Agenda item

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The report re-iterated the information regarding the Examination through to April 2024, and the Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Policy.

A significant number of Main Modifications to the Plan (376) were proposed and were the subject of consultation.  Most changes were detailed, to ensure the Plan was robust, effective and consistent with current national policy (National Planning Policy Framework).

Members attention was drawn to the following proposed Main Modifications:

·      MM4-MM5 – Replacement of section 4.1 of the submission Plan with a new Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy Policy, which included updated housing figures and a small number of changes to the status of individual settlements within the hierarchy

·      MM6 – New Policy – Residential development on windfall sites – Necessary, to ensure local housing need (554 dwellings per year) could be achieved; incorporating retained parts of policies LP02, LP04, LP31 and LP41 from submission Plan

·      MM7 – New Policy – Neighbourhood Plans – Necessary, to define housing requirements for designated Neighbourhood Areas, as required by national policy

·      MM11-MM15 – Removal of duplicate elements of Policy LP06 and supporting text (Climate Change)

·      MM29-MM34 – Significant changes to transport policies LP11 and LP13, to ensure consistency with national policy and reflect the updated Norfolk Local Transport Plan (2021-2036) and King’s Lynn Transport Strategy

·      MM45-MM60 – Significant changes to Environmental policies (re Green Infrastructure, the Historic Environment and Habitats Regulations Assessment – LP19-LP27), to reflect national policy and legislation changes (e.g. Nutrient Neutrality, 2021 Environment Act requirement for 10% Biodiversity Net Gain)

·      MM68-MM69 – New Policy – Custom and Self-Build Housing policy – To support delivery of Custom and Self Build Housing and ensure consistency with legislation and national policy

·      MM115-MM122 – Policy E2.1 West Winch Growth Area Strategic Policy – Additional policy criteria, including infrastructure trigger points and requirements; to ensure sustainable development

·      MM139-MM140 – New Policy – Downham Market, Bexwell Business Park (BEX) – 20ha employment land allocation.

Members noted the proposed Main Modifications, in particular the most significant and substantive changes specified in the report.  It was emphasised that the Main Modifications were proposed with the agreement of the Planning Inspectors, as being necessary to make the Plan “sound” (i.e. fit for purpose) and allow the Plan to be passed and adopted.

Members identified a range of concerns, including possible increases to housing requirements and the implications of typical build-out rates on overall delivery; removal of protections and implications of the new Windfall policy for neighbourhood planning.

Councillor Parish commented that some parishes appeared to be having difficulty logging into the modifications page on the website.  Councillor Parish raised concern about MM6 the windfall change, meaning a large number of houses could be built outside the boundary.  He referred to the fact that NPs often had a point of no development outside boundaries, and the modification would supersede it.  He considered that key rural service centres should only be affected by this.  He considered all parishes should have been asked about the change as he had previously instructed officers not to make that change as requested by the Inspectors. 

The Local Plan Manager explained changes to the council’s web page on the Local Plan and acknowledged that it was technical, but the document was technical.  He explained that the plan had to meet the local housing need, during the period Inspectors had requested the changes.

The Chair asked if a link could be provided on the front page of the Council’s website to the local plan modifications and sent to parish councils to remind them of the consultation period.  The Local Plan Manager confirmed and it was stated that responses to the consultation were welcomed and assistance would be given if problems were experienced, and all comments would be passed to the Inspectors for them to consider.

The Local Plan Manager gave an update on windfall development within the Borough and how the numbers had come about and how the Inspectors had requested the statistics on them.

Councillor Kemp commented that the consultations should have been completed before on the recent West Winch application was considered she commented on the application and the different aspects of the application.  The Local Plan Manager re-iterated that there was a whole day on West Winch which Cllr Kemp had fully participated in.  He hoped that she had made her comments to the consultation document which would be passed to the Inspectors.

Councillor de Whalley asked if there was a biodiversity net gain for West Winch, to which it was agreed that the Local Plan Manager would speak in detail with Councillor de Whalley off line.  and provide the relevant background documents/ information.

ACTIONS:

·      Planning Policy officers to email Parish Councils, to remind them of the ongoing consultation and how this is being run

·       Planning Policy officers to email Cllr De Whalley, re Biodiversity Net Gain Local Plan examination materials/ documents.