Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Planning and Regulatory Services (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Director of Planning and Regulatory Services, the purpose of which was to seek endorsement for an update to the Council’s Local Development Scheme (LDS) following the approval of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (LDP) in July 2017.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer advised that there was a statutory requirement for the Council to have an LDS which is a project plan for the Council’s planning policy documents for the next year.

She advised that a consultation on the Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Technologies Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) was about to commence and that it was intended that consultations on the Affordable Housing and Vehicle Parking Standards SPD’s would be consulted on this year.

Officers also recommended a Specialist Housing SPD.  The Council was receiving more enquiries about older peoples’ housing, therefore, it made sense for the Council to have detailed guidance on this subject.

There was also to be a Recreational Avoidance Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) SPD setting out how the Council could secure financial contributions from new developments to mitigate recreational impacts upon international and nationally protected wildlife sites in the District.

Officers were currently undertaking a review of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which would be brought to this Committee over the summer of 2018.

The work on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was ongoing and it was hoped that there would be an examination before the end of the year.

A question was asked as to when the Specialist Housing SPD (outlined in 3.1.4 of the report) would be coming forward and the Officer advised that this was detailed on page 51 of Appendix 1 to the report.  It was requested that this be brought forward and the Chairman advised that March 2018 may be a realistic date.  The Group Manager – Planning Services confirmed that currently each application would be dealt with in accordance with the LDP, particularly Policy H3 and its evidence base including the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) which would protect the District from speculative developers in the interim.  However, supporting detailed documents would also beneficial in the longer term.

In response to a request to bring the September 2018 deadline forward the Officer advised that before then it was necessary to have a 6 week consultation, assess comments and revisit the SPD if necessary.  The deadline of September was for the SPD to go to the Council, although the consultation draft and final draft (following consultation) would be brought to this Committee prior to consideration by the Council in September 2018.

Councillor A K M St. Joseph raised concerns regarding Reasonable Avoidance Measures (RAMS) and was of the opinion that whereas there had been a lot of discussion on this at previous meetings, it was unlikely that this would provide any benefit to this Council, despite a contribution towards it.

Members were reminded that there was a seminar on 7 February 2018 at which Natural England would be making a presentation on RAMS. 

The Officer confirmed that Natural England was aware of Councillor St. Joseph’s concerns around the timing of surveys in relation to and the breeding season of birds.  It was hoped that Natural England would be able to provide an update at the meeting on 7 February.

The Chairman requested that Maldon District Council be referred to in paragraph 26 of the Appendix to the report because the Council was involved.

It was requested that Members/Officers refer to page numbers of reports so assist those Members that were using electronic copies of the Agenda.

RECOMMENDED to the Council:

(i)                 That paragraph 26 of the Local Development Scheme (attached as APPENDIX 1 to these Minutes) be amended to include reference to the Maldon District Council;

(ii)               That subject to (i) above, the Local Development Scheme be approved as the project plan for key planning policy documents over the next 12 months.