Agenda and minutes

Venue: at Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehamton, BN17 5LF

Contact: Carrie O'Connor (Ext 37614) 

Items
No. Item

27.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

            An apology for absence had been received from Councillor Oppler.

28.

Declarations of Interest

Members and Officers are reminded to make any declarations of pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on this agenda and are reminded that they should re-declare their interest before consideration of the item or as soon as the interest becomes apparent.

 

Members and officers should make their declaration by stating :

 

a) the item they have the interest in

b) whether it is a pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial

c) the nature of the interest

Minutes:

            There were no declarations of interest made.

29.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 151 KB

To agree as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2019.

Minutes:

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2019 were approved by the Subcommittee and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

30.

Revocation of older Supplementary Planning Documents and Supplementary Planning Guidance pdf icon PDF 136 KB

Following the adoption of the Open Space, Playing Pitches, Indoor and Built Sports Facilities Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and the Arun Parking Standards SPD on 15 January 2020, this report advises members on the need to revoke older sets of Supplementary Planning Documents and Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) including the Open Space & Recreation Standards SPG and Parking Standards SPG adopted in 2000.

 

Minutes:

            The Subcommittee received a report from the Planning Policy Team Leader which sought agreement to the following older sets of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) being revoked by removing them from the Council’s website and deposit points.

 

·         Open Space & Recreation Standards October 2000 SPG

·         Parking Standards SPG 2000Telecoms October 2000

·         Advertisements September 2003

·         Archaeology September 2003

·         Telecoms October 2000

 

Whilst accepting that these documents should be revoked for the reasons outlined in the report, Members also requested that the relevant procedures should be reviewed to ensure that when new planning documents and guidance were adopted by the Council, the old ones could be automatically revoked as that would negate the possibility of any confusion arising by having two sets of guidance relating to the same topic.  An officer assurance was given that that point would be taken on board and actioned accordingly.

 

The Subcommittee

 

RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL

 

That the older Supplementary Planning Documents and Supplementary Planning Guidance set out under paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2 of the report be revoked because they are replaced, are out of date and have no material weight.

31.

Crawley Regulation 19 Publication Local Plan Consultation pdf icon PDF 225 KB

The Crawley Regulation 19 publication Local Plan is being consulted on for soundness which covers the 15-year plan period 2019 - 2035. The consultation – closes on 2 March 2020.This report briefs members on the proposed response.

 

Minutes:

            The Planning Policy Team Leader presented this report to the Subcommittee which set out a proposed response to Crawley Borough Council’s Regulation 19 Publication Local Plan for the period 2019 – 2035.

 

            The report illustrated that Crawley would have a housing shortfall of 5,945 against its Objectively Assessed Need (OAN,) as based on the Government’s Standard Housing Methodology (SHM).  It was therefore important for this Council to understand how that shortfall would be met under the Duty to Co-operate regime.  Crawley’s Plan did set out an expectation that Horsham and Mid Sussex would help with the shortfall  but, also, it was recognised that other neighbouring authorities would need to be asked to help.  It was therefore imperative for Arun to seek information as to how Crawley would meet its unmet need.  In addition, Arun was looking for an assurance within their Statement of Common Ground and under the Duty to Co-operate that Crawley would not be expecting Arun to help with that unmet housing need.

 

            In opening up the debate, Member comment was made with regard to the urgency of achieving progress on the update to the Local Strategic Statement (i.e. LSS3) as set out at paragraph 1.4 of the report.  It was stated that negotiation of LSS3 should be undertaken through the Local Strategic Planning Board (LSPB) and it seemed inappropriate that this Council’s representative was not the Cabinet Member for Planning, who would be in a stronger position to  push that progress.    Paragraph 1.8 was welcomed which stated that:-

 

            “It must be stressed that Crawley Borough Council has not asked ADC to assist with any unmet housing need given the Crawley Local Plan (CLP) seeks assistance from Horsham and Mid Sussex and other authorities within the North West Sussex Housing Market Area (NWSHMA).  However, given the wider unmet need outlined above, and risks should there be insufficient progress on LSS3, ADC should seek a specific Statement of Common Ground with Crawley Borough consolidating this position.”

 

            Members were in agreement with the proposed response but did express reservations that the Cabinet Member for Planning was not the Council’s appointed representative on the Local Strategic Planning Board.  The Director of Place gave advice that the appointment of a member to the LSPB was solely within the gift of the Leader of the Council and the Subcommittee could of course express its view which could then be brought to the attention of the Leader.  The Subcommittee therefore unanimously agreed that the Leader of the Council be asked to amend the Council’s membership of the LSPB from Councillor Huntley to Councillor Lury, Cabinet Member for Planning.

 

            Following a brief discussion around the Duty to Co-operate and Statement of Common Ground, the Subcommittee

 

RESOLVED – That

 

(1)  In response to the Crawley Local Plan Regulation 19 consultation, Crawley Borough Council be urged to clearly set out in updated Statements of Common Ground with neighbouring authorities within its Housing Market Area, how its unmet need is to be resolved before the plan is submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

32.

Housing Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA 2018/19) pdf icon PDF 170 KB

This document provides the Council with a database of sites within the District. Each site within the database has been assessed to determine whether it is deliverable, developable or not currently developable according to the HELAA methodology.

Minutes:

            (In the course of discussing this item, Councillor Elkins declared a personal interest as a member of West Sussex County Council.)

 

            In presenting this report on the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA 2019 update), the Planning Policy Team Leader advised the Subcommittee of the following update:-

 

            Existing HELAA site Ref 61 Tower House Allotments, Maltravers Street, which had been incorrectly shown as changed status from Not Currently Developable (NCD) to Developable in the main HELAA report should remain at NCD for the reason that “the site is existing Open Space (OSR DM1), relates to Conservation Area, Listed Buildings, and is currently used as allotments”.  This therefore amended the summary figure of Deliverable sites in the covering report to 51 not 52 (a yield of 4,849 dwellings not 4,855) and NCD sites to 173 from 172.

 

            The Planning Policy Team Leader reminded the Subcommittee that the HELAA was a key component of the evidence base which informed the preparation for the Arun Local Plan and it was essential to keep it up to date to inform future monitoring of potential land supply.  He emphasised that whilst the HELAA was a useful resource, it did not allocate sites, nor did it grant planning permission, as set out at paragraphs 1.13 and 1.14 of the report.

 

            Following discussion, a request was made that it would be useful for the additional sites included in the HELAA to be included as an appendix to the reports as it was difficult for Members to establish which sites had been added or changed status..  The Planning Policy Team Leader advised that there were many appendices to the HELAA published individually on the web site in order to keep the size of the agenda items manageable and to save paper.  However, a summary table of new sites could be made available as an appendix.  

 

            The Planning Policy Team Leader responded to a number of questions raised by Members at the meeting relating to national policy around plan making and the mandatory requirement to produce a HELAA; the formal difference between “deliverable” and “developable”; and the need for the Council to call for sites on an annual basis.  There were many caveats in the HELAA which stated that this was a very high level assessment of sites based on constraints identified in sections 6.10 – 6.12 of the HELAA such that the HELAA did not allocate sites, nor did it grant planning permission. He also stated that officers understood the concerns of Members with regard to sites coming forward and advised that the best way to address that was for the Council to maintain its 5 year HSL (Housing Land Supply).

 

            The Subcommittee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the HELAA (Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment) be noted as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan and any future Development Plan Document preparation.

33.

Brownfield Land Register 2019 pdf icon PDF 229 KB

The Register is to be established in two parts (i.e. Part 1 and Part 2) and is to include all Brownfield sites that are suitable for residential development. The Register is to be updated at least annually.

Minutes:

            The Planning Policy Team Leader presented the detail of this report which informed Members of the requirement to produce a Brownfield Land Register in two parts.  Part 1 established a baseline stock of brownfield land which would meet specific previously developed land and delivery criteria (as described at paragraph 1.6 of the report).  Part 2 introduced permission in principle (PiP) as a new route to obtaining planning permission for those sites that made it onto Part 1 of the register, in order to help to maximise the numbers of new homes built on brownfield land.  However, Part 2 had not yet been established because it required a significant level of technical work, consultation and legal/procedural steps.  Work had commenced on this and an update on progress would be brought back to a future meeting.

 

            Members participated in a brief debate, during which it was mentioned that a brief summary within the report indicating the location of sites would be useful in the future.  It was also suggested that, for clarity, it should be highlighted that the register provided an annual snapshot at a particular point in time.  Further, it was clarified that the process for giving permission in principle would be a Development Management Committee function and so the report recommendation focused on agreeing that officers progress the work and report back to a future meeting on this process.

 

            The Subcommittee

 

RESOLVED – That

 

(1)  the 2019 Brownfield Land Register (Part 1) be noted; and

 

(2)    officers work towards the production of the Brownfield Land Register (Part 2), including the carrying out of consultation and public requirements, as well as other procedures, in line with the Brownfield Land Register Regulations 2017.

34.

Green Infrastructure Masterplan - Coast to the South Downs pdf icon PDF 140 KB

The Council has commissioned a Masterplan produced by LUC which sets out a vision for Green Infrastructure linking the coastline at Bognor Regis with the South Downs National Park at Fontwell.  The purpose of the report is to seek the Council’s endorsement of this Masterplan to guide future negotiations with landowners and developers and public authorities to secure its implementation.

 

Minutes:

            (During the course of consideration of this matter, Councillor Elkins declared a personal interest as a member of West Sussex County Council.)

 

            The Subcommittee received this report from the Director of Place which set out the detail of a Green Infrastructure Masterplan – Coast to the South Downs, which set out a vision for green infrastructure linking the coastline at Bognor Regis with the South Downs National Park at Fontwell.  To assist Members in their deliberations, illustrative plans 1-6 of the relevant areas were circulated at the meeting.  At this time, Members were being requested to endorse the report both for the purposes of assisting the assessment of any planning applications currently under consideration and for the purpose of public consultation; the illustrations should therefore be treated as informative rather than suggesting a definitive outcome.  Any responses received would then be reported back to the Subcommittee so that it could consider whether to recommend to Full Council adoption of the Green Infrastructure Masterplan as a formal Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).   Whilst some weight could be attached to the document in the determination of planning applications at it stood, that weight would be increased significantly if it became an SPD.

 

            The Director of Place emphasised that the document was a vision of what could be achieved and delivered through development but that negotiations would have to be undertaken with landowners and, also, that the challenges of accessing funding would have to be addressed.

 

            Members supported the approach being taken and views were expressed that a coherent connection between the coast and the South Downs National Park was to be welcomed. 

 

            Following a number of questions which were responded to at the meeting by the Director of Place, the Subcommittee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the report be endorsed, both for the purpose of assisting the assessment of any planning applications currently under consideration and for the purpose of public consultation.

35.

High Level Development Principles for the Barnham / Eastergate / Westergate (BEW) Strategic Planning Allocation pdf icon PDF 534 KB

This report seeks the endorsement of the Council to a series of high-level development principles to guide the form of the development at BEW. 

 

Minutes:

            (Prior to consideration of the following item, Councillor Elkins declared a personal interest as a member of West Sussex County Council.)

 

            The Director of Place presented this report which sought endorsement of the Council to a series of high-level development principles to guide the form of development at Barnham/Eastergate/Westergate (BEW).  Appendix 1 to the report detailed these principles and Members were advised of some minor amendments to 5 of them.  In discussing the amendments, Members made further suggestions, particularly around SDP24 Low Carbon Energy and SDP29 Broadband and, for clarity, those amended principles are listed below with the amendments shown in bold and underlined:-

 

SDP 1 Access and Strategic Movement - The new community at BEW will have a permeable layout that integrates and maximises and prioritises sustainable patterns of movement, linking the area to the wider community.  The development will also make provision for parking and access to and from the Barnham Railway Station as well as seeking to improve local bus services. Key routes through the development will be wide enough to accommodate buses in addition to parked vehicles.

SDP 7 Place-Making Objectives - The allocation will exemplify high standards of urban, landscape and architectural design to create a distinctive and attractive place with legible character areas that maximise the potential for sustainable design and non-car-based travel.    There should be high quality public realm and public art resulting overall in a place where people will want to live, work and visit for generations to come. The layout should seek to avoid the physical coalescence of the allocation with the existing communities unless there is a sound place making objective to do so such as where part of the allocation may reasonably be regarded as an urban extension.  To reinforce the sense of creating a new community any development which is physically separate from the existing communities by means of the strategic open space being created,  should have a cohesive modern contemporary design approach for the whole of the new community.

SDP 13 Education - The allocation will facilitate the provision of a new Secondary School at Ford, at least two Primary Schools and nursery provision on site, where a need is identified by West Sussex County Council. These new facilities will be a significant focus for community life, playing a key role in fostering a new community through the development and education of younger people. and should be constructed so as to provide a climate-smart benchmark through use of technology, renewable energy and sustainable materials.

SDP 24 Low Carbon Energy - Development at the allocation will promote low carbon energy technologies and opportunities should be taken to incorporate renewable energy features on all buildings.  The development should also embrace the transition to electric vehicles. 

SDP29 Broadband – The allocation will ensure that all development has access to gigabit capable full fibre infrastructure and where appropriate make provision for future changes in technology, subject to viability.

The remaining high level principles were accepted without change.

 

            The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.