Agenda item

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

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

During the presentation, the presenting officer 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.

·         A proposed Leisure/ Tourism Use Site had been allocated on Red Hill Roundabout - Site Ref 575 (allotments Loughborough Road, A6) to support the Great Central Railway Museum. It was noted that a specific policy was present in the Culture and Tourism chapter to support certain developments.

·         The Central Development area, which was noted as a key regeneration area, had been split into 9 allocations. Most of them had their own aims and objectives. Some of the particular areas relating to this commission included St Georges Cultural Quarter, Old Town and New Walk which carried a lot of emphasis on heritage. In relation to those areas with heritage assets, the local plan would be considering more of an evolution of growth without affecting the heritage assets.

·         Members attention was drawn to a map which showed Heritage Assets in the City, it noted listed buildings, ancient monuments, conservation areas and buildings of local interest in addition to historic parks and gardens. There were strong policies in place in relation to protecting these areas.

·         Employment Draft Allocations, Key strategies for Open Space and Transport in addition to key policies in the draft local plan relating to this commission were also noted in the presentation.

The Commission scrutinised the Draft Local Plan, commenting and receiving the following responses;

·         The presenting Officer confirmed leisure facilities would be dependent on the infrastructure assessment which looked at a whole range of sports and leisure facilities including football pitches and which area they were required. The stakeholder event held with the national sports governing bodies, would look at the needs and identify areas.

·         The service was working on Section 106 strategy on how to acquire development contributions for strategies.

·         In terms of the housing strategy the officers had carried out works with the districts and further discussions would take place. The Government were introducing a new strategy of housing need; therefore, the plan would need to be reviewed, of which the current system required a review of the plan every 5 years.

·         The Culture and Tourism chapter of the draft local plan further noted policies to support certain heritage, places of worship, retaining public houses and addressed the cultural needs of the city.

·         A Member of the Commission expressed the importance of the plan recognising the contribution from the culture and diversity of the city including African Caribbean heritage and recognition of the impacts of mass contributions made.

·         The presenting officer noted 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.

·         More information and work would be done on site constraints and it would be looked closely at providing onsite provisions or contributions to improving other sites around the city.

·         Other points made by Members of the Commission included Homes of Multiple Occupation (HMO’s) whereby the officer requested any particular areas of the city which may require further restrictions.

·         It was noted that there was no current funding/ budgets for potential developments on the railway museum.

·         Works would also take place with the universities to look into the need for the future.

·         Members had concerns about the loss of green and open spaces and requested that more ‘green painted walls’ were created to offset and identify where open space had been lost and where heatsinks were created by higher densities.

·         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. 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 Local Plan specify essential green and open spaces which are well used by residents for recreation, exercise and sports should be protected and improved, not be considered for new developments.

2.    That the Local Plan should consider building upwards for new homesand offices etc, rather than outwards, as open spaces are precious and valued.

3.    The local plan should create more ‘green painted walls’ to offset and identify where open space has been lost and consider the heatsink effect created by higher densities.

4.    That Planning officers should consider Members comments in progressing work on the Local Plan.

5.    Existing heritage sites to be protected, and heritage forums in the city to be consulted on the local plan.

6.    The Local Plan should reflect the culture, history and contribution of the diversity of Leicester City.

7.    That there should be a report back to HCLS Scrutiny on sports and leisure facilities being included in the Plan – when finalised.