Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth, (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Place, Planning and Growth seeking Members’ consideration of whether to commence work on a new Local Plan for Maldon District under the new 30-month plan-making system.

The Leader of the Council introduced the report before inviting Councillor A Fittock, Chairperson of the Planning Policy Working Group (PPWG), to speak. Councillor Fittock advised that the PPWG had considered the report and endorsed the recommendations. He provided the Council with further information regarding the Plan.

The Council was advised that work to review the Maldon District Local Development Plan (LDP) had commenced in 2021, including public consultation, evidence gathering and a call for sites. Subsequent legislative and national policy changes introduced a new 30-month plan-making system and almost doubled the District’s housing target, requiring a fundamental review of potential site allocations. As the reviewed LDP could not be submitted under the legacy system by 31 December 2026, the Council was required to publish a Notice of Intention to Commence plan-making under the new system by that date.

Members were informed that the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) required Local Plans to establish a vision and spatial strategy, allocate land to meet identified needs, identify infrastructure requirements and address local issues. It also required a clear timetable, appropriate governance arrangements, a Project Initiation Document and robust, relevant and proportionate evidence to support preparation and adoption of the Plan within 30 months.

In his presentation of the report, Councillor Fittock referred to the recent announcement to pause Local Government Reorganisation and that the implications of this would be kept under review as the plan progressed. He highlighted the importance of a new Local Plan and explained that it would provide a ten-year vision for Maldon District, guiding development that would support the wellbeing of the District, strengthen the economy and protect the environment.

The Chairperson then proposed that the recommendations as set out in the report be agreed. In seconding the proposal, Councillor A S Fluker thanked the Planning Policy Manager for her work progressing the Local Plan.

In response to a question regarding the monies already spent on developing a Local Plan, the Planning Policy Manager advised that the monies spent had established a strong evidence base which would assist the Council in meeting the tight timescales.

The Chairperson then put the recommendations set out in the report to the Council, and these were duly agreed.

RESOLVED that the Council:

(i)         notes the work undertaken by consultants Arup:

·    Arup Project Initiation Document (Appendix 1 to the report)

·    Arup Budget (Appendix 2 to the report)

·    Arup Risk Register (Appendix 3 to the report)

(ii)        agrees to commence a new Local Plan for Maldon District;

(iii)       approves the Local Plan for Maldon District Project Initiation Document (Appendix 4 to the report);

(iv)       agrees the Local Plan Timetable (Appendix 5 to the report) and revokes the Local Development Scheme (February 2025), as explained in paragraph 3.5.2 of the report;

(v)        approves the Notice of Intention to Commence (Appendix 6 to the report) for publication;

(vi)       agrees to allocate a reserve of £2,075,000 to spend on the new Local Plan for Maldon District, including an allowance for contingencies and additional staff resources to progress the Local Plan through a new plan-making system;

(vii)      delegates authority to the Director of Place, Planning and Growth to amend and update the Local Plan for Maldon District Project Initiation Document (Appendix 4 to the report) and Local Plan Timetable (Appendix 5 to the report), in consultation with the Planning Policy Working Group.