Issue - meetings

To receive a report seeking Cabinet approval to adopt the Environmentally Sustainable Design & Construction TAN, providing practical guidance to support the implementation of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036 (and emerging Local Plan) and the delivery of the Council’s Climate Strategy.

Executive Councillor: T Sanderson

The Cabinet

(1)  adopted the Environmentally Sustainable Design & Construction TAN (Appendix 1) as non-statutory guidance; and

(2)  delegated authority to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure & Public Protection, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Planning, to make any necessary typographical, visual or other minor changes to the Document prior to its publication.

A report by the Head of Planning, Infrastructure & Public Protection was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking Cabinet approval to adopt the Environmentally Sustainable Design & Construction Technical Advice Note (TAN), providing practical guidance to support the implementation of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036 (and emerging Local Plan) and the delivery of the Council’s Climate Strategy.

The Executive Councillor for Planning - Councillor Sanderson, set out the report and thanked the team of officers involved for their hard work in preparing the report. He further thanked the Executive Councillor for Climate, Transformation & Workforce – Councillor Davenport-Ray, who had played a key role in shaping this as Portfolio Holder. He noted that the recent additional changes were made to the guidance as a result of comments from the Scrutiny Panel, particularly on battery storage and in relation to power failures and how they affected disabled users.

The Cabinet welcomed the report. It was noted that when the administration was formed, a document was created called the Joint Administration Agreement, and the TAN represented some of the best parts of that agreement that the administration came together and agreed on. It was one of the campaign promises so the Cabinet were proud to see the report. In terms of Climate Change, the Council was committed to doing things but also to enable and influence others, and this document did that. Reference was made to the Biodiversity 10% minimum net gain, but also that developers were encouraged to exceed this minimum, which showed the Council’s intention. It was hoped it would improve the sustainability of the designs coming through the planning department moving forward.

The Cabinet paid tribute to officers who had done them proud, recognising what a big piece of work it was on top of other ambitious strategies. Developers did read the Council’s documents, with the Local Plan and Pay Strategy cited as examples. It was felt that this was a good document to try and encourage more of what was desired, and Cabinet looked forward to developers engaging with this ambition.

Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet

(1)  adopted the Environmentally Sustainable Design & Construction TAN (Appendix 1) as non-statutory guidance; and

delegated authority to the Head of Planning, Infrastructure & Public Protection, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Planning, to make any necessary typographical, visual or other minor changes to the Document prior to its publication