Agenda and draft minutes

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RESOLVED: Councillor Everett was appointed Vice Chair of the Panel for the 2024-2025 Municipal Year.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There was none.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of 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 Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

Those 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 from the public seating area.

There was none.

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

There was none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.  

Councillors Kemp, Long and Rose.

If any.

There was none.

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The Panel were invited to arrange for the appointment of Members to serve on Informal Working Groups and Task Groups which had previously been established by the Panel.

RESOLVED: 1. That the Custom and Self Build Policy Development Task Group continues to operate as a 5 Member Task Group and the Democratic Services Officer be instructed to seek Membership of the Task Group from Group Leaders for the 2024-2025 Municipal Year.

2. That the Guildhall and Creative Hub Task Group be disbanded as any future Cabinet reports relating to the Guildhall and Creative Hub would be presented to the Panel as a whole.

3. That the Transport and Infrastructure Informal Working Group continue with the membership agreed by the Panel at their meeting in April with the addition of Councillor Ratcliffe.

4. That the Tourism Informal Working Group continues as a joint Informal Working Group with the Environment and Community Panel and the two panel Chairs liaise accordingly.

This Informal Working Group was established by the Panel at their meeting on 16^th April 2024 with Members Bearshaw, Bubb, Blunt and Kemp.

Draft Terms of Reference are attached for the Panel’s consideration.

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The Panel considered the draft Terms of Reference for the Transport Strategy Informal Working Group.

RESOLVED: The Terms of Reference were agreed with the following amendments:

1.    The Informal Working Group would comprise of six core Members.

2.    The Informal Working Group to report back to the Regeneration and Development Panel meeting in December 2024.

3.    Item 6 of the Terms of Reference to be deleted as it was a duplication.

Representatives from Norfolk County Council will be present at the meeting to provide an update.

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Ian Parkes from Norfolk County Council provided the Panel with an update on the King’s Lynn Transport Strategy.  He explained that the Issues and Opportunities Report was the first output from the Strategy and would go out for Stakeholder and Member consultation shortly.  All Members would be engaged in the consultation process and following the consultation and implementation plan would be produced. 

Ian Parkes outlined the process and the next steps which included shortlisting options and the creation of the Implementation Plan.

Ian Parkes invited comments from Members and also explained that comments could be emailed through to him as part of the consultation process.

The Chair thanked Ian Parkes for the presentation and invited comments from the Panel on the King’s Lynn Transport Strategy Issues and Opportunities Report, as summarised below.

The Chair explained that it was important for this work to link in with the work of the Informal Working Group which had been established by the Panel and Ian Parkes reminded Members that there would be Member engagement events scheduled to ensure that Councillors were able to provide comment on the Strategy.

Councillor Colwell welcomed opportunities to take pedestrians away from the busty Gaywood Road, and instead take them along the river bank.  He also commented that it was necessary to have a safe crossing area at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Roundabout.

Councillor Colwell commented that the lack of buses linking Gaywood to St James Medical centre should be looked at, as well as providing more taxis and buses to serve the night time economy.

Councillor Colwell commented that the King’s Lynn Area Committee were also looking at Tennyson Road crossing at the Walks and he welcomed any solutions.  Ian Parkes explained that this area was being looked at as part of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and a scheme was being pulled together.

Councillor Blunt asked if the Panel would have the opportunity to comment on the draft Strategy before it was finalised and suggested that it be brought to the Panel for consideration as a single item Agenda.  Ian Parkes reminded Members of the Member engagement sessions that would be arranged.

The Chair referred to the Local Housing Needs Assessment and felt that the vision included in the report needed more detail.

The Vice Chair, Councillor Everett asked Ian Parkes how much longer the funding was in place for the £1.50 bus fares and if there was opportunities for this to be extended.  Ian Parkes explained that he would ask his colleagues to provide an update on this.

Councillor Beal referred to buses serving Hunstanton and that most of them stopped around 9pm, which was a problem for those attending the theatre, bars and employment.  He asked that consideration be given to extending the services available.

In response to a question from Councillor Bubb it was explained that WSP had been commissioned to carry out the study and this would be used  ...  view the full minutes text for item RD10:

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The Planning Policy Manager presented the Cabinet Report which set out the process to adoption, which included consulting on the Main Modifications required to ensure that the Local Plan was legally compliant and sound.

The Chair thanked the Planning Policy Manager for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

In response to a question from Councillor Lintern regarding solar farms, the Planning Policy Manager explained the examination was under the NPPF and there were policies within the Local Plan related to climate change mitigation and adaptation but there wasn’t a specific policy for solar farms.  National Policy currently set out the approach in this space.  He also explained that the next would offer the opportunity to review out policies and explore such matters further as appropriate.

Councillor Crofts referred to the Gypsy and Traveller allocated sites and referred to tolerated sites.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that it was a legal requirement to meet the needs of all of the communities and the consultation on the Borough Council’s preferred sites and policies was now open.  He encouraged Councillors and anyone who was interested to make representations through the consultation process.

The Chair referred to the five-year land supply for housing and Gypsy and Traveller sites.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that there was currently a sufficient supply to meet both.  With regard to Gypsy and Traveller sites this would be subject to the Hearing Sessions in September, following the current consultation, and the Inspectors could decide to remove or include sites.  Any modifications would then be consulted on.

Councillor Blunt stressed the importance of ensuring a five-year land supply in the Borough. 

In response to a question from Councillor Blunt it was confirmed that the accelerated timetable had been agreed jointly with officers and the Inspector and it was felt that it was achievable.

Councillor Kemp addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and the Planning Policy Manager confirmed that the West Winch Growth Area had been considered carefully.

Councillor Moriarty, Portfolio Holder for Development, thanked the Panel for their comments.  He also thanked officers and the Planning Policy Manager for their hard work on bringing this forward.  He reminded Members that they would still have the opportunity to make comments now on the Gypsy and Traveller consultation and when the main modifications went out for consultation later this month.

RESOLVED: That the Panel supported the recommendations to Cabinet, as set out below.

1. Cabinet notes and endorses the agreed accelerated timescale for the Local Plan through to adoption, as agreed with the Inspectors at the recent Examination hearings, and as set out in the updated Local Development Scheme (LDS), April 2024.

2. Cabinet notes and endorses the requirement to consult on the Main Modifications, which is legally required to ensure that the Local Plan can be made sound.

RESOLVED: The Panel’s Work Programme was noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Regeneration & Development Panel is scheduled to take place on 23^rd July 2024 at 6.00pm in the Town Hall, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Regeneration and Development Panel would be held on 23^rd July 2024 at 6.00pm in the Town Hall, King’s Lynn.