Agenda item

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 DPD) and subsequent submission to the Secretary of State, the Council considered that the document was sound.

 

If Full Council approved publication, preparations would be made to publish the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy and supporting documents for a period of six weeks in accordance with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement and statutory requirements.

 

The consultation would start on or around 20 February 2012 and finish before the Easter weekend. The consultation would provide an opportunity to challenge the soundness, rather than to re-open the discussions that had informed the development of the document.

 

Following consultation and subject to there being no representations that raised fundamental issues of soundness of the Plan, Full Council could then approve the document for Submission to the Secretary of State without the need to refer back to Cabinet.

 

Once submitted to the Secretary of State (July 2012), the process of Independent Examination by a Government appointed Planning Inspector would then commence.

 

Cllr de Rhe Philipe stressed that not progressing the Core Strategy would expose Wiltshire to speculative proposals that it would not be well placed to defend or develop in a way that maximised benefits for local communities.

 

A number of Councillors addressed Cabinet on the document particularly in relation to their respective electoral division areas to which Cllr de Rhe Philipe and the Service Director for Economy and Enterprise responded.

 

Cllr de Rhe Philipe thanked officers for the huge amount of work involved in getting the Wiltshire Core Strategy DPD document to this stage.

 

Following debate and on hearing contributions from members of the public, it was

 

Resolved:

 

That Cabinet agrees to:

 

(a)    amend the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy as detailed in the appendix to these minutes and for these amendments to be incorporated in the document to be presented to Council;

 

(b)    recommend to Council on 7 February 2012 that the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy as amended be approved for publication for a final six week statutory consultation period commencing on or around 20 February 2012;

 

(c)  endorse the Draft Wiltshire Core Strategy as amended and recommend that  Council approves the document for the purpose of Submission to the Secretary of State subject to there being no representations received during the consultation which, in the opinion of the Director for Economy and Enterprise in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning, raise fundamental issues on the soundness of the Strategy and

 

(d)   authorise the Service Director for Economy and Enterprise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Strategic Planning to make any further necessary changes to the Draft Core Strategy in the interests of clarity and accuracy before it is published, and to make arrangements for consultation.

 

Reason for decisions

 

To ensure that progress continues to be made on preparing an up-to-date development plan for Wiltshire, in line with the timetable set out in the Council’s recently approved Local Development Scheme and statutory requirements.