Issue - meetings

Cabinet

            RESOLVED

            To note the contents, of and proposals, within the White Paper, and agree to the responses to the consultation questions contained with Appendix 1, with the comments raised at the meeting being added to the responses by the Group Head of Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Plannning.

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Councillor Lury, introduced this report stating that it set out a summary of the fundamental changes being consulted upon on the Government’s Planning White Paper – Planning for the Future. These changes, if implemented, would result in significant changes to the planning system and the way in which the Council would have to operate.  Councillor Lury outlined his observations – these have been summarised below:

·         looking at binding house numbers and the top down approach – he could not find any reference on how to replace duty to co-operate and he had concerns about who would be the arbiter of constraints in an area, would the infrastructure deficit that Arun had, be accepted as a constraint?

·         He had concerns about the extension of permitted development rights – where would a resident go to object and then where would be the quality control?

·         On the Infrastructure Levy, Councils could borrow to provide up front infrastructure, but for large projects this would be a huge risk

·         He had concerns on the idea that the public could get involved at stage 1, when there would be no details

·         On the stripping back of local plans – this sounded like a good idea going from 7 years to 30 months, but was this workable?

·         The new White Paper was not all negative – the new design code was great but how would you be able to get builders to build beautiful homes – how would this work in practice?

Councillor Lury stated that the Council’s planned responses to the consultation questions had been set out in Appendix 1 to the report and that Cabinet was being asked to agree these.  He then invited the Group Head of Planning to outline some of the main changes proposed.

The Group Head of Planning confirmed that the White Paper presented the most fundamental changes to the planning system in a generation.  It was seeking to streamline and modernise the planning system by introducing 24 proposals which would be implemented by the end of 2024.  This led to 26 consultation questions being asked and Officers had drafted responses for Cabinet to agree. 

The Group Head of Planning then talked about the main proposals. The main thrust to the changes would be how Local Plans would be produced in terms of their content in that they would only designate three different types of land uses. Growth areas that would automatically benefit from outline planning permission, renewals for smaller scale developments, and protected areas where there would be stringent controls such as areas of countryside and areas of outstanding natural beauty.  The timetable to produce plans would be reduced to 30 months. The standard housing methodology would be binding on Local authorities and plans produced would have to make provision to meet this by law.  There would be more emphasis on design quality and a new proposal called “fast track to beauty”.  In terms of decision making, there would be a greater emphasis on digitalisation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 256