Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Lead Member for Planning.

The Committee considered a report by the Lead Member for Planning in relation to the future of local plans, which would see existing local plans transferred to Dorset Council as the statutory Development Plan from 1 April 2019, and the review process which would lead to a new council area Local Plan within five years of the reorganisation date.

The importance of making progress on local plans, in order to have an up to date basis for planning decisions, was emphasised.  In addition legal clarification was being sought in relation to housing land supply as a result of the creation of Dorset Council, and application of existing plans prior to the development of a new Plan.  The decision about how to progress local plan preparation would be one of the first tasks for the new Council after 1 April 2019.

Reference was made to the need for a plain English guide to be made available in due course to explain the arrangements to the public, and to share with town and parish councils at the earliest opportunity.

The Committee welcomed the report and thanked Cllr David Walsh, as the Lead Member for Planning, for his work in developing the position in relation to local plans.

Decision

1. That the current work on local plan reviews should continue until any decisions are made by the new Dorset Council about the future of local plans.

2. That the continuing status of the existing adopted local plans after the formation of the new council be noted.

3. That the essential need to progress local plan reviews in good time in future, and the risks associated with the various options for doing so, as outlined in the report be noted.

Reason for Decisions

To highlight the importance of maintaining progress on reviewing planning policy, and the decisions that needed to be made by the new Council about how this was achieved.