Agenda item

To consider the attached motion.

A motion on notice was moved by Councillor Richard Clewer, seconded by Councillor Pip Ridout, as detailed in the agenda papers. Councillor Clewer noted previous council debates regarding cycleway provision and housing developments requiring adequate access links. The motion aimed to ensure that the council was able to better facilitate planning and delivery of links for developments and adjoining communities.

The relevant Cabinet Member, Councillor Toby Sturgis, Cabinet Member for Spatial Planning, Development Management and Investment, spoke to the motion, welcomed and supported the motion, but noted that the connections being sought would not always be possible if necessary land was outside the ownership of the owner or the council, but where practicable this should be a focus.

On the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was agreed to debate the motion.

The Chairman then invited Group Leaders to comment on the motion.

Councillor Philip Whitehead, Leader of the Council, supported the motion, noting examples of recent estates proposed without appropriate links and work to address that, and praised the preparation behind the motion.

Councillor Ruth Hopkinson, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, welcomed and supported the motion. Councillor Ernie Clark, Leader of the Independent Group, stated any efforts to encourage reduction in car transport would be beneficial and supported the motion. Councillor Ian McLennan, for the Labour Group, supported the intentions of the motion.

The motion was then opened up for general debate. Some comments in debate felt that the motion was not as ambitious as Motion 21 as debated and rejected on 21 July 2020 but supported the aims of the motion. Others noted that ideally footpath and cycleway connections were developed at the planning stage, and it could be difficult to achieve this later for some sites, with cost of purchasing land and public objections two of the issues that could arise.

Councillor Ian McLennan provided examples of isolated developments and difficulty addressing the problem, then proposed an amendment as follows:

Where new residential or commercial developments are granted, or have been granted planning permission, and they are in locations that don't link with existing footpaths and cycleways in adjoining communities that, the Council will undertake to ensure, where practicable, footpath and cycleway links are planned for and delivered in order that our communities can benefit fully from using non-vehicular transport. Where the development is a single unit, a financial contribution is taken.

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Jon Hubbard but noted that there should be clarity on the final sentence from the mover, but the principal sought by the amendment was supportable.

The amendment was then debated. It was stated that any links needed to serve the entire town, and therefore there needed to be work on a wider network at the same time, and also that the original motion needed more detail, and that the qualifier ‘where practicable’ could undermine the purpose of the motion. Other comments were concerned removing the words ‘where practicable’ meant that the motion would no longer be deliverable, given the difficulties in developing some links, and could prevent development of such links, and that the reference to a financial contribution for single units was not reasonable or efficient.

After discussion, the amendment was withdrawn, and debate continued on the original motion.

Further comments were made in support of the motion and discussed what could be done to encourage developers to consider these issues at an early stage. The importance of connection of communities and maintenance of existing paths was also raised, and better coordination of existing paths when new developments were put in place.

Councillor Sturgis, as the relevant Cabinet Member, emphasised not all developers resisted provision of cycleways and footpaths, and addressed several local examples raised in debate.

Councillor Clewer, as mover the motion, urged members to support the proposal as a deliverable policy suggestion.

Following a vote, it was,

Resolved:

Where new residential or commercial developments are granted, or have been granted planning permission, and they are in locations that don't link with existing footpaths and cycleways in adjoining communities that, the Council will undertake to ensure, where practicable, footpath and cycleway links are planned for and delivered in order that our communities can benefit fully from using non-vehicular transport.