Agenda item

Report by the Service Director for Economy and Enterprise.

The Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Site Allocations Development Plan Document is enclosed separately for members of the Council and available on the Council’s website.

Public Participation

The Chairman reported receipt of a question from Mr Edward Nicholson, Dr Peter Alberry and Lynne Eddy, details of which were presented along with a response from Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe, Cabinet member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning – question and response attached as Appendix A.

Mr Nicholson addressed Council and asked the following supplementary question:

Sought confirmation that the time limited strategic nature of the Lower Compton site is specifically confined to waste treatment (excluding waste to energy) and that the site is excluded from the list of appropriate locations for strategic MRF/WTS facilities as identified in the draft Waste Site Allocations DPD.

Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe undertook to provide a written response.

The Chairman reported receipt of a statement read out by Mrs Neal on behalf of Chitterne Parish Council, details of which were presented.

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The Chairman introduced the item and reminded Council that it was being asked to consider and approve the Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Site Allocations DPD for submission to the Secretary of State for the purpose of Examination. He advised that whilst Councillors might wish to ask questions on the Document’s development and proposals within it, the Document had previously been considered to be ‘sound’ by Council at its meeting on 17 May 2011. He noted that following pre-submission consultation, changes had been proposed to remove a number of sites based on new evidence. 

At the Chairman’s invitation, Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe presented a report which set out:

·         A summary of the plan preparation process to date;

·         The key issues that have emerged through the recent consultation undertaken June to August 2011;

·         The arrangements for submitting the draft DPD;

·         The implications of the Examination process; and

·         Next steps.

It was noted that Cabinet at its meeting on 17 January 2011, in considering the draft DPD had recommended Council to approve the Document (incorporating minor amendments it had made) for the purpose of formally submitting it to the Secretary of State. A copy of the relevant extract of minutes of the Cabinet meeting was presented.

Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe presented the draft DPD for Council’s consideration.

During debate, a number of Councillors spoke on the draft DPD making general points and specific points relating to their respective electoral division areas to which Cllr de Rhé-Philipe responded.

Cllr Howard Marshall proposed the following amendment (amending part of the original motion as indicated) which was duly seconded and on being put to the vote, was LOST:

i)             approves the submission draft Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Site Allocations Development Plan Document and its Submission to the Secretary of State, but after the removal of the Hills Resources Recovery Centre Proposal (pages 18-21);

A recorded vote having been requested on the voting on the above amendment, the voting was recorded as follows:

For the amendment (21)

Cllrs Desna Allen, Rosemary Brown, Trevor Carbin, Chris Caswill, Brian Dalton, Paul Darby, Bill Douglas, Peggy Dow, Malcolm Hewson, Jon Hubbard, David Jenkins, John Knight, Howard Marshall, Ian McLennan, Stephen Oldrieve, Helen Osborn, Jeff Osborn, Mark Packard, Ricky Rogers, Judy Rooke and Graham Wright.

Against the amendment (53)

Cllrs Richard Beattie, Chuck Berry, John Brady, Richard Britton, Liz Bryant, Allison Bucknell, Ernie Clark, Richard Clewer, Christopher Cochrane, Linda Conley, Mark Connolly, Andrew Davis, Fleur de Rhé-Philipe , Tony Deane, Christopher Devine, Mary Douglas, Peter Doyle, Peter Fuller, Richard Gamble, Jose Green, Mollie Groom, Lionel Grundy, Robert Hall, Russell Hawker, Mike Hewitt, Charles Howard, Chris Humphries, Keith Humphries, Peter Hutton, Julian Johnson, Jerry Kunkler, Alan Macrae, Laura Mayes, Jemima Milton, William Moss, Francis Morland, Christopher Newbury, John Noeken, Sheila Parker, Nina Phillips, Pip Ridout, Bill Roberts, Jane Scott, John Smale, Carole Soden, Toby Sturgis, Julie Swabey, John Thomson, Dick Tonge, Fred Westmoreland, Stuart Wheeler, Roy While and Christopher Williams.

Abstentions  (12)

Cllrs Jane Burton, Nigel Carter, Peter Colmer, Christine Crisp, Peter Davis, Nick Fogg, Howard Greenman, Alan Hill, George Jeans, Jacqui Lay, Jeff Ody and Tony Trotman.

In the discussion which ensued, Cllr Bill Douglas sought an explanation of why the development of 285 houses at Sandpit Lane, Calne had not been referenced in the draft DPD and sought clarification over what constituted a strategic site.  Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe undertook to provide him with a written response.

During the course of debate, three minor amendments to the draft DPD were approved as referred to in resolution (a) below. At the Cabinet meeting, changes were agreed to the Traffic and Transportation section in respect of the section on Land at Valley Farm, Chitterne. This section had since been further refined to better achieve the desired outcome as incorporated into the document presented to Council.

Following debate, it was

Resolved:

That following recommendation by Cabinet at its meeting on 17 January 2012, Council:

a)             incorporating the following minor amendments, approves the submission draft Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Site Allocations Development Plan Document and its Submission to the Secretary of State:

          Page 82 - under ‘Traffic and Transportation’ (Chitterne Site) –  delete the word “unnecessary”.

Pages 14 and 17 - delete reference to ‘village’ when referring to Cricklade

Page 100 - under Water Environment’ (Tidworth site) be amended as follows:

In addition, the assessment should will need to ensure that foul water discharges from any development can be connected to the public sewer system, where available, subject to a capacity appraisal and agreement upon a point of connection.

b)             delegates to the Service Director, Economy and Enterprise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning authorisation to make minor amendments to the draft DPD (Appendix A of the report presented) in the interests of clarity and accuracy and to make appropriate arrangements for submission of the documents to the Secretary of State and any consequential actions as directed by the Inspector relating to the Examination.

Declarations of interest

Please refer to minute no. 2 abovefor details of interests declared in this item.