Agenda item

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The Planning Policy Manager presented the Cabinet Report which sought authorisation to adopt the West Winch Growth Area Framework Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The Task Group’s attention was drawn to the following sections of the report:

·         Consultation – section 2.

·         Key issues raised – principle of development, traffic and West Winch access road, flooding.

·         Amendments to SPD in response to representations received – section 4

·         Appendix 1:  Consultation Responses.

·         Statement of Consultation.

·         The West Winch Growth Area Framework Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document.

It was noted that the consultation on the Draft SPD followed the statutory process for the preparation and adoption of SPDs, including consultation in accordance with the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI).  The consultation strategy for the Draft SPD was Published for comment as follows:

·         Published on the Council’s web site.

·         Press notice.

·         Council’s social media.

·         Emails sent to consultees on the Local Plan database, who have indicated they are interested in Planning Policy consultations.

·         Consultation Events (10 August and 5 September at West Winch Village Hall).

·         Parish Council’s web sites.

The consultation took place between 5 August 2022 and 27 September 2022, a period of 7.5 weeks.

The Planning Policy Manager advised that in response to comments received, amendments had been proposed to the draft SPD as shown in Table 1.

The Chair commented on the number required, how it worked and how the Council conveyed the message that nothing had changed in the process and asked if  it was possible that a document could be drawn up setting out the relevant information and timescale.

In response to a question from Councillor de Whalley on seeking clarification on questions raised at the Local Plan Examination regarding West Winch, the Planning Policy Manager advised that the Local Plan Examination could not be discussed in this forum.  The Task Group was informed that the Planning Inspector had asked a number of questions, the responses to which would be published on the Borough Council’s website on 23 December 2022 once given instruction from the Programme Officer who was operating the process. The Chair added that the Task Group would have the opportunity to receive the Planning Inspector’s interim report when available.

Councillor Kemp stated that she had attended the Hearing and referred to the SPD  which set out the infrastructure required including roundabouts but the Housing Access Road (HAR) and other elements had not been included as part of the essential infrastructure.  Councillor Kemp referred to the Government funding required for the HAR and asked if there was a Plan B if the funding was not successful. In response, the Planning Policy Manager explained that Appendix 3 set out the infrastructure requirements for West Winch which included a sustainable drainage system.  The Task Group’s attention was drawn to page 14 of the SPD which set out a summary of the infrastructure requirements including utilities.

Following further comments from Councillor Kemp on the officer’s response to the consultation on flooding, the Planning Policy Manager explained that work had been undertaken between the landowners and drainage boards.  The Planning Control Manager added that Councillor Kemp had reiterated comments that had been made at the Local Plan Hearing.  The Planning Control Manager confirmed there were Drainage Strategies being developed  for both planning applications (Metacre and Hopkins) and that the East of Ouse IDB and LFA  and applicants were working well together to resolve any drainage issues.  The Task Group was informed that no development could take place unless there are suitable drainage strategies in place.

Councillor Crofts expressed concern that drainage boards were not statutory consultees but must be consulted as part of the planning process.

Councillor Kemp referred to page 14 – Active Travel and highlighted the importance of linking the new development with King’s Lynn and commented that the work potential be deleted and replaced with appropriate wording with a mandate to extend.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that the master plan indicated the layout of the cycle routes etc.  The Planning Control Manager added that the document kept it flexible in relative to the Active Travel.  Active Travel England will be a statutory consultee going forward.  The Senior Housing Development Officer stated that the LCWIP includes proposals to include improvements to the connectivity between West Winch and King’s Lynn.  The SPD does refer to the LCWIP.  In conclusion, the Planning Policy Manager advised that if a change was proposed and agreed it would be necessary to change the overarching policy documents.

The Planning Policy Manager responded to questions and comments in relation to Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS).

In response to questions from Councillor Hudson on the timescale to deliver 4,000 homes, the Planning Policy Manager explained that the Local Plan covered the period to 2038.

Following further questions from Councillor Hudson on building houses and where people would come from to purchase them, the Planning Policy Manager advised that the number of houses required in the plan period were determined by the Housing Needs Assessment which was a study looking at all sorts of housing across the Borough and included hidden needs.  New Housing was not just being built for people to come into Norfolk out of the area, but for existing families and children who were currently living with their parents.

Councillor Hudson further commented that there were houses for sale but young people  were  still living with parents in their early thirties and could not afford a house  or obtain a mortgage.  The Senior Housing Development Officer explained that the development would include an element of affordable housing and the amount of housing needed was set out in the Housing Needs Assessment which looked at population projections/growth.  The Senior Housing Development Officer provided an overview of the current position of the housing market and explained that the housing market would go through peaks and troughs which would happen over the span of development and added that a few months ago houses were selling very quickly but now there was a change and had now slowed down but the anticipation was it was likely to be 18 to 20 years for the 4,000 homes to be developed.

In response to questions from Councillor Crofts on primary and secondary school provision, the Planning Policy Manager explained that there would be two new schools on site but that the education authority had determined that the growth did not warrant a new secondary school on site and pupils would feed into the existing secondary schools and sixth forms in King’s Lynn

A general discussion took place on the recent Local Plan Examination, the process, those permitted to speak, Borough Council officer input and the receipt of the Planning Inspector’s interim report.

Councillor Kemp did not support the recommendation.

Councillor de Whalley abstained on the recommendation.

AGREED:  The Task Group supported the recommendation as set out below:

Cabinet notes the contents of the report and recommends to Council that the West Winch Growth Area Framework Masterplan SPD (Appendix 3) be adopted and used as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.