Agenda item

The above report is on the Cabinet Forward Decision List for 9 September

2015 and has been identified by the Chairman for consideration by the Panel.

The Panel are requested to consider the report and make any appropriate recommendations to Cabinet.

The Executive Director, Development Services presented the Cabinet report and explained that the Localism Act 2011 had introduced the provision for Neighbourhood Plans to be created.  The intention of this was to engage local communities in the planning process and give them ownership and control over development in their area.

South Wootton and Brancaster had embraced the opportunity to create a Parish Plan.  South Wootton had anticipated significant growth going forward and therefore wanted to shape how development took place.

The Executive Director, Development Services provided brief details of the Government’s process for creating neighbourhood plans, there were lots of steps and processes to be gone through, which were out of the Council’s control.  The Council had worked with the Parishes to develop their plans.

The Executive Director, Development Services commended both the Parish Council’s and the officers involved in bringing the Parish Plans to this stage as there had been a lot of work involved.

The Panel was referred to the recommendations within the report which set out how the Parish Plan process could move forward.  The recommendations had regard to the recommendations made by the Independent Examiner and the report set out the proposed modifications to the plans before they moved to the referendum stage.  The Executive Director, Development Services informed those present that if adopted the Parish Plans would have the same status as the Local Plan, the Parishes would also receive a greater proportion of any Community Infrastructure levy if they had a plan in place.

The Chairman thanked the Executive Director, Development Services for his report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

Councillor Mrs Watson referred to Brancaster Parish Plan and informed the Executive Director that the Parish Council would be discussing the proposed modifications to the Parish Plan at their next meeting.  She asked for clarification on when a referendum was likely.  The Principal Planner (LDF) explained that, if the recommendations were agreed by Cabinet, a consultation exercise on the modifications would then be required.  If the consultation exercise resulted in no further amendments it was likely that a referendum would be held mid to late November 2015.

Councillor Mrs Wright commented that she was impressed with South Wootton Parish Council’s ideas as contained within their plan.  She asked how it would be ensured that developers would be considerate of the plan when submitting planning applications to ensure that South Wootton’s vision was achieved.  The Principal Planner (LDF) explained that the Parish Plan would form part of the overall development plan and would become the starting place for decisions on applications.  The Planning Committee would need to take the Parish Plans into account when determining planning applications.  Developers would need to consider their plan when shaping their proposals and the Plans would influence the type of development acceptable in the area.

Councillor Smith referred to page 25 of the agenda and asked if the Independent Examiner had considered the area beyond the Parish Plan boundary.  The Principal planner LDF explained that the Parish Plan boundaries could be extended if there was a strong strategic demand and influence on the surrounding area, but in these cases there was considered not to be any major influences beyond the Parish boundary.  The Examiner would have considered this during the examination and had not recommended that the boundaries be expanded.

Councillor Mrs Bower referred to part 3.3 of the report, which set out the Examiners proposed changes to the Brancaster Parish Plan.  She felt that limiting the size of houses was a good idea as this was a problem along the coastal strip.  She felt that the amount of large second houses could exclude the opportunity for local people to live in the area.  The Principal Planner LDF explained that the Examiner had recommended that the Parish Plan should identify what cases could be considered as an exception and what would be reasonable.

Councillor Tilbury asked if the Borough Council would support the views of the Parish Plans in the future.  The Principal Planner LDF explained that the Borough Council had advised and assisted with the formulation of the Parish Plans as it had a legal obligation to do so.  The Borough Council did not have to agree with the content of the Parish Plan, they just had to ensure that it met the statutory requirements.

RESOLVED: That the Regeneration and Development & Environment and Community Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet as set out below:

1.    That the submitted South Wootton Neighbourhood Plan:

a)    be amended in accordance with the recommendations of the Independent Examiner; and

b)    so modified, should proceed to a local referendum covering the area of South Wootton Parish.

2.    That the submitted Brancaster Neighbourhood plan:

a)    be amended broadly in accordance with the recommendations of the independent Examiner but, subject to consultation, with detailed variation from those recommendations, as set out in Appendix 5; and

b)    so modified, should proceed to a local referendum covering the area of Brancaster Parish.

3.    That authority to be delegated to the Executive Director, Environment and Planning, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder, to consider responses to consultation on the proposed decisions differing from the Examiner’s recommendations, and determine the final changes to be made to the neighbourhood plan before it proceeds to the referendum.