Agenda item

Councillor N J Guyatt to update the Council on the current position on the new Local Plan.

Councillor N J Guyatt, Executive Councillor for Planning & Housing Strategy reported, with regret, that the process towards adoption of a new Local Plan to 2036 would be subject to delay.  Although it was essential that the District planned for housing and employment land development over the next twenty years, there was an expectation from the Planning Inspectorate that the District Council, in doing so, should co-operate with neighbouring authorities on issues of common interest. 

Therefore, for the District Council’s plan to proceed, the authority would need to demonstrate that it had taken advice from Cambridgeshire County Council on transport matters.  Accordingly, the County Council had been requested to undertake an appraisal of transport options, using traffic modelling to develop transport links which would include public transport and cycle ways, for instance, as well as the car.  Councillor Guyatt acknowledged that, in a rural District, there was often no alternative to use of a car and therefore discussions also were progressing with the Highways Agency on improvements to the A14 and A428.  He also indicated that he had met the Minister for Planning and discussed the A428, A141 and potential road links north of St Ives, via Somersham and Earith. 

The Council was advised that, in conjunction with South Cambridgeshire District and Bedford Borough Councils the District Council intended to submit a bid for funding towards some of these major schemes.  Given that these options will have transport implications for the market towns and impact on the Local Plan as a consequence, there was no alternative but to delay the Local Plan until such time as a County wide transport strategy could be submitted as evidence in its support.

In response to questions from Members, Councillor Guyatt confirmed that all options would be considered during discussions on the County Transport Strategy and that these would include the A1198 at Godmanchester, RAF Wyton and Harrison Way, St Ives. 

Referring to the delay to the Local Plan, Councillor D Harty asked what impact this might have for any Neighbourhood Plans currently being prepared by town and parish councils.  Having reminded the Council that Neighbourhood Plans were required to conform to the Local Plan of the principal authority, Councillor Guyatt suggested that he was unaware of the impact this might have for town and parish councils but would make enquiries and respond to the questioner, in writing, after the meeting and send a copy of his reply to all Members.

Councillor R B Howe advised the Council that there was no reason to hold up the preparation of parish plans as these could help to inform the Neighbourhood Plan process once they were able to be progressed by communities. 

In answer to a question from Councillor P D Reeve, Councillor Guyatt remarked that the delay to the Local Plan should not impact on the level of CIL monies which ultimately might become payable to town and parish councils. 

In terms of a new timescale for the District Local Plan, Councillor Guyatt anticipated that it might be available to consider in July/August 2014.  He reported that the draft SPD ‘Wind Energy Development in Huntingdonshire’ (which would act as background document to the Local Plan) was scheduled to be considered by the Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well Being) in June.

As Chairman of the Development Management Panel, Councillor D B Dew thanked the Executive Councillor for the update on progress and underlined how vital it was for infrastructure to be planned properly in the future.  He confirmed the understanding of the Executive Councillor that Neighbourhood Plans had to accord with the Core Strategy and Local Plan of the principal authority and that there was no reason why local councils should not continue to work on their plans, in the meantime, in readiness for publication of the new Local Plan.