Following Councillor Bush’s replacement as a member of the Committee by Councillor M Stephenson, the Committee is requested to elect a new Vice-Chairman of the Committee who will serve in that office for the remainder of the 2024/2025 Municipal Year.

The Committee was informed that, following Councillor Bush’s replacement as a member of the Committee by Councillor M Stephenson, the office of Vice-Chairman had become vacant. The Committee was therefore requested to elect a new Vice-Chairman to serve in that office for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year.

It was thereupon moved by Councillor M Stephenson, seconded by Councillor Fairley and:-

RESOLVED that Councillor M Cossens be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

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

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Fowler (with no substitution).

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on 16 September 2024.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee, held on Monday 16 September 2024, 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.

In relation to Agenda Item 7 (Report of the Director (Planning & Communities) - A.1 - Local Plan Review: Changes to National Policy and an Updated Issues and Options Consultation Document), Councillor Fairley declared a non-registerable interest as family members owned land at Horsley Cross.  Having taken the report into account and having consulted the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Councillor Fairley stated her belief that she was able to remain in the meeting and take part in the Committee’s discussions on this agenda item.

The Monitoring Officer (Lisa Hastings) confirmed that this was indeed the case.

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 report agenda item 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 three Officer reports.

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

·      Thorpe-le-Soken was listed as a Tier 3 Settlement and Question 14 in the Appendix raised the question that these Tier 3 Settlements with Stations should be a focus for more radical long-term growth. But Thorpe Station & Maltings was listed as Tier 4.

·      Thorpe Station is a mile away from Thorpe ‘high street’ and down an unrestricted ‘B’ road with countryside on either side.

·      Thorpe in its true sense has never had a station within it.

·      Thorpe Maltings is an opportunity to look south and to get a grip of that derelict area and infill down the B1414 thereby finally linking the village to the station.

·      A much-needed by-pass also to the south could and should be part of this holistic vision.

·      Thorpe-le-Soken faces years of disruption with the wind farm cable connection projects to the north of the village within half a mile.

·      Any extra development must go to the south with infill and a by-pass as Thorpe itself is at its limit.

At the Chairman’s request, the Director (Planning and Communities) responded to the points made by Mr. Banks.

-       To update the Committee on confirmed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published by the Government in December 2024, including the introduction of new mandatory housebuilding targets, and their implications for the Local Plan Review.

-       To seek Members’ agreement to updated versions of the ‘Guiding Principles’ and ‘Vision & Objectives’ for the Local Plan review to those previously considered by the Committee, which respond to the above changes in national planning policy.

-       To present an updated version of the ‘Issues and Options Consultation Document’ to that previously considered by the Committee in which includes revised spatial strategy options that respond to the significant increase in the amount of land required to meet the Government’s new mandatory housebuilding target.

-       To seek Members’ agreement to proceed with formal public consultation on the updated Issues and Options Consultation Document.

Earlier on in the meeting, as detailed under Minute 65 above, Councillor Fairley had declared a non-registerable interest as family members owned land at Horsley Cross.

The Committee considered a comprehensive report of the Director (Planning and Communities) which:-

1)       updated it on the confirmed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published by the Government in December 2024, including the introduction of new mandatory housebuilding targets, and their implications for this Council’s Local Plan Review;

2)       sought Members’ agreement to updated versions of the ‘Guiding Principles’ and ‘Vision & Objectives’ for the Local Plan review to those previously considered by the Committee, which responded to the above-mentioned changes in national planning policy;

3)       presented an updated version of the ‘Issues and Options Consultation Document’ to that previously considered by the Committee and which included revised spatial strategy options that responded to the significant increase in the amount of land required to meet the Government’s new mandatory housebuilding target; and

4)       sought Members’ agreement to proceed with the formal public consultation on the updated Issues and Options Consultation Document.

Members were aware that throughout the first nine months of 2024, the Council had been carrying out the early stages of the mandatory five-yearly review of its Local Plan, following a work programme and guiding principles that had been agreed by this Committee at its meeting held in December 2023. That work had involved undertaking a ‘Call for Sites’ consultation, preparing an updated Vision and set of Objectives for the updated Local Plan, developing strategy options for future growth within the District, and preparing an ‘Issues and Options’ Document for public consultation – all of which had been agreed by this Committee at its meetings held between December 2023 and July 2024.

The Committee recalled that the formal public consultation on Issues and Options, which had been intended to take place in May and June 2024, had been then delayed due to the calling of the Parliamentary General Election and the need to respect restrictions during the pre-election period. It had been intended to move the consultation to September/October 2024. However following the General Election and the resulting change in Government, the new Deputy Prime Minister on 30 July 2024 had launched an eight-week consultation on reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system. It had become obvious that the proposals that formed part of the Government’s consultation, including proposals to impose mandatory housebuilding targets on Councils, would clearly impact significantly on the work carried out on this Council’s Local Plan Review to date and, if carried forward, would mean that the six spatial strategy options set out in the previously agreed Issues and Options Consultation Document would be out of date and out of step with Government policy.

The details of the Government’s draft proposals had been reported to the Committee in September 2024, and a response to the Government’s consultation had been agreed by members of the Committee and duly submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

-     To seek the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee’s agreement to publish a new ‘Local Development Scheme’ (LDS), updating the proposed timetable for preparing Planning documents including the Local Plan Review and the Development Plan Document (DPD) for the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community (TCBGC).

-     To provide the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee with an update on current progress in respect of the evidence base that will inform the review of the Local Plan.

The Committee considered a detailed report of the Director (Planning and Communities) (A.2) sought its agreement to publish a new ‘Local Development Scheme’ (LDS), updating the proposed timetable for preparing Planning documents including the Local Plan Review and the Development Plan Document (DPD) for the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community (TCBGC). The report also provided the Committee with an update on current progress in respect of the evidence base that would inform the review of the Local Plan.

Members were aware that the purpose of the Local Development Scheme (LDS) was to set out an indicative timetable for preparing key Planning documents. It was particularly useful for members of the public, partner organisations and third parties to understand the broad programme of work and how the Council proposed to resource and manage it.

It was reported that the LDS covered the review of the Local Plan, the preparation and adoption of the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community (TCBGC) Development Plan Document (DPD), and the production of other key planning documents. It included the anticipated timetable of consultation periods, examinations and expected dates of adoption. Publishing the LDS ensured that stakeholders, including members of the public, Town and Parish Councils, landowners and developers, partner organisations and the Planning Inspectorate were kept aware of the timetable the Council was working to, and could therefore forward plan and organise their time and resources accordingly.

The Committee recalled that it had agreed to commence the mandatory five-year review of the Local Plan at its meeting held on 20 December 2023. Following the Government’s consultation in the summer of 2024 about proposed changes to the NPPF, work on the Local Plan review had been paused whilst the Council awaited certainty regarding the housing requirement the Local Plan would need to accommodate. The new version of the NPPF and associated standard method for calculation housing need had been published in December 2024, and work could now resume. The timetable for reviewing the Local Plan had been updated to reflect the anticipated timeline over the coming year.

Members were informed that the indicative timetable for the TCBGC DPD had also been updated to reflect the most recent stages of work that had been completed and the anticipated timeframes for receiving the Inspector’s final report – with adoption of the DPD anticipated in Spring 2025.

The Committee was reminded that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was an alternative means of securing developer contributions towards vital infrastructure based on a tariff system rather than individually negotiated Section 106 agreements. The introduction of a CIL was optional for local authorities and within the wording of its Local Plan policies this Council had always kept the option open. In the past there had not been strong enough justification for introducing a CIL in  this District, but with the need to bring forward additional land for development through the Local Plan review in response to the Government’s new housebuilding targets, the case for CIL might be stronger going forward.

To inform future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

To report to the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee the findings of the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR), which monitors the key indicators set out in the adopted Local Plan.

The Committee considered a detailed report of the Director (Planning and Communities) (A.3) which informed it of the findings of the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR), which monitored the key indicators set out in the adopted Local Plan (Chapter 11).

It was reported that, following the Authority Monitoring Report for 2022/2023, which had been presented to and considered by the Committee in December 2023, Officers had prepared a further Authority’s Monitoring Report (AMR) for the 2023/24 financial year. This report presented high level information in relation to the key indicators set out in the monitoring chapter of the Local Plan.

Members were informed that the AMR included chapters relating to the Local Development Scheme, Housing Delivery, and Employment, Commercial and Retail development. There was also information about the provision of infrastructure and community facilities, protection of the natural and historic environments, and the Tourism Strategy.

It was felt that the structure of the report enabled an annual update that would be beneficial to the process of reviewing and updating the Local Plan.

Having duly taken all of the above information into account and having discussed the matter:-

It was moved by Councillor Fairley, seconded by Councillor M Stephenson and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee –

(a)   notes the contents of this report (A.3); and

(b)   notes that the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) forms a baseline assessment of the key monitoring indicators set out in the Local Plan which will help inform the review of the Local Plan.