Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Planning Services on the Great Fen Masterplan.

Approved the Statement of Recognition from the District Council for the Great Fen Masterplan and agreed to adopt the Masterplan as Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance to inform Council Policy and guide development management decisions.

Further to Minute No. 10/116, consideration was given to a report by the Head of Planning Services to which was attached the Great Fen Masterplan:  Statement of Consultation (a copy of both the Statement and the Head of Service’s report are appended in the Minute Book).

Executive Councillors were advised that the document had been prepared in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England, Middle Level Commissioners and Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough Wildlife Trust.  It would be used to provide the delivery of the Great Fen Vision over a period of 50 years.

Having recognised the importance of the document when determining forthcoming planning applications within the Great Fen area and in noting its endorsement by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) and Development Management Panel, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the Statement of Recognition, as set out in Appendix A to the report now submitted, be approved; and

  (b)  that the Great Fen Masterplan be adopted as Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance to inform Council Policy and guide development management decisions.

To consider a report by the Head of Planning Services

(Appendix B to the document has been circulated separately to Members of the Panel only.)

(See Minute No. 41 for Members’ Interests.)

Having regard to a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the views of the Panel were invited on the content of the Great Fen Masterplan:  Statement of Consultation (a copy of which also is appended in the Minute Book).

Members noted that the Masterplan, which had been prepared in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Middle Level Commissioners and Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough Wildlife Trusts would be used to guide the delivery of the Great Fen Vision over a period of 50 years or so.  As such, it was explained that the masterplan should be adopted as planning guidance to inform Council Policy and to act as a material consideration in respect of potential planning proposals.

During discussion and whilst it was not the intention to build on the fen, the Panel acknowledged the possibility of some economic and tourist development in the locality and the need for consideration to be given to how this might be achieved and marketed without detriment to the Great Fen.  The potential to attract funding to the Great Fen Project through development and the possibility of commercial interest in water storage for local farms and businesses also was discussed.  It was suggested that the Environment Agency had already recognised the opportunity for water storage on the fen and the possibility of attracting grant funding towards achieving a project of this nature in the short-term.  Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

  that the content of the Statement of Consultation be endorsed and the Cabinet recommended to approve the preface text as set out in Appendix A to the report now submitted and adopt the Great Fen Masterplan as District Council policy guidance to inform Council policy and guide development management decisions.

To receive a report on the Great Fen Masterplan by the Head of Planning Services.

(Councillor N J Guyatt, Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing, was in attendance for consideration of this item.)

Councillor Guyatt introduced a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) updating the Panel on the consultation that had been undertaken in respect of the Great Fen Masterplan. If adopted and following the addition of a preface to the document, the Masterplan would provide planning guidance to inform Council policy and decisions on any planning proposals for the area. 

The Masterplan had been prepared in conjunction with the Great Fen partners. It referred to the aims and objectives of the Project as set out under the previous item by the Great Fen Project Manager, and to the themes of the Project, namely: habitats, landscape character and structure, land and water management, visitor gateways and access.

Having questioned how the two existing nature reserves would be joined together to form the Great Fen, Members were advised that this would be achieved by converting existing intensively farmed land to arable use and wetland. Although some development would be possible via permitted rights, other development would be required to follow due process. In response to a further question by Councillor Watt, Members were assured that responses recorded in the consultation document would have been taken from formal written responses.

The Chairman expressed his support for the decision to carry out a new socioeconomic study, which he thought was important given the unexpected speed at which the Project had progressed. He also supported the implementation of the business development study led by Ms Donnellan’s team. Having commented that the number of expected visitors to the Project was likely to have been underestimated, the Panel

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to approve the Preface text attached at Appendix A to the report now submitted and adopt the Great Fen Masterplan as Huntingdonshire District Council Planning Guidance to inform Council policy and guide Development Management decisions.