Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Planning Policy Working Group (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Planning Policy Working Group (PPWG) presenting its recommendations following Councillor J C Stilts’ Motion to the Council on 14 December 2023.

Councillor A Fittock, Chairperson of the PPWG, introduced the report, explaining of the PPWG had been tasked with reviewing the Maldon and Heybridge Central Area Master Plan (CAMP) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) following Councillor Stilts’ Motion to the Council (set out in the report). He advised that as part of its review the PPWG had carried out visits of the site and masterplan areas. He then referred to the Principal Place Officer who took Members through the report which provided background information regarding the CAMP SPD and a timeline of the work undertaken by the PPWG.

Appendix 1 to the report set out the 11 projects which had actions and timelines to progress to 2027 and Appendix 2 detailed the four options presented to the PPWG to inform a recommendation back to the Council. Consequentially the PPWG had requested separate, structured site visits to three sub-areas to better understand how the CAMP projects were meeting the Local Development Plan (LDP) Strategic Policy S5 Objectives. Appendix 3 provided information relating to the site visits undertaken. It was noted that the PPWG would continue to review strategic objectives via the LDP reviews. A CAMP Review all Member briefing had taken place on 16 October 2024 where the PPWG conclusions, set out in the report, were presented.

The Chairperson moved the recommendations set out in the report and these were duly agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)             That the Maldon and Heybridge Central Area Masterplan Action Plan work is permitted to continue until after the Local Development Plan (LDP) Review is completed;

(ii)            That the Maldon and Heybridge Central Area Masterplan is reviewed for relevance thereafter as part of LDP Review or subsequent processes.