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Agenda item

Agenda item

LOCAL PLAN UPDATE

A verbal update will be given at the meeting on the current position regarding the Local Plan. The Committee is recommended to receive  the update and comment as required.

Minutes:

A verbal update was provided at the meeting on the current position regarding the Local Plan. Fabian DCosta, Team Leader Planning, provided the update. The following information was noted:

 

·         Public consultation commenced on the Draft Plan from September to December 2020, on allocated sites for potential growth and Council polices on areas such as housing, retail and employment. Around 3.5k consultation responses were received which would be responded to.

·         The final plan timings were uncertain as there was a need to adjust evidence and plans to address changes made by government.

·         Officers were discussing with districts to accommodate unmet housing / employment need, the figures for which had been increased by government.

·         The Planning White Paper made fundamental changes to planning guidance and would be addressed in the plan.

·         The Class E changes placed retail and offices into one class, which had implications for retail and employment.

·         Evidence was being updated on climate change with regards to, for example, future homes.

·         The timetable had slipped from Autumn 2021 to February 2022 in terms of a submission plan. There would be a formal plan and consultation.

·         The plan would be taken to Scrutiny Commissions then Full Council in January 2023for approval prior to sending to the Secretary of State, following which it would be examined by the Government Inspector around March 2023 following which any modifications required would be made and a plan hopefully adopted mid-2023.

 

In response to Members’ questions the following points were made:

 

·         It was hoped the final plan would have been ready for Autumn 2021. Since 2018 frustratingly there had been a requirement to adapt to changes in guidance and changes in housing numbers set by Government. A meeting had been held with the Government Office in terms of where the City’s plan was in the system. It was noted they were happy with the Council’s progress made, even going out to consultation during lockdown. Evidence had been updated to ensure the plan was in the best position to be taken for inspection and it was hoped the plan would be adopted in 2023. The Government had recognised there was a process to follow which would be more streamlined in the future.

·         In comparison with other authorities Leicester was one of the first to produce its plan. Charnwood had taken their plan in 2019, and the City would be next to follow. The City would continue to work with the districts to ensure it met its housing need. Information on comparison with other major cities would be provided to Members in writing on the Council position in relation to other authorities.

·         In terms of the policies it was safe to use policy when adopted. The authority did have a current core strategy and safe policy in terms of planning applications to determine growth and development in the city. There was a danger in using draft policy until it had been through examination and formally adopted.

 

The City Mayor shared Members’ frustration at the many hurdles put in the way by Government at the speedy adoption of the Local Plan, and was a frustration shared by many local authorities up and down the country. He wanted to make it clear to Government they were hampering the authority in dealing effectively with planning issues before it and to encourage them not to put further hurdles in the way.

 

·         Members recognised the current continuous growth in population in the city and the non-inexhaustible land in which to build. It was asked what was the appetite of other districts to extend the building programme into other areas? It was further noted the key bits of work in parallel with partners in looking at where any unmet need could be redistributed.

·         The city’s boundaries are tight and identified potential sites had gone out to consultation. Sites were being assessed in terms of being deliverable. Work was being undertaken on a Statement of Common Ground with colleagues in the districts, looking at transport assessments, growth options and where sustainable growth could go. It was hoped there would be an agreement with districts by February 2022 to redistribute any growth that could not be provided within the city boundary and applied to employment as well as housing.

·         Growth had mainly increased in the city with growth in districts remaining relatively stable. The work being undertaken on buy-in from other districts through the Members Advisory Group, Planning Officers Forum and Strategic Planning Group mechanisms would work on the way forward. There had been good cooperation so far, and the city had been very transparent with the process to demonstrate what could be accommodated in the city.

 

The City Mayor informed the meeting that he sat on the Members Advisory Group. He paid tribute to Fabian and his colleagues who had contributed to the Groups and developed a good understanding of the districts and county of the situation. The County were well aware of the pressures on the city and it was misleading to label it as ‘our growth’ when it concerned both the City and County and would be destructive on the environment in the city and counter-productive if the city became overdeveloped, and in the longer term there would be more pressure on County and the districts.

 

The Chair welcomed the collaboration with the City Council and surrounding districts and County relationship.

 

Members recognised the housing crisis throughout the country and that the need for affordable housing was growing fast but would be a balancing act with the need for green spaces and climate change.

 

It was noted the Local Plan would be taken to Scrutiny Commissions prior to be taken to Full Council in 2023.

 

The Chair thanked the officer for the report.

 

AGREED:

1.    That the update be noted.