Agenda item

To seek the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee’s agreement to publish a new ‘Local Development Scheme’, 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.

The Committee considered a report of the Director (Planning) (A.2) which sought its agreement to publish a new ‘Local Development Scheme’ thereby 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 Committee was reminded that every Local Planning Authority had to prepare and maintain a Local Development Scheme (LDS) in accordance with section 15 of Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended). The LDS was the Council’s rolling project plan (often covering a period of three years) for producing its Local Development Documents and which set out a timetable for their delivery.

Members were made aware that the LDS was designed to set out the process for preparing key planning documents. It included the anticipated timetable of consultation periods, examinations and expected dates of adoption for the Local Plan Review and the TCBGC’s DPD. 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 organise their time and resources accordingly. The LDS was usually updated to cover three-year cycles of Plan preparation.

It was reported that, in his Written Ministerial Statement made on 19^th December 2023, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had instructed Local Planning Authorities to make sure they had an up-to-date plan timetable in place within 12 weeks of the publication of the new NPPF, and to provide a copy of same to his department. The timetable referred to was included within the LDS, and it was therefore proposed to submit this document to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities at the same time as it was published on the Council’s website.

Members were advised that following the adoption of Section 1 of the Local Plan in January 2021 and Section 2 in January 2022, the main focus of the LDS was now the mandatory five-year review of the Local Plan as well as the TCBGC’s DPD.

It was reported that the review of the Local Plan would follow the same statutory process as the preparation of the Local Plan itself. A provisional timetable which covered the period 2024-2026 was proposed, which would enable the updated Local Plan to be submitted to the Secretary of State by June 2025, and examined by a Planning Inspector and adopted before January 2026.

The Committee was informed that the timetable for the TCBGC’s DPD had also been updated, reflecting the stages that had now been completed to date and the revised timescale for the next steps, which included the Examination of the DPD in May 2024. Adoption of the DPD was anticipated in the winter of 2024.

Members noted that the LDS included broad timescales for the following Supplementary Planning Documents, Neighbourhood Plans and other guidance:-

·      Hartley Gardens SPD

·      Elmstead Neighbourhood Plan and Neighbourhood Development Order

·      Ardleigh Neighbourhood Plan

·      Brightlingsea Neighbourhood Plan

·      Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule

In response to questions raised by Members, the Planning Policy Team Leader (Paul Woods) undertook discuss with the Council’s Communications Team the suggestion that a press release be issued to the publication of the new LDS. Mr. Woods also undertook to explore whether to include the proposed large scale off-shore wind farm projects as part of the associated risk assessment for the LDS.

Having duly discussed this matter:-

It was moved by Councillor Fairley, seconded by Councillor Chapman BEM and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the updated Local Development Scheme 2024-2027 (attached as Appendix 1 to item A.2 of the Report of the Director (Planning)) be approved for publication on the Council’s website and for submission to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in accordance with his Written Ministerial Statement published on 19^th December 2023.