Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery, (copy enclosed).

Please note: Should this report not be agreed, the following item of business (Agenda Item 15 – Update on the Local Development Scheme) will need to be deferred because the timetable of the Local Development Plan will have to be reassessed.

The Council considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery seeking Members’ consideration of which Growth Options should proceed to be subject to further evidence testing and evaluation, in respect of the Council’s review of the Local Development Plan (LDP).

The paper distributed to all Members and presented at an All-Member workshop was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.  Members were reminded of the seven high level options for growth in the District (detailed in the report) which had been set out by the Council as part of the Issues and Options Consultation.

Prior to any debate the Council received a detailed presentation from the Head of Service - Planning, Policy and Implementation.

A lengthy debate ensued, during which a number of Members raised questions and in response, the following information was provided:

·                  The majority of work relating to matters such as railways, highways, education etc. would be carried out following confirmation by the Council of its three options.  It was explained that statutory providers would not engage with the Council currently because there were too many options to review.

·                  Members would be involved in discussions regarding smaller settlements as part of the work of the review.  It was noted that site in smaller settlements did not have to be part of the strategic allocations.

·                  It was noted that Heybridge was a village and not a suburb of Maldon town.

·                  In response to comments regarding the prematurity of the work being carried out ahead of national changes to the planning system, the Officer reported that the planning system was changing and how if the Council could not submit its updated LDP to the Planning Inspectorate by 25 June 2025 it would move into the new system.  Further guidance would be made available prior to this deadline, but the advice of the Planning Advice Service and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to Officers was for the Council to continue with its plan making and that there could be assistance with moving into the new system without having to go back to the beginning of the process.

·                  The Council was modelling its plan based on the top line, for example it had been advised by ECC that a secondary school was needed so this had to be modelled even if other constraints, costs etc. might stop this.

·                  Having signed up to the PAN Essex agreement, the Council needed to try and accommodate its growth and infrastructure.  Only when the work had been done could the Council ask neighbouring authorities if they could accommodate some of the District’s growth.  There was no current transport modelling for the District and the modelling (once completed) would assist the Council to determine what level of growth could be accommodated.

·                  Work on the maps etc. and assessments relating to the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) had been carried out.  The HELAA (referred to as a policy off assessment at this stage) looked at the information the Council had at the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 247