Agenda item

To consider Cabinet’s recommendation dated 14 March 2017 regarding the adoption of the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan.

Report by Dr Carlton Brand, Corporate Director

The Chairman invited the Cabinet Member for Planning, Councillor Toby Sturgis, to present the item, which asked Council to consider the recommendations of Cabinet at its meeting on 14 March 2017 concerning the adoption of the Chippenham Site

Allocations Plan.

In moving the motion, duly seconded by the Leader, Councillor Sturgis thanked officers for their hard work in producing the plan, and outlined the benefits of adopting the plan and the risks of seeking to refuse or amend the plan now that it had been amended following its consideration by the Planning Inspector.

Whilst he expressed a wish to support the plan. Councillor Ian Thorn and Councillor Ernie Clark both expressed some concern as to whether lessons had been learnt about the delays in adopting the plan.

Councillors Clare Cape and Councillor Ross Henning expressed concerns that infrastructure requirements of the town would not be adequately addressed.

Councillor Jon Hubbard stated that he could not support the plan as it did not adequately address the transport issues.

Councillor Christine Crisp stated that whilst she knew that the plan would not meet approval across the community, it had addressed some of them.

Councillor Peter Hutton spoke in support of the plan as, even though he recognised some of the concerns of residents, it was an opportunity to lead development in the town.

Councillor Nick Murry expressed major reservations about the plan, including the impact of additional traffic on residents and the need for infrastructure issues to be addressed.

In response to a question from Councillor Nick Murry, the Monitoring Officer stated that he had advised that Chairman that the proposed amendment would have had a material effect on the plan, in effect negating its adoption, and thus was recommended to be refused permission to be tabled as an amendment.

In closing, Councillor Toby Sturgis stated that infrastructure requirements of the community could only be delivered through new housing development.

Having been put to a recorded vote, the meeting;

Resolved

(i)     To note the content of the Inspector’s Report into the examination of the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan (Appendix 1) and his conclusions regarding legal compliance and soundness and accepts the modifications in the Appendix of the Inspector’s Report, which the Inspector considers are necessary to make the plan sound in accordance with legislation

(ii)    To adopt the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan, as amended as set out in Appendix 2, including the Additional Modifications set out in Appendix 3.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Associate Director for Economic Development and Planning in consultation with the Associate Director for Legal and Governance and the relevant Cabinet Member to amend the Policies Map as set out in Appendix 5 and for further minor textual changes to be made to the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan prior to publication in the interests of accuracy and consistency.

(iv)  That, subject to Council approval of (ii) above, to delegate authority to the Associate Director for Economic, Development and Planning in consultation with the Associate Director for Legal and Governance and the relevant Cabinet Member, to undertake the final stages associated with the formal adoption and publication of the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan.

Admin Note: Councillor Johnny Kidney left the chamber for the consideration of the item having previously declared an interest.

Recorded votes for the motion were as follows:

For the motion (89):

Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, Cllr Alan Hill, Cllr Allison Bucknell, Cllr Andrew Davis, Cllr Andy Phillips, Cllr Anna Cuthbert, Cllr Ashley O'Neill, Cllr Atiqul Hoque, Cllr Ben Anderson, Cllr Bob Jones MBE, Cllr Brian Dalton, Cllr Brian Mathew, Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cllr Chris Hurst, Cllr Christine Crisp, Cllr Christopher Devine, Cllr Christopher Newbury, Cllr Christopher Williams, Cllr Chuck Berry, Cllr David Halik, Cllr Deborah Halik, Cllr Derek Brown, Cllr Edward Kirk, Cllr Ernie Clark, Cllr Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, Cllr Fred Westmoreland, Cllr Gavin Grant, Cllr George Jeans, Cllr Gordon King, Cllr Graham Payne, Cllr Graham Wright, Cllr Hayley Spencer, Cllr Horace Prickett, Cllr Howard Greenman, Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cllr Ian Thorn, Cllr Jacqui Lay, Cllr Jane Davies, Cllr Jerry Kunkler, Cllr Jerry Wickham, Cllr Jim Lynch, Cllr John Smale,  Cllr John Thomson, Cllr John Walsh, Cllr Jonathon Seed, Cllr Jose Green, Cllr Laura Mayes, Cllr Leo Randall, Cllr Mark Connolly, Cllr Mary Champion, Cllr Mary Douglas, Cllr Matthew Dean, Cllr Mike Hewitt, Cllr Mollie Groom, Cllr Pat Aves, Cllr Paul Oatway QPM, Cllr Pauline Church, Cllr Peter Evans, Cllr Peter Fuller, Cllr Peter Hutton, Cllr Philip Alford, Cllr Philip Whalley, Cllr Philip Whitehead, Cllr Pip Ridout, Richard Britton, Cllr Richard Clewer, Cllr Richard Gamble, Cllr Ricky Rogers, Cllr Robert Yuill, Cllr Roy While, Cllr Russell Hawker, Cllr Ruth Hopkinson, Cllr Sarah Gibson, Cllr Simon Jacobs, Cllr Stephen Oldrieve, Cllr Stewart Dobson, Cllr Stewart Palmen, Cllr Stuart Wheeler, Cllr Sue Evans, Cllr Sven Hocking, Cllr Thomas Rounds, Cllr Toby Sturgis, Cllr Tony Deane, Cllr Tony Jackson, Cllr Tony Trotman and Cllr Trevor Carbin.

Against the motion (4):

Cllr Clare Cape , Cllr Jon Hubbard, Cllr Nick Murry and Cllr Ross Henning

Abstentions (2)

Cllr Ian Mclennan  and Cllr Nick Fogg MBE