The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Fairley (with Councillor A Cossens substituting) and Newton (with Councillor Smith substituting).

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on 8 September 2025.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee, held on Monday 8 September 2025, be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests of Non-Registerable Interests, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

Subject to providing two working days’ notice, a Member of the Committee may ask the Chairman of the Committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Tendring District and which falls within the terms of reference of the Committee.

No questions on notice pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 38 had been submitted on this occasion.

The Council’s Public Speaking Scheme for the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee gives the opportunity for members of the public and other interested parties/stakeholders to speak to the Council’s elected members on that Committee on any specific Officer report to be considered at that public meeting.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Council’s public speaking scheme for the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee, no member of the public had registered to ask at this meeting a question on the Officer reports (A.1 & A.2).

Parish Councillor Dan Land, Chairman of Thorpe-le-Soken Parish Council, made a statement in relation to report A.1 of the Corporate Director for Planning and Community. His statement touched upon the following matters:-

• Thorpe-le-Soken has been open-minded and accepting of new housing targets from the start;
• Acknowledges the targets are Government-enforced and have chosen to work with Tendring District Council to find workable solutions;
• Parish Council has identified areas where development should not occur:
  • Land to the south of Station Road (owned by Lifehouse Spa); and
  • Anything east of the High Street (due to severe traffic impact).
• Parish Council has outlined areas where development could be supported and advocates:
  • Holding meetings with Tendring District Council and local landowners; and
  • Seeking the best fit for all parties.
• Key priorities included:
  • Minimising encroachment toward Thorpe Hall Historic Park and Garden boundaries;
  • Collaborating with Frinton and Walton Town Council to ease development pressure from the east; and
  • Prioritising the Brownville site.
• From reviewed submissions, the most favourable options were:
  • Thorpe Maltings;
  • Land to the west of the village (Colchester Road); and
  • Minor extension to Lady Nelson Gardens development.
• Recent report from Tendring District Council proposed:
  • Entire Thorpe-le-Soken quota (310 properties) on land around Lifehouse Spa; and
  • Development surrounding the historic park and gardens, eroding countryside vital to the heritage setting.
• In 2019, Tendring District Council and Thorpe-le-Soken Parish Council had successfully opposed Lifehouse Spa’s application for 200 houses on land South of Station Road;
• The inspector had upheld refusal despite the Council’s lack of a 5-year housing supply, citing:

o   Harm to Historic Park and Gardens;

o   Impact on wildlife habitats and conservation areas; and

o   Public right of way being overwhelmed.

• Thorpe-le-Soken Parish Council therefore has proposed an alternative strategy:

o   Main site: 12.5 acres (5.06 hectares), near High Street, suitable for ~150 dwellings at moderate density.

o   Additional sites: Infill (30+ dwellings), Colchester Road, Thorpe Maltings (230 – 240 dwellings combined); and

o   Extension: Lady Nelson Gardens (~110 dwellings).

• Total potential supply: Up to 350 dwellings without using land south of Station Road near the Historic Park and Gardens.

A resident of Thorpe-le-Soken, Mr. David Banks, made a statement in relation to report A.1 of the Corporate Director for Planning and Community. His statement touched upon the following matters:-

• The roads were already beyond capacity;
• Using Thorpe Green as a reference point and looking west:

o   It was calculated that an additional 1,020 houses would be built east of that point.

• Consideration should be given to land to the west, where road improvements might be possible with remote hope of Government infrastructure funding;
• With the rush for building:

o   Ensure the Planning Team is adequately resourced; and

o   Apply strict planning and building control.

• Attempt to remove English Heritage from any influence the Government might  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

To present the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee with a proposed ‘preferred’ spatial strategy for Tendring’s future growth to 2042 (and beyond) along with the specific locations and sites for future housing, mixed-use and employment development that Officers are minded to recommend for inclusion in Tendring District Local Plan: Preferred Options Draft, in readiness for the next stage of the formal plan-making process.

This report explains the background and rationale for the proposals - including how they address the Government’s new mandatory housebuilding targets; how they take into account comments received in response to the previous public consultation on Issues and Options and the information submitted as part of the call-for-sites process; and how they reflect emerging findings from the technical evidence base.

The report then invites the Committee to note, consider and discuss the proposals with a view to agreeing that they are incorporated into the full version of the Tendring District Local Plan: Preferred Options Draft and for the full document (which will also include a full suite of planning policies) to return to the Committee in due course for formal approval to go out to public consultation in the early part of 2026.

By considering and provisionally agreeing the spatial strategy, locations and sites for development in this meeting, it should allow the Committee more time to discuss the finer detail of policy wording when it meets again to consider the full version of the Preferred Options document in the new year. It also allows additional time for Officers to carry out further informal engagement and consultation with Town and Parish Councils on the emerging proposals before any final decisions are taken to proceed to formal public consultation on the Preferred Options draft.

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director (Planning and Community) (A.1) which presented the Committee with a proposed ‘preferred’ spatial strategy for Tendring’s future growth to 2042 (and beyond) along with the specific locations and sites for future housing, mixed-use and employment development that Officers were minded to recommend for inclusion in Tendring District Local Plan: Preferred Options Draft, in readiness for the next stage of the formal plan-making process.

This report also explained the background and rationale for the proposals - including how they addressed the Government’s new mandatory housebuilding targets; how they took into account the comments received in response to the previous public consultation on the Issues and Options document and the information submitted as part of the call-for-sites process; and how they reflected emerging findings from the technical evidence base.

The report then invited the Committee to note, consider and discuss the proposals with a view to agreeing that they were incorporated into the full version of the Tendring District Local Plan: Preferred Options Draft and for the full document (which would also include a full suite of planning policies) to return to the Committee in due course for formal approval to recommend to Full Council that it go out to public consultation in the early part of 2026.

It was considered that by considering and provisionally agreeing the spatial strategy, locations and sites for development at this meeting, it should allow the Committee more time to discuss the finer detail of policy wording when it met again to consider the full version of the Preferred Options document early in the new year. It would also allow additional time for Officers to carry out further informal engagement and consultation with Town and Parish Councils on the emerging proposals before any final decisions were taken by the Committee and by Full Council to proceed to formal public consultation on the Preferred Options draft.

Background

Members were cognisant that the Local Plan contained both the blueprint for future growth and the policies against which planning applications were determined. It was a statutory duty for local planning authorities (such as Tendring District Council) to produce a Local Plan and to keep it up to date. It was important for Councils to keep their Local Plans up to date to ensure that they could manage the pattern of growth and quality of development to achieve sustainable development that weighed up economic, social and environmental factors and maximised the benefit to the local community and future generations. Failing to keep the Local Plan up to date risked losing control of the pattern of growth and the quality of development and having decisions taken out of the Council’s hands or overturned on appeal. However, in preparing and reviewing Local Plans, Councils were expected to follow national planning policy produced by the Government.

With Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation on the horizon, the Committee was reminded that this Local Plan review was likely to be the last one carried out by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

To update the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee on the outcome of the Hartley Gardens Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) public consultation and seek the Committee’s endorsement to recommend to Cabinet that the SPD be adopted as Planning Guidance, to be used in the determination of future applications for the Hartley Gardens development in in Clacton.

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director (Planning and Community) (report A.2) which updated the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee on the outcome of the Hartley Gardens Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) public consultation and which sought the Committee’s endorsement to recommend to Cabinet that the SPD be adopted as Planning Guidance, to be used in the determination of future applications for the Hartley Gardens development in Clacton-on-Sea.

The Committee was aware that Hartley Gardens was a strategic mixed-use allocation located on the northwestern edge of Clacton-on-Sea, identified in the adopted Local Plan. The site was expected to deliver approximately 1,700 new homes, including 30% affordable housing, alongside employment land, a new primary school, early years provision, and a range of community and green infrastructure. The preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Hartley Gardens marked a significant milestone in progressing the site’s delivery and ensuring a coordinated, high-quality approach to development.

Members recalled that, following the Cabinet’s decision on 26 September 2025, the Hartley Gardens SPD and associated background documents had been published for public consultation between 6 October and 17 November 2025. The consultation had included online engagement, hard copies made available for inspection at local libraries, and two public drop-in events attended by nearly 100 residents. In total, 24 written representations had been received, comprising responses from members of the public, land promoters, developers, and statutory stakeholders.

Key issues raised by the public had included:

•    Traffic and highways impacts, particularly congestion on St John’s Road and Little Clacton Road.

•    Healthcare provision, with concerns about capacity and accessibility.

•    Environmental protection, including biodiversity, flood risk, and climate resilience.

Statutory stakeholders had provided detailed feedback along the following lines:

•    The Integrated Care Board (ICB) had supported healthy place-shaping principles and had requested stronger requirements for Health Impact Assessments and inclusive design.

•    Essex County Council (ECC) had raised points on transport, drainage, education, and employment, recommending clearer guidance and early engagement.

•    Essex Wildlife Trust, Natural England and the Swifts Local Network had highlighted ecological considerations, including mitigation for protected birds and biodiversity net gain.

•    Anglian Water and the Environment Agency had advised on drainage and flood risk management.

•    Essex Police had endorsed Secured by Design principles and Vision Zero – a road safety strategy that aimed to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.

•    Sport England had provided detailed guidance on the provision of playing pitches and associated facilities.

It was reported that, following careful consideration of all such representations, the SPD had been updated by Officers to strengthen the guidance and to include additional detail in the following areas:

•    Health & Wellbeing: Clear requirement for Health Impact Assessments and early engagement with NHS and Public Health partners; updated terminology to “community hub” to reflect their strategy for flexible service delivery.

•    Transport & Movement: Added guidance on bus service provision, active travel, and Vision Zero principles; early engagement with Essex Police for emergency access and crime prevention.

•    Flood Risk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.