Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Interim Head of Planning Services, (copy enclosed).

In light of their earlier declarations of interest Councillors J P F Archer, A T Cain, R P F Dewick, D M Sismey and Miss S White left the meeting at this point and did not return.

The Council considered the report of the Interim Head of Planning Services setting out the key recommendations from the Planning and Licensing Committee on the preparation of a Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD). 

The report set out the resolutions from the Planning and Licensing Committee meeting on 19 January 2017 where it was endorsed that the need for a DPD had passed due to the passage of time and change in circumstances.

The report provided Members with detailed information regarding the:

·                 Local Development Plan (LDP);

·                 Planning Policy Framework;

·                 Task and Finish Working Groups;

·                 Site Allocations DPD, including Gypsy and Traveller DPD, Rural Housing Allocations and Employment Allocations;

·                 Implications for the LDP.

Members were reminded that at the time of the pre-submission LDP there was considerable merit in the production of DPDs to allocate sites for Gypsy and Travellers and rural housing and employment.  At this time sites had not been identified, nor were any planning consents in place on sites which could contribute towards the overall targets.  Since then planning permission had been granted for a significant proportion of the requirements within Policies S2 and E1.  Members were advised that a consequence of this was that the small number of sites required did not justify preparation of a DPD.

RESOLVED that the Council does not proceed with the preparation of a Site Allocation Development Plan Document.