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Agenda item

Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document - Proposed Submission Materials

Report by Alistair Cunningham, Corporate Director

 

The meeting will be asked to consider the recommendation from the meeting of Cabinet to be held on the 3 July 2018.

 

The report and supporting documentation can be found here, and have not been republished on this agenda:

 

https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=11668&Ver=4

 

The final recommendation of Cabinet will circulated by supplement ahead of the meeting of Counci.

Minutes:

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Toby Sturgis presented the report provided an update to Cabinet on the outcome of the formal consultation on the ‘Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan - Pre-submission draft plan (June 2017); and recommended that the Plan, together with a schedule of Proposed Changes, should be approved for the purposes of submission to the Secretary of State and commencement of the independent Examination process; and sought delegated authority to make appropriate arrangements for submitting the prescribed documents and supporting materials to the Secretary of State; and respond to any consequential actions as directed by the Inspector relating to the Examination.

 

In moving his recommendation, subsequently seconded by Councillor Darren Henry, Councillor Sturgis referred to agenda supplement one which contained the extract of the minutes from the Cabinet meeting on 3 July 2018, and the supplementary paper which detailed the revised schedule of proposed changes.

 

Public Participation

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr Lance Allan of Trowbridge Town Council addressed the meeting the questions and answers published in the supplement as was afforded the opportunity to ask supplementary questions.

 

·         Can the amount of windfall allowance for Trowbidge be clarified?

·         Can the Council make it clear that Biss Farm is not park of Ashton Park

·         In relation to the number of houses allocated to each HMA, what degree of flexibility is acceptable that hasn’t been applied so far?

·         Can the Council clarify what the proposals are for the rural buffer in North Bradley?

·         In relation to the maintenance of open countryside, what is the acceptable level?

 

Councillor Sturgis indicated that a written response would be given to each supplementary question.

 

The meeting heard statements from Lance Allan of Trowbridge Town Council, Andrew Rushton and Dennis Kidd.

 

Debate

 

Group Leaders then commented on the proposal as follows:

 

Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE expressed her support for the proposals and that many community concerns had been addressed.

 

Councillor Ian Thorn expressed support in principle, including praise for the efforts of Councillor Sturgis and Councillor Henry for meeting with the community to consider their concerns. Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of design and infrastructure in supporting sustainable development.

 

Councillor Ernie Clark stated that he supported the plan in principle but that he remained concerned over specific element which he would plan to bring up with the Inspector.

 

Councillor Ricky Rogers stated that he broadly supported the plan but that he would listen to the debate with an open mind.

 

The Chairman then invited comments in debate.

 

Councillor Peter Fuller spoke in support of the views submitted by Trowbridge Town Council and expressed concern that the rural buffer between the town and the villages be protected; and emphasised the importance of balance between employment and housing land.

 

Councillor Josie Green emphasised the concern of her community and the need for sufficient infrastructure to support development.

 

Councillor Graham Wright thanked Councillor Henry for listening to and responding to their concerns.

 

Councillor Graham Payne stated that he could not support the plans due to elements in relation to Trowbridge which he felt had already taken its share of housing, and did not believe sufficient infrastructure would be in place to support development.

 

Councillor Edward Kirk expressed some of the accuracy of some information used in the consultation.

 

Councillor Steve Oldrieve proposed, subsequently seconded by Councillor Ruth Hopkinson, an amendment to the motion that had been considered and proposed by Trowbridge Town Council. The wording of the amendment is appended to these minutes.

 

In support of his amendment, Councillor Oldrieve stressed that this amendment would protect the greenbelt, prioritised the brownfield sites and supported the wishes of the community.

 

In response to the amendment, Councillor Sturgis stated that the development plan document is accordance with the core strategy and could not support the amendment which create an unsound plan. He stated that the views and evidence submitted by Trowbridge council would be considered by the Inspector.

 

Councillor Ernie Clark spoke in support of the motion and emphasised the importance of infrastructure to support development.

 

Having been put to a recorded vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Votes against the motion (60)

Votes for the motion (23)

Abstained (4)

 

The meeting then returned to the substantive motion:

 

Councillor Jon Hubbard stated that whilst he understood the concerns of individual communities, that the Council should support the plan as the consequences of having developer led development was too negative.

 

Councillor Ross Henning stated that he could not support the plan as it do not adequately meet the needs of the community.

 

In summary, Councillor Sturgis stated that there would be a further review of the Core Strategy/Local Plan and that communities should be encouraged and supported to develop their own Neighbourhood Plans.

 

At the conclusion of the debate, and having been put to the vote, the meeting;

 

Resolved:

 

That having considered the outcome of the formal consultation, Council agree:

 

(i)           To approve the draft Plan as sound and legally compliant, as set out in Appendix 1;

 

(ii)          To approve the schedule of Proposed Changes to the draft Plan in Appendix 1, as set out in Appendix 2 subject to the additional proposed changes in the Addendum to the Cabinet report and further additional proposed changes set out below, for submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to inform and assist the Examination process:

 

(a)   Policy 1 to delete site allocations H1.2, H1.3 and H1.4 in relation to Market Lavington and delete section on Devizes Community Area at paragraphs 5.22 to 5.37,

 

(b)   Amend Policy H2 to delete site allocation H2.13 in relation to Crudwell and delete section on Malmesbury Community area at paragraphs 5.111 to 5.114,

 

(c)    Amend Proposed Change 39 (site allocation H2.2, land off the A363 at White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge) to reduce the proposed dwelling increase by 50 dwellings,

 

(d)   Add to Proposed Change 69 (site allocation H2.12, East of Farrells Field, Yatton Keynell) to delete the words “Access will be taken from Farrell Fields” from paragraph 5.110;

 

(iii)     To approve the draft Plan as set out at (i) together with the Schedule of Proposed Changes as set out at (ii) and supporting information for submission to the Secretary of State to commence the independent Examination process subject to amendment in (iv);

 

(iv)      To authorise the Director of Economic Development and Planning in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Strategic Asset Management to:

 

(a)  make any necessary changes to the Plan and supporting documents in the interests of clarity and accuracy before it is submitted to the Secretary of State;

 

(b)  approve the detail of any additional or updated technical document or supporting evidence before it is submitted to the Secretary of State;

 

(c)  make appropriate arrangements for submission of all documents relating to the Plan, including the supporting evidence (including the Equalities Impact Assessment required by Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010 at Appendix 6), to the Secretary of State;

 

(d)  make all the necessary arrangements for Examination including - the appointment of a Programme Officer, the undertaking and/or commissioning of other work necessary to prepare for and participate at the Examination; and the delegation to officers and other commissioned experts to prepare and submit evidence to the Examination and where necessary, appear at any hearing sessions and represent the Council;

 

(e)  authorise that officers request that the Secretary of State recommends modifications to make the Plan sound in accordance with Section 20 (7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended); and

 

(f)    implement any consequential actions as directed by the Inspector relating to the Examination, including undertaking any consultation where necessary, in order to respond to matters raised through the Examination.

 

Votes for the motion (70)

Votes against the motion (15)

Abstained (2)

 

Supporting documents: