Agenda item

The Committee considered the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management’s update report which proposed 13 additional housing sites, subject to the Regulation 18 consultation, to be included in the new Local Plan.  Members noted that following officer assessment it was proposed that six sites were preferred site allocations, six sites were rejected, and the final site was a second choice site.  A summary of these sites was detailed in the table at paragraph 2.3.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management sought delegated authority to make some necessary changes to an amendment for assessment for site Brcl_31 – Land at Mosshayne Lane, Pinhoe.  Officers had been recently advised that the joint landowner who owns part of the south eastern side of the site did not want that to be part of the consultation and that it should be removed from the new Local Plan.  Members noted that this reduction in size would require a modest reduction in housing numbers.

Points raised during discussion included:

·       Clarification was sought on the number of houses that would be lost at Land at Mosshayne Lane, Pinhoe.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised that the housing numbers would need to be reassessed and acknowledged this would have an impact on the numbers.

·       Reference was made that the Mosshayne Lane site was urban sprawl and it was questioned whether this site should be allowed so close to the edge of Exeter.  It was advised this land and other land proposed were sustainable due to their proximity to Exeter and are seen as strategic growth on the edge of the city.

·       A general point was made that the sites proposed were clustered around built up areas and all rural areas had been rejected because of constraints.  It needs to be acknowledged that the council is aware of the housing needs in villages and the countryside.  In response the Vice Chair advised that rural parishes need to get a neighbourhood plan which would identify what development communities would like delivered.

·       Clarification was sought on paragraph 2.1 and the 38 additional housing sites and whether these had been submitted by a third party as only one garage in Millwey Rise site had been identified out of the five garage sites.  It was advised these could possibly come through as windfall sites as these would be small sites of less than 5 houses.

·       Reference to Axmi_17 – land at Millwey, Chard Road (EDDC land) and clarification was sought as to whether this was submitted by an officer or a third party as there appears to be inconsistencies in the shifting of sites.  These details were not to hand but the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised land was usually put forward by the landowner.

·       The site details for land at Mosshayne Lane has the address as Pinhoe, this is incorrect as it is in Broadclyst.

·       There is a need to consider the benefits of development but polices do not permit this.  Do policies outweigh benefits through the Localism Act.

·       Axmi_24 – land west of Prestalier Farm, Beavor Lane, Axminster – this area has a risk of flooding and should not be included in the site allocation.

·       It was suggested that the Mosshayne Site should have a Green Belt or a Green Wedge to stop the coalescence between Exeter and East Devon.

Councillor Dan Ledger proposed the recommendation as written with an additional recommendation as follows which was seconded by Councillor Mike Howe:

‘That EDDC’s Housing Service and Assets Service take a further look into all of the council’s available sites and provide a final list of sites for the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management, Chair and Vice Chair to consider for inclusion in the consultation.  Delegated authority to also be given to the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair, to amend any site allocations if deemed unsuitable due to flood risks or other factors’.  Councillor Ledger also asked for all committee members be sent a completed list of the sites that have been rejected explaining at what point the rejection took place and for what reason. 

Councillor Ledger advised that a lot of changes had taken place within the Housing Department and he wanted to make sure that everything was being done to increase social housing for residents as this was one of the key council priorities and confirmed that he was comfortable if the consultation was pushed back 2-3 weeks to ensure of the necessary work had been completed.

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management advised he was happy to send a link to the site assessment work to Committee Members and suggested that Members contact him directly if they considered some sites previously rejected merited further assessment. 

He raised concerns about going back to departments to submit further sites and reminded Members there had already been two call for sites.  He urged Members to consider the implications that if more sites were to come forward there could be significant implications to the timetable which would delay the Regulation 18 Consultation which could jeopardise the Local Plan being examined under the current Regulations

RESOLVED:

1.           That Committee agree to consult on the housing sites detailed in this report as part of the Regulation 18 Addendum consultation planned to start in early April subject to delegated authority to the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management to amend the details for the BRCL1-31 to remove the section of land that the landowner is no longer promoting.

2.           That Committee request EDDC’s Housing Service and Assets Service to take a further look into the council’s available sites and provide a final list of sites for the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management, Chair and Vice Chair of Strategic Planning Committee to consider for inclusion in the consultation.

3.           Delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair, to amend any site allocations if deemed unsuitable due to flood risks or other factors.