Meeting documents

To consider a report of the Spatial Policy and Implementation Manager.

Members received and considered a report of the Spatial Policy and Implementation Manager, which sought the views of the committee on the West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland Local Plan Review: Issues and Options document, prior to it being agreed for the purposes of public consultation by the Executive Committee and Council.  Members considered the draft document attached at appendix 1 of the report.

In presenting the report, the Spatial Policy and Implementation Manager noted that members were being asked to agree the document in order that discussions could be started with the public.  The Chairman noted that members were being asked to look at the format of the document, the mapping included and the questions being asked to ensure that the document was fit for purpose for consultation.

On a point of clarity, it was noted that the reference to additional new homes in paragraph 12 of the covering report should read ‘4,520’.

The Chairman took members through the key parts of the draft consultation document and comments were made as follows:

·                Concerns were raised with regard to the methods used to establish figures for the objectively assessed need for housing in the current local plan and a number of the assumptions made by the consultants assessing the need.  Reference was made to recent research undertaken that challenged these figures.  Members questioned whether these figures should be used to inform the review and it was felt that this should be looked at in more detail.  The Spatial Policy and Implementation Manager referred members to section 4 of the document which dealt with these issues and also reminded members of the concerns that had been raised by the Local Plan Inspector.  He required further work to be undertaken by the council to provide an up to date assessment of need, which resulted in the figure of 775 dwellings per annum (dpa) being included in the current Local Plan.  Initial feedback from the council’s consultants was that the Local Plan proposals allowed head room for economic growth and therefore the figure of 775 dpa was a reasonable figure to move forward with in the review;

·                A point was raised that there was a need for this number of new houses and that there was a need for affordable housing and provision for key workers;

·                There would be two rounds of consultation before the review was submitted for examination and it was anticipated that the issue of housing numbers would receive lots of responses.  In general members felt that the document should be put out to consultation with the figures currently included and then the council could see the responses received;

·                A concern was raised with regard to the clarity of some of the maps contained within the document and a request was made that all of the maps should be on Ordnance Survey base maps;

·                Members supported the proposed single vision being used to develop objectives and guide the strategy for development within the Local Plan area;

·                As a general point, members noted that they were content with the question format within the document;

·                Members considered a number of issues relating to section 15, Affordable Housing and particular reference was made to starter homes.  It was noted that the definition of affordable housing would be changing shortly to include starter homes.  The Corporate Manager, Planning (Community and Policy Development) stated that the council was currently awaiting clarification from Government but that there would be an element of prescription in terms of the percentage of starter homes required on housing sites.  Since starter homes would fall within the revised definition of affordable housing, it was envisaged that they would be provided as part of the percentage figure sought for affordable housing in Policy HOUS1 of the Local Plan;

·                Issues in relation to self build were raised and the consultation document included questions in order to seek views on options;

·                In respect of section 18 on protection of employment sites, members suggested that an additional question should be included at 18-ii on page 109 of the document to provide the public and parish and town councils with the opportunity to inform the council of any additional employment sites that should be protected by Local Plan Policy ECON2 as ‘key employment sites’;

·                Under section 20, green infrastructure, there was a need to review the approach to the protection of green spaces across the whole Local Plan area;

·                Reference was made to green corridors and a point was made that their primary function was to enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitats;

·                Members considered section 21 (design) and the question was raised as to whether the public would accept lower standards of design if such new homes would help to meet housing needs.  Members suggested that an additional question should be included in the document to seek views on the role of modular housing in meeting housing needs;

·                In section 22 (coastal change) there was a need for additional clarification as to the meaning of a harbour area;

·                In response to a question, it was noted that public exhibitions for the consultation would be held in all settlements where potential options for growth had been identified;

·                A specific point was raised with regard to the ‘W’ rather than ‘C’ or ‘CH’ prefix letter used for potential options sites in Chickerell.  This point was noted by officers;

·                A point was raised that a particular town council may be in a situation when it was required to provide services for the increased population arising from housing growth in adjoining parishes;

·                Reference was made to an available map which showed the location of suitable sites for wind farms;

·                The Chairman made reference to the related sustainability appraisal which had been included in the background papers for the report and noted the classification table needed to run throughout the whole document in order to provide clarity to the reader.

It was proposed by P Shorland seconded by T Harries

Recommendation to Executive Committee

That the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan Review: Issues and Options document, set out at Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed for the purposes of public consultation, subject to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as set out above.

To enable the West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland Local Plan Review: Issues and Options document to be approved for the purposes of public consultation, in order to make progress on the review of the Local Plan.