Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King's Lynn PE30 5DQ. View directions

Contact: Wendy Vincent, Democratic Services Officer, 01553 61377, Email:  wendy.vincent@west-norfolk.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs S Buck, C J Crofts and Miss S Sandell.

2.

Notes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Minutes:

The notes of the meeting held on 13 September 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

3.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

None.

4.

Declarations of Interest

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Members should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

 

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting.

Minutes:

None.

5.

Urgent Business

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

Minutes:

None.

6.

Members Present Pursuant to Standing Order 34

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

Minutes:

Councillor T Parish.

7.

Chairman's Correspondence (if any)

Minutes:

None.

8.

Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) 2016-2017 pdf icon PDF 3 MB

Minutes:

The Planner presented the Authority Monitoring report (AMR) which covered the period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 circulated with the Agenda and highlighted the following sections:

 

·         Purpose of the report – must be published annually/overview of contents.

·         What was new since the last AMR.

·         Economy

·         Society/Housing.

·         Environment.

·         Development Management Policies/Motoring Information.

 

The Planner/Policy Planning Manager responded to questions relating to:

 

·         Infrastructure and the importance of engaging CCG, NHS, GP’s and relevant health organisations/education authorities.

·         DM9 Community Facilities.

·         CS14 – Community Strategy/implementation of infrastructure through Section 106 Agreements.

·         Ownership of the AMR.

·         Paragraph 4.7 – next AMR considering amending text to include reference to requirement of correct infrastructure to match housing development.

·         Publication of the report on the Borough Council’s website by deadline of 31 December 2017.

·         Five Year Land Supply

·         lapsed planning permissions/Borough Council could serve completion notices.

 

AGREED:  1) The CCG be invited to attend the next meeting of the Task Group to receive an overview of the Borough Council’s current Plan, Direction of Travel, any issues concerning the Task Group.

 

2) Future Agenda Item, January 2018 – Reconsider process of the AMR.

 

3) Consideration of the AMR being a pre-Council briefing to raise awareness amongst all Councillors.

 

 

 

9.

Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) Progress Update

Minutes:

The Planner provided an update on the HELAA Progress and highlighted the key areas as set out below:

 

·         Approximately 550 sites submitted for consideration.

·         Approximately 150 did not past the first test.

·         Remaining sites to be assessed through the main body of the HELAA.

·         Purpose of HELAA  is to assess if the Borough Council had enough land to meeting the Housing Need.

·         HELAA process teases out any major constraints/barriers to development.

·         Those sites which pass the assessment will then be subject to the Sustainability Appraisal.

·         The Local Plan Team approximately 505 of the way through assessing the sites in the HELAA.

·         To date, the Council had a potential of 5,177 dwellings.

·         For some settlements it will be their Neighbourhood Plan which makes the allocation(s).

 

The Planner and Local Plan Manager responded to questions relating to:

 

·         CCG receiving an overview on potential development and the impact it would have on health care provision.

·         Assessment of potential delivery of development.

·         Infrastructure requirements particular relating to access and highways e.g. condition of road network.

·         Indicate sites which best fit the criteria to deliver the amount of housing to be delivered which would be subject to consultation.

·         Consultation process – open to all members of the public, Councillors, Parish Councils, etc.  The methodology for consultation had been adopted as a Norfolkwide basis.

·         The Sustainability Appraisal would identify the preferred options which would be produced in a table format detailing the settlements.

·         Flexibility being built into the current Local Plan.

·         CIL examination.

·         “At least” policy – consideration for range for each site/upper limit. 

·         Potential to consider whole sites/split sites for future development.

·         Concerns raised re single access points.

·         Reserve sites.

·         Total requirement of 13,400 housing units for the period of the plan, 10% flexibility built in.  It was confirmed that the Borough Council currently had more than enough allocations to satisfy the required housing need.

·         Neighbourhood Plans – examination process and how they could be effectively used during the planning application process/allocation of sites.

 

AGREED: An update report to be presented to the Task Group at a future meeting.

10.

Neighbourhood Plans Update pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Minutes:

The Task Group received an update on the examination process and how they could be effectively used during the planning application process/allocation of sites, a copy of which was circulated with the Agenda.

 

The Graduate Planner/Planning Policy Manager responded to questions relating to:

 

·         Designated Neighbourhood Area.

·         Benefits of producing a joint Neighbourhood Plan.

·         Managing expectations during the process of producing a Neighbourhood Plan.

 

RESOLVED:  1) The Task Group noted the update report.

 

2) The Local Plan Team to send out a standard email to all interested parties currently involved with producing a Neighbourhood Plan to enquire of their progress to date.

11.

Government Consultation: "The Right Homes in the Right Places: Consultation Proposals" pdf icon PDF 369 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Planning Policy Manager drew the Task Group’s attention to the Government Consultation and the Borough Council’s response.  In particular, Members’ attention was drawn to the on page 80 of the Agenda which set out the fully adjusted figure for West Norfolk.

 

The Planning Policy Manager provided an overview of Borough Council’s response to the consultation document.

 

The Planning Policy Manager responded to questions relating to:

 

·         Timescale for consultation process (deadline for responses 8 November 2017).

·         Government draft document to be published in spring 2018.

·         Impact on adjusted housing numbers for West Norfolk.

·         Affordability.

 

AGREED:  The response to the Government consultation be emailed to the Task Group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.

Schedule of Meetings 2018 pdf icon PDF 44 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  The schedule of meetings for 2018 was agreed.

13.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Task Group will take place on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at 10 am in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Task Group would take place on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at 10.00 am in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.