Agenda item

The Council is asked to consider the recommendations submitted to it by the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee in respect of the formal adoption of Section 1 of the Local Plan following the receipt of the Planning Inspector’s Final Report.

NOTE: The Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee considered this matter at its meeting held on 11 January 2021. The relevant Committee Report and Minute and the Committee’s recommendations to Council are contained within the Council Book.

Council was aware that the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee, at its meeting held on 11 January 2021 had considered, inter alia, a comprehensive report (and appendices) of the Corporate Director (Place & Economy) (A.1) which had:-

a)     reported the Local Plan Inspector’s final conclusions on the legal compliance and ‘soundness’ of the Section 1 Local Plan for North Essex following consultation on his recommended ‘Main Modifications’ and the subsequent receipt of his final report on 10^th December 2020; 

b)     reported that, by incorporating the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications, the Section 1 Local Plan met the tests for legal compliance and soundness - as required for a plan to proceed to formal adoption; and

c)      sought the Committee’s agreement that the modified Section 1 Local Plan be recommended to Full Council for formal adoption.

Having duly considered and discussed the contents of the report and its appendices the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee had:-

“RESOLVED that the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee -

(a)       notes the findings of the Planning Inspector’s ‘Report on the Examination of the North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan received on 10^th December 2020 (attached as Appendix 1 to item A.1 of the Report of the Corporate Director (Place & Economy) and his final ‘Schedule of Recommended Main Modifications’ (attached as Appendix 2 to the aforementioned report); and

(b)       authorises the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning & Place) to correct any minor administrative/typographical errors remaining within the ‘clean version’ of Appendix 3 prior to its submission to Full Council.”

In addition, the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee had decided that it be:-

“RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the ‘Modified North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan’ (attached as Appendix 3 to item A.1 of the Report of the Corporate Director (Place & Economy) as a ‘tracked change’ version but to be followed by a ‘clean version’ that will be submitted to Full Council) that is the new Section 1 Local Plan incorporating the Inspector’s recommended main modifications be formally adopted by Tendring District Council in accordance with Section 23(3) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.”

Council also had before it, which had been circulated to Members and published several days before the meeting, an update sheet prepared by Officers which set out that a small number of minor corrections ought to be made to the Section 1 Local Plan document if the Council was minded to agree the adoption of the Plan, as recommended by the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee.

In addition, Members had had circulated to them shortly before the commencement of the meeting suggested wording of an alternative resolution for Council to consider which had been drafted by the Assistant Director (Governance) & Monitoring Officer (Lisa Hastings) to reflect the implications of the aforementioned update sheet.

The Chairman of the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee (Councillor Turner) read out the following statement:-

“Good Evening Fellow Members, Officers and the Public.

It gives me and my Committee great pleasure to present and recommend to the Council for final approval and adoption of Part 1 of our Local Plan.

By agreeing the PPLPC resolution as set out on page 62 of our Agenda we set in stone our housing target of 11,000 dwellings being built between 2013 and 2033, the length of this plan. This also sets our present 5 year land supply at 6.5 years. We have already completed 3638 and have 7362 to build. 2,500 of those will be built in the proposed Garden Community on the Tendring Colchester Borders.

More good news. Part 2 is to go under Public Examination in exactly 4 weeks’ time. We received the Inspectors letter informing us that Part 1 was found sound, meaning legally compliant and fixing our housing numbers at 550 dpa and that the Garden Community on the Tendring Colchester Border can proceed.  That letter was received on the 11th of December. 5 weeks later it passes unanimously the Committee stage, if we agree the proposal to-night, it will have taken but 5 working weeks to be adopted. 11 weeks to the examination of Part 2. Please remember that Part 1 was submitted in conjunction with CBC, BDC and ECC (Highways) known as the North Essex Authorities-NEA- on the 9th of October 2017. That was 172 weeks or 39 months or 3.25 years ago.  

I would like to offer a huge vote of thanks to my fellow Committee Members in particular my Vice Chairman Cllr. Zoe Fairley, who was always at the end of phone when I needed a sounding board, reassurance and the rural voice.  The Officers, in particular the Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Place Mr Gary Guiver, who has guided through this part of the process. In 17 months we have had 7 meets reading 2250 pages of Agendas. The Committee, the largest at 11 Members of our Council represents all 8 political groupings and Parties. We have been unanimous in agreeing the recommendations, but only after good debate and questioning.”

Councillors Land, I J Henderson, Stock OBE, Bush and Miles addressed the Council during the consideration of this item.

Having duly considered the recommendation submitted by the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee, together with the contents of the ‘Modified North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan’, as both contained within the Council Book that had been circulated to Members with the agenda and together too with the contents of the Officer update and the alternative resolution which had been circulated prior to the commencement of the meeting:-

It was moved by Councillor Turner, seconded by Councillor Stock OBE and:-

RESOLVED unanimously that –

(a)       Section 1 of the Local Plan, incorporating the Inspector’s recommended main modifications, as included within the Council agenda on pages 77-284, and as amended by the corrections circulated to Members in the published Update sheet, be formally adopted by Tendring District Council in accordance with Section 23(3) of Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004; and

(b)       the Assistant Director (Strategic Planning and Place) be authorised to correct any administrative or typographical errors remaining within the adopted Section 1 Local Plan document prior to publication as the final version.

With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor Turner then read out the following further statement:-

“Thank you Chairman for allowing me to speak again. We have done it. This means no more speculative building. All future housing development will only be allowed, on sites and within boundaries as shown in the emerging Part 2 of our Plan.

It is moments like these that makes being a Cllr. a wonderful and humbling experience. After a gestation period that would make several elephants wince, we have brought, unanimously, our part of Part 1 to a successful completion. We have been part of the largest Local Plan Examination in England, so I am told. We have come out of this part of the process smelling of roses. We have been found sound. This can only have been achieved by our Officer Corps from all parts of the Council being behind, guiding and informing the PPLPC., not only that but having Officers fully committed and capable of sitting at the highest tables. In particular I must mention Gary Guiver for his unflagging enthusiasm and ability. A year ago at the Public Examination there was one session when I counted 3 Queens’ Counsels in action. Gary held 2 at bay - the 3rd was ours. He has been unflappable and explained very complex matters in simple terms. Mark of a Master. His team backed him up at every step of the way. Next to thank is our CEO Ian Davidson for prioritising the Plan and overseeing it with a light touch, followed by his Deputy Paul Price, who has given me and the Committee invaluable support and knowledge as has our Legal dept. under the direct leadership of Mrs Lisa Hastings and the scribes led by Ian Ford. Being Chairman with that team is a joy.

Finally I would like to thank all Cllrs. not least the Leader for giving me the room, time and trust to deliver, but all of you for your patience, passive and active help. I must not forget Members of the Public, who have questioned us, listened to us and made contributions. In particular, Mr B Marshall of Ardleigh and Miss C Bannister of Weeley, who have scrutinised us, offered insightful comments and demanded answers. Truly this is a joint effort and shows other Councils how to achieve. 

Chairman it is not often that a Full Council can take a few minutes to bask and enjoy a fruit of its success. This is one of them.

By the way that was lap 1 – now onto the final lap. Pro Bono Omnium. Thank you All.”