Minutes:
The Chairman of the Committee (Councillor Turner) made the following opening remarks:-
“Good Evening Fellow Members, Officers and the Public. May I wish you and yours a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year?
It is a good New Year for this Committee. I have pleasure in offering for our 7th meet since being Chairman, the last Agenda for Part 1 of our Local Plan. In this we agree or not agree the Garden Community for west of Elmstead Market, a joint venture with CBC and ECC. More importantly if we agree this agenda and the recommendations as written on page 11 we will have set in stone, subject to the agreement of Full Council on the 26th of January our housing numbers at 550 dpa and our 5 year land supply figure at 6.5 years. That means that we can refuse applications outside of the development locations as suggested in Part 2.
More good news we have been given provisional dates for the Public Examination of Part 2. That will be over a 2 week period starting on the week beginning the 22nd February.
We will be first of the three North Essex Authorities at the trough, out of the trap, first in line for Public Examination of Section 2. Meaning, I hope we will be able to offer Part 2 to Full Council, after due consideration by this Committee, any further Public Consultation as required and more recommendations from the Inspector, in the latter part of 2021.
This can only have been achieved by us. We have had to read and inwardly digest some 2250 pages of reports over 7 meetings in 17 months. We represent a cross section of our Council that is made up of 8 differing political Groups and Parties. We have been unanimous. We have been given and shown a successful path forward by our Officers, lead at every step by Gary Guiver the Assistant Director for Strategic Planning and Place. He and his team have been only one word for it, wonderful. A pleasure to work with and an inspiration to all of us and his cross border colleagues.
I have invited the Chairman of the Planning Committee Cllr. John White, his Deputy Cllr. Jeff Bray and any members of that Committee to join us. After our deliberations and before we go to the vote I will invite Cllr White to raise any questions he and his Committee would like to ask. If the Planning Committee Members have any questions please inform Cllr. White to ask them. I will only take comments from Cllr. White and only before we go to the vote.
Finally on a very sad note I would like to offer our condolences to Joy Broderick’s Family on their sad loss. Whilst she could she was a stalwart of this Committee from its inception in 2015. Joy brought Holland-on-Sea’s views to our attention. I miss her. Joy has been replaced by Cllr. Colin Winfield, who ably substituted for her. Now on with the business of the Committee.”