Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Planning Services on consultation responses received in respect of the draft Urban Design Framework for St Ives West.

Authorised the Head of Planning Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing and the Chairman of the Development Management Panel, to finalise and approve the St Ives West Urban Design Framework as planning guidance to inform Council policy and future decisions on potential development applications.

(Councillors I C Bates, J W Davies, Mrs J A Dew and A Williams – local ward Members and Councillor D B Dew, Chairman of the Development Management Panel, were in attendance and spoke on this item)

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered the content of the draft St Ives West Urban Design Framework, produced as guidance in order to shape the delivery of housing and new strategic green space within this area in accordance with the strategic direction of growth identified within the adopted Core Strategy.

The Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing, explained that the title of the finalised document would be “St Ives West Urban Design Framework” and to avoid any confusion regarding the proposed status of the guidance the sub-title references in the draft document, specifically “Planning Brief 2011”, “Supplementary Planning Document” and “Planning Policy Document” would be deleted from the finalised document.

Executive Councillors were of the opinion that on balance the framework would bring forward high quality residential development, with an associated large publicly accessible area of green open space, which it is intended would be transferred into public ownership and would serve to protect St Ives town and the village of Houghton & Wyton from inappropriate development.  Members were specifically reminded that the planning guidance contained within the document was not intended to define, presume or endorse the release of sites with the area, nor constitute any formal site allocation.

In reviewing the issues involved, the Cabinet considered comments by Councillors Bates and Williams on the responses in the consultation document and the concerns held by the residents of Houghton & Wyton regarding the inadequate area of green space separation between the village and St Ives, the impact of the framework on traffic on the A1123 and to issues questioning the documents legal status.  At the same time, Councillors Mrs J Dew and Davies, ward Members for St Ives, and Councillor D B Dew as Chairman of the Development Management Panel addressed the Cabinet in support of the document.

Having considered the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being), the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that the Head of Planning Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing and the Chairman of the Development Management Panel, be authorised to finalise and approve the St Ives West Urban Design Framework as planning guidance to inform Council policy and future decisions on potential development applications.

To consider a report by the Head of Planning Services.

(Councillors J D Ablewhite, I C Bates, J W Davies, Mrs J A Dew and A Williams addressed the Panel on the following item.)

Further to Minute No. 25, the Panel considered a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the response received to consultation on the draft St. Ives West Urban Design Framework (UDF).  Members were reminded that the Panel was being invited, as a consultee, to make their observations on the content of the proposed document.

In forming their conclusions, the Panel had regard to the representations made by the District Councillors who had addressed them.  Although aware of varying degrees of support for the draft UDF, the Panel were of the view that the principles to be established would provide a robust framework within which to deliver new housing to the west of St. Ives in accordance with the strategic direction of growth identified within the adopted Core Strategy, a high quality designed development and facilities and a large area of new publically accessible strategic green space  which could help to effectively separate St. Ives town and the village of Houghton and Wyton.

With these conclusions in mind, the Panel

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to authorise the Head of Planning Services, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing and the Chairman of the Panel to finalise and approve the St. Ives West Urban Design Framework as planning guidance to inform Council policy and future decisions on potential development applications.

At 7.55pm, it was

RESOLVED

  that the meeting stand adjourned.

Upon resumption at 8.00pm.

To receive a report by the Head of Planning Services on the draft St Ives West Urban Framework.

(Councillors I C Bates and A H Williams Ward Members for the Hemingfords, Councillor D B Dew Ward Member for St Ives South and Councillor N J Guyatt, Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing, were in attendance for consideration of this item).

(See Members’ Interests)

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Planning Services on the outcome of the recent consultation on the draft St Ives West Urban Design Framework (UDF) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). The report included a summary of the comments received and responses to them.

In his introduction to the report Councillor Guyatt reminded the Panel that plans for the area in question had been incorporated into the Council’s Core Strategy in 2002. At that time all Members had been briefed on the Strategy and on its significance once it was approved by the Planning Inspector. The Head of Planning Services explained that the aims of the UDF were to provide a framework for the delivery of high quality new housing and to create an area of accessible green space in the St Ives West area in line the principles established in the adopted Core Strategy. The UDF would provide constructive guidance to future developers of the area to the maximum advantage and minimum disadvantage of both St Ives and the villages of Houghton and Wyton.

The Head of Planning Services informed the Panel that some comments had questioned the legality of the document. However, he advised that although the document had the title of supplementary planning guidance, the first paragraph of the document explicitly stated the purpose of the UDF. Legal advice had been obtained, which confirmed that the statement of purpose would safeguard the Council from legal challenge on that particular question.

Councillor Bates was invited by the Chairman to address the Panel and, with the assistance of detailed plans of the area, drew the Panel’s attention to the responses to the consultation document and the views that had been expressed by residents of Houghton and Wyton. Councillor Bates highlighted concerns over the area of green separation. As the area was within the parish of Houghton and Wyton, in his view, it did not separate Houghton and Wyton from St Ives. He further pointed out that gardens had been included within this area, which could neither be regarded as open space nor as providing a strategic gap.  Additionally Councillor Bates expressed the view that under the UDF a disproportionate number of houses would be built in Houghton and Wyton and suggested an alternative proposal involving Houghton Grange.

Having also been invited by the Chairman to address the Panel Councillor Williams drew attention to the impact of the UDF on traffic on the A1123, to his perception that the St Ives West Area Working Group had not influenced the UDF and to references in a letter from Houghton and Wyton Parish Council questioning the legal status of the UDF.

Councillor Dew addressed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35