Agenda item

To receive a report by the Head of Planning Services outlining the requirement for a review of the Council’s planning policy.

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) outlining the factors that suggested the Council should update its Core Strategy. Members were informed that the updated Strategy would need to be based on sound evidence, which would be produced in partnership with colleagues across Cambridgeshire and the Local Enterprise Partnership area. It would provide Huntingdonshire with a suitably robust ongoing local planning policy and development framework.

Members accepted that this exercise would be costly, however, as a significant part of it related to the Enterprise Zone, a series of bids had been submitted for funding from income streams previously established by Cambridgeshire Horizons. This would mean the cost would be partially spread across the Local Enterprise Partnership area. The Council’s work could be completed from within existing resources.

Having regard to the proposal to use the existing Core Strategy as a basis for the work to be undertaken, some Members expressed the view that, instead, this work would need to be started from scratch.  However, as the process leading to the development of the Enterprise Zone was likely to commence imminently, it was acknowledged that there was a need for work on the Core Strategy to be completed expeditiously. These strands of work would, therefore, proceed in tandem.

In response to a question by Councillor D Harty, Members were informed that any housing developed on the Enterprise Zone area would be in addition to the numbers of houses specified in the Strategy. Following a further comment that some villages would welcome some additional provision, it was reported that the Council currently was looking at ways this might be achieved. The Council also would revisit its policy on affordable housing.

In light of the constraints on the Council in terms of imposing planning conditions for the completion of infrastructure works when granting permission for development, Members recommended that an updated local infrastructure strategy should be developed.  Furthermore, Members recommended that the Council should establish and maintain an ongoing dialogue with the Highways Agency and the County Council on road provision and the local infrastructure generally.

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to:

a)  confirm formally the Council’s intentions to review and update its Core Strategy and endorse a proposal for the Council to produce a new Local Plan, including an updated local infrastructure strategy as set out at paragraph 4.2 of the report now submitted, in order to achieve this;

b)  in the interim, given the ongoing discernible growth demands on the area, maintain its support for the adopted Core Strategy as a sound basis for making relevant planning decisions;

c)  endorse the commencement of work, with partners as may be applicable, on compiling an updated local evidence base. That evidence base will identify what growth will be needed and how that additional growth could be appropriately and sustainably accommodated, and

d)  require the Head of Planning Services to bring forward an updated Local Development Scheme (which will outline the timetable for preparing and delivering this new local plan.)

(In accordance with paragraph 14.5 of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillors P Godley and C R Hyams requested that it be recorded that they voted against recommendation b) above).