Agenda item

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation submits a presentation on the Draft Leicester Local Plan (2020 – 2036) Public Consultation.

The plans and supporting documents can be accessed online at

consultations.leicester.gov.uk

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation submitted a presentation on the Draft Leicester Local Plan (2020 – 2036) Public Consultation.

During the presentation, the Head of Planning drew particular attention to the following points;

·         The Government were consulting on a new approach to Planning; however the Planning White Paper would radically change the local plan process, national policies, a zoning approach and much more permitted development and changes to the way in which housing demand would be worked out.

·         Leicester City Council had decided to continue with their Local Plan as the timespan for the implementation of the White Paper could be two or more years.

·         The importance of the local plan which looked ahead up until 2036, sought to look at the Councils need for homes, addressing unemployment, shopping, and leisure facilities and allocate sites for the these.

·         The plan also set out a range of the Council’s planning policies (e.g. Climate Change and Public Health), encouraged investment & economic growth, facilitated place-making and set high quality design expectations.

·         Housing site draft allocations were noted, these made up a range of 5 main strategic sites and approximately 85 other sites significantly located in the city centre and Brownfield sites.

·         Sites for school development provisions being proposed with particular reference to remit of this Commission included; Beauchamp City Free School (Ashton Green East), Castle Mead Academy (St. Augustine’s), Brook Mead Academy (Groby Road/Fosse Road North), Avanti Fields Free School (Manor Farm/Collis Crescent) and Metropolitan Academy (Former Bus Depot, Abbey Park Road) however it was noted that the Metropolitan Academy site may now be not taken as the funding application had been withdrawn.

·         Housing allocations which would affect six school playing field sites and were identified as potentially suitable development sites included in draft Local Plan consultation were noted as: Beaumont Lodge; Buswells Lodge; Herrick; Judgemeadow; Linden and Rowlatts schools. These were all subject to consultation responses from residents, schools, Sport England, etc.

·         The Commission’s attention was also drawn to other relevant proposed development allocations: Manor House Playing Fields; Neston Gardens Playing Fields; former Southfields School & Newry Learning Centre; Forest Lodge Education Centre and Land off Hazedlene Road.

·         The Head of Planning expressed that allocations in the draft local plan were not currently fixed and it was requested that Members of the Commission engage and encourage people to engage in the consultation. Any representations received would be carefully considered and also careful consideration made to points made by Members of the Commission.

The Commission scrutinised the Draft Local Plan, commenting as follows;

·         There was some concern amongst a few Members of the Commission in relation to play spaces/ areas for children which had been identified for housing site developments. It was further expressed that the loss of these play sites impacted the health and wellbeing of children. The Assistant City Mayor for Education and Housing noted that the commission could have a broader umbrella that also looked at places which impact children such as play spaces/ areas rather than just school sites.

·         The Head of Planning also clarified that it was not proposed to allocate all the sites or build on all sites, it was planned to enhance green spaces and where there were developments it would be looked to improve the adjacent green spaces. If there was an impact on children’s play areas, the local plan would be looking to re-provide, enhance or make mitigation – any suggestions of places that would benefit from this enhancement/ investment were welcomed.

·         Due to several factors’ and fluctuation of patterns over time, it would be difficult to know the demand for the number of children going to schools in 20-30 years’ time. The Assistant City Mayor for Education and Housing agreed to bring back to the commission details about Pupil Place Planning, which was carried out every 5-10 years and allowed for an estimation of these numbers to be achieved as well as a whole range of factors that would also need to be monitored going forward.

·         The difference of arrangements between City Council schools/ academies fund distribution and approvals was explained as well as Department for Education and Skills (DFES) calculations.

·         There were concerns that some diverse groups could have been isolated due to the language barrier of the consultation. The Head of Planning responded that a standard language translation was available upon request and the leaflet drop to every home also had a variety of languages which pointed towards the consultation taking place.

·         Concerns of replacement oversupply and undersupply of open sites would more be included in the next consultation.

·         In regard to the Metropolitan Academy, dialogue with Education colleagues would need to take place to see if there was a justification to safeguard/ retain that site or if it could be allocated residential redevelopment. Feedback was being awaited and the site would be kept under review.

·         In relation to concerns about loss of open space and loss of green spaces, it was responded that the local plan would look at the sufficiency of open space and sites would only be allocated where there was a surplus of open space.

·         It was confirmed that all schools with potential site allocation had received correspondence.

·         In terms of the next stages of process; any particular areas of concern or recommendations from this Commission would then go to the Overview Select Committee and then Full Council February 2021. Following this, another public consultation would take place. The Submission of Local Plan Consultation (Reg 19) would take place Autumn 2021 and the adoption Summer/Autumn 2022.

AGREED:

1.    That the presentation be noted.

2.    To be updated on the schools playing sites selection process and in addition be informed of the measures that the Council put in place to address the loss of playing fields, playing spaces as well as the monitoring of developer contributions.

3.    To return in 2021 at the next point of public consultation with the local plan in full.