Agenda and draft minutes

Click here to view a recording of this item on You Tube

The notes of the meeting held on 22 November 2023 were agreed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

Page 4 – Councillor de Whalley asked that when the Local Plan is adopted, if there are any discrepancies between the Local Plan, the National Planning Policy Framework and Neighbourhood Plans, whether it is still policy that the most recently adopted plan takes precedence.  In response, the Principal Planner (Policy) advised that this remains the case.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S Sandell.

There were no matters arising.

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

These 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There was no urgent business.

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

Councillor P Devulapalli was present under Standing Order 34 (Zoom).

The Chair advised he had received 1 letter and over 50 emails, all of which he had responded to explaining the purpose of today’s Task Group meeting, next steps and including the link to the meeting.

Click here to view a recording of this item on You Tube

The Assistant Director, Planning and Environment reminded the Task Group that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss the merits of individual cases. It was noted there a planning application had been submitted for a site in West Dereham which would be considered by the Planning Committee in the relatively near future when the individual merits of the case will be discussed.  The Assistant Director added that the Gypsy and Traveller Potential Sites and Policy Consultation is entirely separate to the live West Dereham planning application, with the decision on whether to go forward with the consultation to be determined by Cabinet on 15 January 2024. Therefore, Planning Committee Members should bear that in mind and not pre-determine themselves for the future Planning Committee likely to be February/March 2024.

The Assistant Director, Environment and Planning presented the draft Cabinet report of 15 January 2024 and explained that as part of the Local Plan process, the council had produced a draft consultation document on proposed locations to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in the borough.  It incorporated the list of existing sites across the borough, the methodology used for assessment, those sites that were preferred to accommodate the identified needs and planning policies to manage such developments over the plan period to 2039.  This was an essential part of the Local Plan process, and this work must be carried out to the satisfaction of the Planning Inspectors before the Local Plan can be adopted.

The Task Group was advised that the report to Cabinet sought authority to proceed with a consultation on potential sites.  The consultation would run for 6 weeks, and would help to inform proposed Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople policies and site allocations, which will be submitted to Cabinet for approval in April 2024, to be submitted for formal Examination in July 2024.

The Task Group received a presentation from the Interim Senior Planning Officer.

The Interim Senior Planning Officer reiterated that all the documents were in draft and would form part of the consultation and the relevant information would feed into the assessment.  A decision on the sites would be made in April 2024.

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for the report and the Interim Senior Planning Officer for the presentation and invited questions and comments from the Task Group, a summary of which is set out below.

In response to a question from the Chair regarding consultation, the Interim Senior Planning Officer confirmed the report was seeking Cabinet approval to take the draft Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Potential Sites and Policy document, the Gypsy and Traveller Site Assessment Document, the associated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and the Sustainability Appraisal for consultation, for a period of 6 weeks from the 26 January and 8 March 2024.

The Task Group was advised that following the consultation exercise the Council would provide a Consultation Statement which would set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To be advised.

To be advised.