 68. Cranbrook Town Centre Masterplan.

Councillor Kevin Blakey, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Cranbrook Town Councillor and a resident of Cranbrook.

Non-Committee Members

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Paul Arnott, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Colyton Parish Councillor.

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Peter Faithfull, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Ottery St Mary Town Councillor.

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Ian Barlow, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Sidmouth Town Councillor.

Minute 65. Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan.

Councillor Geoff Jung advised receiving various lobbying communication on this item.

Minute 68. Cranbrook Town Centre Masterplan.

Councillor Kim Bloxham, Affects Non-registerable Interest, Cranbrook Town Councillor and a resident of Cranbrook.

Information on public speaking is available online

Rachel Creasy, a resident of Budleigh Salterton spoke on the Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan report, who along with local residents strongly objected to the removal of the Green Wedge for Area 3 and to any consequential development.

Concerns were raised that if the Green Wedge was removed from the west side of Budleigh Salterton and a high density development was positioned close by it would have an overbearing and intrusive effect on the area.  In the assessment it was suggested that Site A would be obscured from public view – this was misleading as areas 3 and 5 are elevated and any development would be visible.

Areas 1, 3 and 4 would close the separation of the Green Wedge between Budleigh Salterton and Knowle and the proposed reduction would not be sufficient,  Site A would generate additional traffic problems to an already bottleneck single land entry point.

An increase in housing would also put a strain on oversubscribed local facilities including the school, GP Practice and public transport.

The following statement on minute 65 – Designation of Green Wedges in the new Local Plan was read out on behalf of Carole Hooper.

I was one of the many who raised concerns during the last consultation, dated January 2023, as the consultation referred to potential development of the prime agricultural land that is behind our house in Knowle Rd – area 2 as per the Budleigh Salterton to Knowle Green Wedge Assessment.  I now understand that that the council proposes to reduce the green wedges originally proposed even further, using the rationale that only a small green wedge is required to maintain the gap between Budleigh Salterton and Knowle village.  

I consider the role of the green wedges to be much more than that of maintaining a divide between Budleigh Salterton and Knowle village. Green wedges provide an extra layer of protection against building development and help to maintain the landscape and wildlife in the area.  Any proposal to reduce the existing green wedges by such a significant amount puts the land and its wildlife at risk.  I cannot help distrusting the motives for reducing the green wedges so significantly.

My arguments against the proposal are:

Effectively the reduction of the green wedges between Budleigh Salterton and Knowle village results in a very small portion of land remaining.  Rather dramatically Budleigh Salterton will become much closer to Knowle village – what is there to stop further reduction of this gap on the basis that the gap is too small to be worth maintaining?   

There appears to be no discussion or awareness of the value that Knowle Rd brings to the AONB.  By allowing such a development the beautiful rural nature of the road would be destroyed .

The countryside along Knowle Rd is beautiful with ancient Devon banks and hedgerows that support the local wildlife.  On several occasions I have seen polecats and stoats and other creatures scurrying across the road from East to West,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

Information on matters of urgency is available online

There were no matters of urgency.

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

There were no confidential or exempt items.

Appendix 3 – Hyperlinks to the identified potential green wedge areas.

Beer to Seaton

Budleigh Salterton to Knowle

Colyford to Colyton

Colyford to Seaton

East of Exeter and South of the A30

Exmouth to Lympstone

Land between the Exe Estuary and the A376

Ottery St Mary to West Hill

South of Poltimore

Rockbeare to Cranbrook

Sidbury to Sidmouth

Whimple to Cranbrook

The Committee considered the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management’s report which sought endorsement of the proposed methodology for defining Green Wedges that Members agreed in principle at the meeting on 3 October 2023.

A summary of the proposed changes, the methodology and resulting full assessment were detailed in the appended appendices where in most cases it was proposed to reduce the size of the current Green Wedges.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised that although many of the Green Wedges had been carried over from previous Local Plans this cannot be relied upon in the new Local Plan as the constraints of the district will make it increasingly difficult to find suitable sites for development and there is significant risk of challenge at examination if they are carried over again.  It is important to have clear robust evidence that will identify areas designated as Green Wedges and the need to show that land is not being protected simply for the sake of it and to show there is a real purpose for the Green Wedges.

Strategy 8 in the adopted Local Plan states ‘that within a Green Wedge development will not be permitted if it would add to existing sporadic or isolated development or change the individual identity of a settlement or could lead to or encourage coalescence’.  This wording leads to assessments being taken on a case by case basis to determine whether the Green Wedge would be harmed.  However, the proposed wording for the Green Wedge policy in the new Local Plan would take away this uncertainty and would prevent development within the Green Wedges unless there was an essential need that could not be located elsewhere.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised it was important to remember that areas where Green Wedges were being proposed to be removed would still be protected as open countryside and in some cases other protections would apply such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now National Landscapes) and flood zones.  It was also advised that additional benefits of designation such as for recreational purposes, landscape protection and habitat protection purposes would be best dealt with by other policies and included in the new Local Plan and should not be reasons for designating as a Green Wedge.  These could be dealt with by a Green Infrastructure Strategy or a Local Nature Recovery Plan.

Points raised by Members during discussion included:

·       Green Wedges are needed to prevent urban spawl by keeping land permanently open.

·       The concerns raised by Members at the Strategic Planning Committee meeting on 3 October 2023 have not been implemented in this report.

·       There is no mention of the assessment of Green Wedges already in neighbourhood plans.  Ottery St Mary Neighbourhood Plan specifically states their Green Wedge which could not be removed.

·       It was suggested that the report did not provide Members with sufficient information to truly make an informed decision.

·       The maps and images are incorrect and arrows  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

This report follows on from an introductory report on the same topic considered at Strategic Planning Committee in March 2023.

The report before Committee updated Members on the findings from an engagement webinar with town and parish councils and neighbourhood plans groups on their responsibilities for land allocations with regard to the Designated Neighbourhood Area Housing Requirement.   Members noted that an online survey had also taken place with 43 parish councils responding summarised at paragraph 5.14.  There was a mixed response seeing only 9 parish councils indicated they were likely to make housing allocations.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management outlined the two preferred options to help keep the method options simple and straightforward which were set out in paragraphs 7.12 to 7.20.

Option 1 – All housing supply forecast for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2040 excluding an allowance for future windfalls (recommended as the preferred option).

Option 2 – All housing supply forecast for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2040 including an allowance for future windfalls (recommended as the rejected option).

The preferred option would replicate the current approach which would give flexibility to communities on whether they want to see growth.

It is proposed that the consultation would include a straightforward summary document detailing the proposed two main options which would include a summary table giving figures for each area and a technical report which would include all options identified and how the district windfall allowance could be apportioned to Designated Neighbourhood Areas.

Questions raised by Members included:

·       Clarification was sought on housing allocation numbers if a town or parish council put forward suggested ideas about additional housing and whether this would be added to their housing allocation numbers.  In response the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised additional housing allocation suggestions would be classed as extra.  It was explained that it was difficult to account for them any other way as some communities did not want to see growth and some did and yet the Local Plan needs to take a consistent approach notwithstanding this.

·       Clarification sought on whether the Regulation 18 consultation would include both the including and excluding windfall sites options.  In response the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management confirmed these were the two preferred options but the other options would be detailed in the evidence that it is behind the consultation and could also be commented on.

RESOLVED:

1.          That the updated information available from the early engagement with parish councils and neighbourhood plan groups to inform consultation on Designated Neighbourhood Area Housing Requirements further to the report on this matter presented to Members in March 2023 be noted.

2.          Members agreed that the preferred approach for calculating Designated Neighbourhood Area Housing Requirements for consultation purposes should be based on the housing supply forecast for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2040 excluding an allowance for windfalls.

3.          That the proposed approach to Regulation 18 stage consultation on the method selection for calculating Designated Neighbourhood Area Housing Requirements set out in the report be agreed in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

This report summarises the proposed approach that we are recommending is taken to local plan redrafting.

The report before Members sought endorsement of the proposed approach to Chapter 1 – Introduction and Chapter 2 – Vision and Objectives of the new Local Plan which reflected Members discussions at the last meeting.

Members noted an updated version of the new Local Plan would be brought back to Committee prior to the Regulation 19 Publication.

RESOLVED:

1.          That the approach to making amendments to the Local Plan set out in the committee report be endorsed.

2.          That the new proposed working draft text for Chapters 1 and 2 of the Plan be endorsed, noting that further minor refinements may be needed later in 2024 and will be brought to Members as part of the Regulation 19 Publication Draft version of the Plan.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management presented the report that sought approval to produce a Cranbrook Town Centre Masterplan.  He updated Members on the community responses to the consultation regarding the future of the town centre and Members noted the excellent response rate received from residents which was summarised in paragraph 2.3 expressing some excellent ideas to what they would like to see.  These responses would then progress to producing a masterplan for the town centre.

Comments from Members included:

·       The Chair thanked the residents of Cranbrook for their contributions to enable the Masterplan to progress which he was confident would reflect the views of residents.

·       The Chair was pleased to see support for active travel and support for a leisure centre and provisions for cycling and walking.

·       Clarification was sought on the timescale for the Masterplan.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management confirmed that he hoped it would be completed by August 2024, acknowledged the need for a project plan and timetable to be developed and said he was happy for the Strategic Delivery Board to oversee the project.

·       It was suggested that the Chair and Vice Chair, supported by the Ward Members, should have regular updates about the Masterplan so that pitfalls can be addressed early.

·       Members were in support of the Strategic Delivery Board to oversee the Masterplan.

RESOLVED:

1.          That the outcomes of the Cranbrook Town Centre consultation be noted.

2.          That the production of a Cranbrook Town Centre Masterplan be approved and brought to the Strategic Delivery Board to oversee so that any pitfalls could be addressed early before completion in August 2024.