Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of personal or prejudicial interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Cllr Fleur de Rhe Philipe, Cabinet member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning presented a report which requested Cabinet to note the content of the Inspector’s Report into the examination of the South Wiltshire Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) and his conclusions regarding soundness. 

The report also sought approval for the South Wiltshire Core Strategy, as amended by the changes identified in the Inspector’s Report, being recommended to Full Council at its meeting on 7 February 2012 for adoption.

Cllr Fleur de Rhe Philipe presented the Inspector’s Report and draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy for Cabinet’s consideration. She explained the background to the Strategy following its endorsement by Council in November 2009 for the purposes of submitting it to the Secretary of State for consideration. However, the Examination in Public process was suspended in light of proposals to abolish the Regional Spatial Strategy and at the time the impending Localism legislation to enable the Council to reconsider the housing and employment figures.  It was agreed with the Inspector that a review be carried out, which was completed and approved for submission to the Inspector by Full Council  on 22 February 2011.

The target for housing growth was revised down to 9,900 and the target for jobs growth revised down to 10,400 over the plan period. Such changes were considered by the Inspector as ‘focussed changes’ and were the subject of consultation and the Examination process re-opened to consider these changes.

The Inspector’s Report delivered in October 2011, considered the Core Strategy sound and compliant with legal requirements.  The Inspector had recommended a number of changes that needed to be made to the submission draft Core Strategy to make it sound. Most of these changes were those put forward by the Council and were based on evidence. The Inspector had made two small changes and details of all changes were set out in Annexes to the report presented.

Once adopted, the South Wiltshire Core Strategy would replace a number of saved policies in the Salisbury Local Plan and would form part of the statutory development plan for the south of the County.  The policies within the South Wiltshire Core Strategy, had been subsumed into the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy Submission Document which would be considered later in the meeting (minute no. 18 refers) to ensure delivery of a single Core Strategy for Wiltshire.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe emphasised that the Inspector’s Report was binding on the Council and the recommendations it contained must be adhered to. The Council therefore had the option of either adopting it or rejecting it but not to make any further changes. Rejection of the Inspector’s Report at this stage would result in there being no up to date development plan for the southern part of Wiltshire. This would leave a policy vacuum at a time when the Government had stated its intention to ensure that there was a presumption in favour of sustainable development in the absence of an up to date plan.

Resolved:

a)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Cllrs Toby Sturgis and Judy Rooke declared prejudicial interests in this item as detailed under minute no. 14 above.

Public Participation

Written representations were received from the following members of the public in the form of questions and statements, details of which, together with responses were circulated:

Mr John Kirkman

Mr Kim Stuckey

Mrs Marilyn Mackay

Mr Edward Heard

Mr Ken J McCall (Campaign for a Better Trowbridge)

Mr Michael Sprules (Chairman of Residents Against Development Affecting

    Recreation Land - RADAR)

Mr Nick Murry

Pinsent Masons (Chippenham 2020)

Mr Tony Peacock, Showell Protection Group

Cllr Judy Rooke (member for Chippenham Lowden and Rowden)

Verbal representations were also made at the meeting by:

Mr Ken J McCall

Mrs Anne Henshaw (North Wiltshire and Swindon Council for the Protection of Rural England)

Mr Ian James

Mrs Jane Browning

Mr Richard Hames

Mr Peter Humphries

Mr Owen Inskip (Chippenham 2020)

Mr Michael Sprules

Mr Edward Heard

Mr Nick Murry

Cllr Fleur de Rhe Philipe, Cabinet member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning presented a report which sought the following:

·           Cabinet’s recommendation to Council that the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) be formally published for a final stage of consultation and

·           endorsement of the Pre-Submission Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy DPD  and to recommend that Council approves the document for the purpose of Submission to the Secretary of State.

If agreed, the recommendations would be presented to Council at its extraordinary meeting on 7 February 2012.

The report also set out the arrangements for consultation and the next steps in the process.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe accordingly presented the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy DPD and related documents for Cabinet’s consideration.

The Wiltshire Core Strategy, once adopted, would provide an up-to-date strategic planning policy for Wiltshire and ensure that Wiltshire developed in the most sustainable way. The South Wiltshire Core Strategy, which had been earlier in the meeting recommended to Full Council for adoption (minute no. 17 above refers) had been subsumed into the Draft Submission Document to ensure delivery of a single Core Strategy for Wiltshire.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe explained how the draft document had evolved and the extensive consultation undertaken on it.

The June 2011 Consultation Document had formed the basis for the development of the Pre-Submission Draft Core Strategy now presented. It was however noted that there had been changes made as a result of consultation, further refinement of the evidence base and to aid clarity. Details of the changes were presented and Cllr de Rhe Philipe highlighted the main areas of change.

Cllr de Rhe Philipe presented a table of further proposed changes which were considered necessary to correct drafting errors, further improve clarity and/or to strengthen the document.  In the interests of transparency, these further changes are attached as an appendix to these minutes which also highlights minor changes agreed following debate at this meeting.

Cabinet was advised that by endorsing the Pre-Submission Draft Core Strategy for publication (i.e. the consultation on the soundness of the draft  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

There were no urgent items.

Appendix – amendments to Wiltshire Core Strategy