To seek member agreement to consult the public on the issues and options for the review of the West ?Dorset and Weymouth & Portland local plan.

R Nowak Brief holder for Environment and Sustainability presented a report proposing to take forward the West Dorset and Weymouth & Portland Local Plan Review: Issues and options document for approval by Full Council and for the purpose of public consultation. The Spatial Policy and Implementation Manger advised the committee that the Initial Issues and Options Consultation document had been shared with Policy Development Committee on 28 November 2016 and WDDC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22 November 2016 and their comments were attached to the committee report at appendix 2.

M Leicester addressed the committee and expressed  concern regarding the loss of open spaces if the options sites for Portland within the consultation were taken forward. She also highlighted that any further development on Portland would need to take into account the impact on traffic management. M Leicester also expressed concern regarding the lack of consultation with Dorset County Council and the minerals application for the mining of stone  which had recently been submitted for land under Option Site P2: North of Southwell.

In respect of social housing and the design of dwellings, M Leicester emphasised the importance of the provision of accessible, adaptable and wheel chair user dwellings; she considered the provision of such dwellings should be a must.  The Chairman thanks M Leicester for her detailed comments and asked that she pass them directly to the Spatial Policy and Implementation Manager for consideration.

In response to questions, members were advised that the issues and options document would be circulated to Full Council in January 2017, following which the document would be subject to an eight week public consultation period starting in February 2017.

It was proposed by R Nowak seconded by C James

Recommendation to Council

That the West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Local Plan Review: Issues and Options document, as set out in appendix 1 of the report (and amended to reflect the comments of West Dorset’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Weymouth & Portland’s Policy Development Committee, as set out in Appendix 2) be agreed for the purposes of public consultation