Agenda item

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Parish attended for this item.

The Planning Policy Manager referred to the 2016 ‘Call for Sites and Policy Suggestions’ consultation asked for people/organisations/bodies to not only put forward sites for consideration for a variety of uses as part of the Local Plan review (2016-2016), but also suggested policies which during the review process could be taken into consideration.  This could include new policies or the modification of existing policies.

The Task Group was asked to comment on the suggestions put forward or put forward additional suggestions.

The Planning Policy Manager advised that the Task Group would need to give consideration to the following policy suggestions:

·         Historic Environment.

·         Natural Environment.

·         Custom and Self-Build Housing.

·         Starter Homes.

·         Small Sites and Windfall.

·         Brownfield Registers and Planning Permission in Principle (PIP).

·         Policies for groups with specific needs.

·         Government Publications.

In response to questions regarding how the Borough Council would respond to the suggestions put forward during the consultation exercise, the Planner explained that suggested responses to the policy suggestions were set out at Appendix 1.

The Planning Policy Manager drew the Task Group’s attention to section 3.2 – further thoughts for policies which had come to the Borough Council’s attention recently as set out below:

·         Design Expectations.

·         Build to Rent.

·         Digital Infrastructure.

·         Darker Skies.

·         Pub Friendly Policy.

In response to questions on how the policies relating to Darker Skies, Open Space and Pub Friendly would be taken forward, the Planner explained that there had been arranged events relating to Darker Skies.

Following questions on the definition of a Brownfield Site, the Planner undertook to circulate the NPPF definition.

Following the meeting, the Planner provided the information as set out below:

Brownfield Site(s) ‘Note’

1.1  What is brownfield land? Brownfield land is land that has been previously developed. It can include land with buildings as well as cleared sites. The National Planning Policy Framework provides a definition of previously developed land. The definition excludes some land such as land in built up areas including land occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings; land that has been developed for minerals extraction and parks, recreation grounds and allotments.

1.2  The NPPF definition of Previously Developed Land is provided in full below, (NPPF Annex 2: Glossary):

 ‘Previously developed land: Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. This excludes: land that is or has been occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings; land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill purposes where provision for restoration has been made through development control procedures; land in built-up areas such as private residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments; and land that was previously-developed but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface structure have blended into the landscape in the process of time.’

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdf

1.3  The Site Allocations and Development Management Polices Plan (SADMP) (2016) provides the same definition, within the glossary, for Brownfield Land or Site:

https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/info/20093/site_allocations_and_development_management_policies_plan/514/adopted_plan

The Planner explained that the Government had indicated that a Brownfield Sites Register would be required by local authorities, but to date no Regulations had been issued.

Following further questions on brownfield sites and protecting employment, etc, the Planner explained that there was a policy mechanism in place if a factory became non-existent and how it would come forward (CS10) for housing purposes.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Parish addressed the Task Group regarding a number of issues which raised concern in Heacham relating to impact of development in nearby settlements, single access to larget sits and the impact of windfall sites.

The Chairman, Councillor Blunt drew Councillor Parish’s attention to the HELAA process and the criteria when allocating sites to satisfy the housing numbers required across the Borough.  Windfall sites would be taken into account where appropriate and the importance of have a robust plan in place to delivery sites was highlighted.

The Planning Policy Manager commented that the points raised by Councillor Parish were valid ones and explained that specialists were used at part of the HELAA process.  Norfolk County Council also provide advice which included the wider impact of an area not just a specific site.  He added that windfall sites had to be considered on their merits.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that when make allocations, those developments which had been committed and completed were taken into account.  The Task Group was advised that the White Paper had indicated that windfall sites could be used for additional housing and could be included within the allowance.

Following comments on protecting public houses within villages, the Planning Policy Manager explained that CS10 which related to businesses but undertook to look at a specific policy relating to public houses.

Councillor Parish referred to section 3.2 – Darker Skies and commented that there were both economic and environmental benefits from having a policy and suggested that planning policy followed the recommendations of the CPRE.  The Chairman, Councillor Blunt advised that the Council had not yet considered such a policy.  The Planning Policy Manager that the Council would need to decide if it was willing to spend money to developing a policy and consider whether the Council was able to enforce the type of light fitting used by developers.

AGREED:  Policy DM15 be amended to include the following sentence:  “cumulative impacts from infill coming forward.”