Agenda item

Public Participation:

The following members of the public addressed Council on this item:

Mr Roger Yeates                  – Downton Parish Council

Mr Phillip Coward                – Hillbrush Ltd

Mr Ron Champion               – Laverstock and Ford Parish Council

Ms Sarah Champion           – Bishop Down Farm Residents’ Association

Mr Steve Hannath               – Resident of Laverstock and Ford Parish

A written statement was circulated from Godshill Parish Council

Cllr John Brady, Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing responded to the points made during public participation.

Cllr Brady presented a report which drew Council’s attention to the findings of a review of the housing and employment requirements included within the draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy (SWCS) as submitted to the Secretary of State. The report sought approval of a number of amendments to the draft SWCS arising from the review. Cllr Brady drew Council’s attention to changes to the recommendations relating to the distribution of housing as circulated in a revisions paper.

Cllr Brady explained the background to the need to review the housing and employment requirements within the SWCS.

Following approval of the draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy (SWCS) by Council in November 2009, the SWCS proceeded straight to the Examination in Public (EIP) stage.  In July 2010, around the time the Inspector was due to publish his report, he suspended the EIP to allow the Council to undertake a review of the housing and employment figures in light of the Government’s stated intention to abolish Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). This review has now been completed, in the context of the Wiltshire-wide review of housing requirements and as a result, ‘focused changes’ to the SWCS should be put forward to the Inspector for his consideration. As a consequence of the ‘focused changes’ other changes would need to be made elsewhere in the document. These ‘consequential’ changes would also be submitted to the Inspector.

Cllr Brady moved the proposals contained in the report presented which included the proposed changes to the draft SWCS and the further revisions as circulated and this was duly seconded.

The revised housing figures considered by Council are set out in the following table:

Cllr Brady explained the proposals made were to ensure that a sound planning framework was put in place as soon as possible for South Wiltshire to allow the authority to manage necessary growth.  This was to ensure homes and jobs were provided in the most sustainable way that best conserved the natural environment and maximised benefits for local communities.  The proposals would also ensure that progress continued to be made on preparing an up to date planning policy framework for Wiltshire.

The Chairman then opened the debate allowing Group Leaders to speak first, followed by Councillors representing the South Wiltshire area of the County before opening the debate to other Councillors.  The Chairman referred Council to questions from Cllr Ian McLennan as circulated.

Cllr McLennan referred to his questions addressed to Cllr Brady who responded to the questions with details of the responses circulated at the meeting. A copy of the questions and responses are attached as Appendix D to these minutes.

During debate, Cllr McLennan proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded:

‘That given all of the information so far, that the 500 housing allocation for Hampton Park be removed from the draft SWCS and to retain the housing allocation for Long Hedge in Laverstock and Ford’.

Cllr Brady explained that he was unable to support the amendment and whilst he had sympathy with such a view, making such a change at this stage in the process had the potential to render the Strategy unsound.

Following further debate, the amendment was put to the vote and LOST.

Cllr McLennan proposed a further amendment as follows which was duly seconded.

‘To reduce the housing provision by removing any development east of Green Lane that also protects Green Lane itself and that the strategic gap should be set at two thirds of the distance from Long Hedge in Laverstock and Ford’.

However, following further debate, Cllr McLennan replaced the above amendment with the following, in part based on comments made earlier in the debate by Cllr Sample and this was duly seconded:

‘To incorporate the decision of the Strategic Planning Committee dated 16 February 2011 as part of the submission to the Inspector on the draft SWCS and that the Community Forum referred to the in the Revisions paper to include local parish councillors from Laverstock and Ford Parish Council and the local Division members’.

Cllr Brady commented that he was happy to take on board these amendments within his proposition with the proviso that details of the Strategic Planning Committee’s decision be included as an informative only and this was agreed by Cllr McLennan.

A lengthy debate ensued with Cllr Brady responding to the points made.

For the avoidance of doubt, Cllr Brady clarified the proposals before Council and on being put to the vote, it was

Resolved:

That Council:

a)    approves the proposed changes to the draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report presented (both focused and consequential), arising from the review of housing and employment requirements set out in the draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy; and further

b)   approves the additional amendments to the draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy as follows:

                      i.        Those amendments summarised in the revisions paper as circulated in Agenda supplement 2.

                    ii.        The Community Forum referred to in the revisions paper to include local parish councillors from Laverstock and Ford Parish Council and the local Division members.

c)     approves the inclusion of the minute recording the decision of the Strategic Planning Committee held on 16 February 2011 in respect of the following application as an informative item appended to the submission to the Inspector on the draft South Wiltshire Core Strategy Review of Housing and Employment Requirements:

S/2009/1943 - Land North, West & South of Bishopdown Farm, Salisbury, SP1 3WS - Erection of 500 Dwellings, 4 New Vehicular Accesses off Pearce Way, Associated  Landscaping & Public Open Space  and Creation of a Country Park with Associated Parking, Infrastructure & Facilities

d)    delegates to the Director for Economy and Enterprise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing:

·         authorisation to undertake minor amendments, in the interests of clarity and accuracy, to the review documents prior to submission to the Inspector; and

·         submission of the review documents to the Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State to examine the Core Strategy, for consideration and any associated steps as directed by the Inspector in order to comply with required procedures.