Issue - meetings

To receive questions from members of the public, of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the day of the meeting).

In accordance with Procedure Rule 1(3)(e) and the Council’s Public Question Time and Participation at Council and Committee Meetings Scheme, the Leader of the Council referred to a question from Mr Christopher Swain of which prior notification had been given.  A copy of the question and prepared response from the Leader of the Council was circulated prior to the meeting.

Mr Swain was in attendance at the meeting and read out his part of his question, set out below, prior to advising he did not wish to read the rest, when reminded by the Chairman that he could only read out his question and not provide any further information.

“When the Regional Spatial Strategy was set out as part of the subsequently abandoned Eastern Region Development Plan, little housing was allocated to the district because of its poor accessibility, rural nature and low-lying situation.  These factors remain relevant, but were inexplicably ignored by the Planning Inspectors.

In view of the seemingly unresolvable problem of securing an acceptable flood alleviation scheme and in the light of the recent report of the International Committee on Climate Change on rising sea levels, will the Council grasp the nettle and tell the Secretary of State that the LDP needs to be revised, with a view to reducing the requirement for housing in the district and deleting the North Heybridge Garden Suburb from the Plan.”

Response:

The 2014 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) sets out the housing requirements in the District, while the Sustainability Appraisal assessed the suitability of the strategic sites to meet the need assessed in the SHLAA.  The North Heybridge Garden Suburb was assessed as suitable and was therefore included in the Local Plan.  The Council needs to play its part in providing needed housing in the District and so there is no proposal to remove that site from the Local Plan.

To receive questions from members of the public, of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the day of the meeting).

There were none.

To receive questions from members of the public, of which prior notification in writing has been received (no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the day of the meeting).

There were none.