Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF. View directions

Contact: Andrew Bishop 

Items
No. Item

446.

Welcome

Minutes:

The Chair opened the meeting and welcomed Darryl Hemmings, Transport Planning & Policy Manager at West Sussex County Council, who was attending the meeting for Agenda Item 7 [Arun Transport Apportionment Methodology Update], and Sofina Ahmed from Arun’s Legal Services who was attending the Committee for the first time.

447.

Declarations of Interest

Members and Officers are invited to make any declaration 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 items 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 interest and/or prejudicial interest

c)             the nature of the interest

Minutes:

Councillor Elkins declared a Personal Interest as a Member of West Sussex County Council.

448.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 72 KB

The Committee will be asked to approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Planning Policy Committee held on 21 September 2022.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 September 2022 were approved by the Committee and signed by the Chair.

449.

ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA THAT THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING IS OF THE OPINION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY BY REASON OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Minutes:

The Chair confirmed that there were no urgent items.

450.

Public Question Time

To receive questions from the public (for a period of up to 15 minutes).

Minutes:

The Chair confirmed that there had been no questions from the public submitted for this meeting.

451.

Arun Transport Apportionment Methodology Update pdf icon PDF 222 KB

The report seeks to update the Arun Transport Apportionment Methodology prepared jointly with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) and obtain the Committee’s agreement that it be endorsed and be uploaded to the council’s evidence base website. This will help to ensure that the development of Arun provided for in the Adopted Arun Local Plan 2018 is sustainable and supported by necessary transport contributions that mitigate the impact of development.

Minutes:

The Chair, with the Committee’s consent, changed the order of the agenda to hear Agenda Item 7 [Arun Transport Apportionment Methodology Update] ahead of Agenda Item 6 [Local Plan Evidence Update - Biodiversity Net Gain Study] due to the presence of an external guest. The Chair then welcomed again Darryl Hemmings, Transport Planning and Policy Manager at West Sussex County Council, to the meeting. Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Planning Policy Team Leader presented the report which sought the Committee’s endorsement of the update to the Arun Transport Apportionment Methodology prepared jointly with West Sussex County Council, which would help to ensure that the development of Arun provided for in the adopted Arun Local Plan 2018 was sustainable and supported by necessary transport contributions that mitigated the impact of development. An increase in the scheme’s costs, driven by inflationary pressures particularly in the construction industry, was highlighted, as was a correction in paragraph 4.16 of the report [on page 30 of the Agenda Pack] with confirmation that, contrary to what it said in the report, a contribution from the Fontwell Strategic Development would go to the A29 Realignment project.

 

Members then took part in a full debate on the item where a number of points were raised, including:

·       the dramatic decrease in the A259-Comet Corner Junction and increase in the A259-Oystercatcher Junction cost estimates and whether what was being proposed had significantly changed and would have any impact to the safety schemes at both junctions

·       the impact of real and projected increases to interest rates on ensuring the appropriate levels of funding were received from developers and what flexibility there was to ensure contributions were proportionate to the final cost of a scheme

·       questions about the relationship between schemes and lead developments, their lack of proximity to each other (for example, the Comet Corner junction and the West of Bersted development), and that for many schemes the lead development being Littlehampton Westbank over which there were question marks and whether it should therefore be removed completely from the list to avoid causing delays to road improvements

·       the difficult position of wanting infrastructure improvements but them being dependent on planning applications that were viable to developers in terms of Section 106 contributions

·       concern for the possibility that developers might try to increase housing numbers in order to fund the higher contributions and then being in the vicious cycle of more cars and even greater demand on infrastructure, thus challenging the notion of building our way out of congestion problems

·       whether developers would be able to meet this extra cost which in some situations was significantly greater than previously estimated

·       the policy context (low carbon transport, public transport) and infrastructure being and needing to be a lot more than roads

·       the use of CIL funds for road improvements

·       the need to ensure local infrastructure improvements were also made to mitigate for the impacts of the strategic sites in addition to those schemes identified in the traffic modelling and concern with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 451.

452.

Local Plan Evidence Update - Biodiversity Net Gain Study pdf icon PDF 197 KB

This report seeks the Committee’s endorsement of the Biodiversity Net Gain Study (BNG) as a high-level baseline study, forming part of the evidence base to inform the Local Plan update (when it resumes). In particular, the BNG study informs the spatial application of the 10% net gain metric (when this is finalised in November 2023) through development management decisions. The BNG study will also help engagement with developers and nature recovery stakeholders, to deliver habitat creation/improvement projects in the right places, inform the preparation of an Arun Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and cross boundary nature recovery planning work e.g. emergent West Sussex County Nature Recovery Network.

Minutes:

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Planning Policy Team Leader presented the report which sought the Committee’s endorsement of the Biodiversity Net Gain Study (BNG) as a high-level baseline study, forming part of the evidence base to inform the Local Plan update (when it resumed). It was explained that the BNG study informed the spatial application of the 10% net gain metric (when this was finalised in November 2023) through development management decisions or offsite contributions for strategic sites, and would also help engagement with developers and nature recovery stakeholders to deliver habitat creation and improvement projects in core Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) and inform the preparation of an Arun Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and cross boundary nature recovery planning work like the emergent West Sussex County Nature Recovery Network. The Environment Act 2021 with its making mandatory the biodiversity net gain that already featured in Arun’s Local Plan, and the council’s own resolutions around the climate emergency and carbon reduction were identified as key drivers for this work.

 

During the discussion, all Members that spoke spoke highly of the report and thanked the Officer team involved in the project. Other points raised included that this would only become policy once the Local Plan review was underway, the importance of corridors between BOAs especially for rare species survival, the richness of habitats and wildlife throughout the District, the wide ranging consultation and high level of support informing the study, and concern for the bureaucratic consequences of the credit system to parts of the District if developers could offset biodiversity loss elsewhere than the site at which it was being lost. The recommendations were then proposed by Councillor Lury and seconded by Councillor Edwards.

 

The Committee

 

RESOLVED - That

 

1.    The key recommendations and actions of the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) study inform the Local Plan Update (when resumed) and that its contents and associated mapping be used as the basis for working jointly with neighbours and stakeholders coordinating and delivering a nature recovery network including though shaping preparation of the Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan;

 

2.    The existing nine Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOA) be strategic high value Core Areas for nature recovery and expansion, including the proposed use of semi strategic medium value wildlife corridors and ‘steppingstones’ of biodiversity to link habitats and species and for nature recovery;

 

3.    The proposed model policy approach to Biodiversity Net Gain (compared to Policy ENV DM5 of the Arun Local Plan) accommodate the 10% Biodiversity Net Gain metric when secondary legislation is implemented, under the Environment Act 2021 (Box 3.3, pages 56 - 57 of the BNG Study);

 

4.    That the BNG Study be finalised for uploading on the Local Plan evidence webpage.

453.

Arun Infrastructure Funding Statement 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 117 KB

This report updates the Committee on the publication of the council’s annual Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) setting out Section 106 planning obligation contributions and CIL income and spend on the council’s infrastructure list from the previous financial year, in accordance with ‘The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations 2010’ (as amended).

 

Minutes:

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Planning Policy Team Leader presented the report which updated the Committee on the Council’s annual Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) setting out Section 106 planning obligation contributions, CIL income and spend on the Council’s infrastructure list from the previous financial year in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations 2010 (as amended). The Section 106 and CIL income and expenditure in paragraphs 4.7 and 4.8 [pages 37-38 of the Agenda Pack] were noted. The significant increase in CIL money received when compared with the previous year (£359k compared with £98.6k) and what CIL money has been spent on were highlighted.

 

Members then took part in a full debate on the item where clarification was sought on the reasons for CIL relief to be granted given the relief amount far exceeded the amount received in CIL receipts by the Council, and why the Council had Section 106 income that had not been formally allocated. Officers confirmed that CIL relief was given for a variety of reasons including affordable housing and customer self-build and that the CIL Infrastructure Investment Plan setting out the Council’s priorities for CIL funds had come to the Committee earlier in the year [Minute 605], and clarified planning terminology for monitoring purposes so that unallocated income should be understood as identified contributions for which there was not yet a formal contract in place. The recommendation was then proposed by Councillor Lury and seconded by Councillor Kelly.

 

The Committee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Arun Infrastructure Funding Statement 2021/22 be published on the Arun District Council website in accordance with Regulation 121A of the Community Infrastructure Regulations 2010 (as amended).

454.

Littlehampton Economic Growth Area (LEGA) pdf icon PDF 104 KB

This report seeks the Committee’s agreement that the proposed Littlehampton Economic Growth Area (LEGA) Study update should exclude work on the West Bank Strategic Allocation elements of the Study and focus the study brief on the riverside opportunities and the area between Climping beach and the West Bank. The study would, therefore, aim to complement what might happen on the West Bank through the existing LEGA study and Strategic Allocation in the adopted Arun Local Plan 2018.

Minutes:

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Planning Policy Team Leader presented the report which sought the Committee’s agreement that the proposed Littlehampton Economic Growth Area (LEGA) Study update should exclude work on the West Bank Strategic Allocation elements of the Study and focus the study brief on the riverside opportunities and the area between Climping beach and the West Bank. The study would therefore aim to complement what might happen on the West Bank through the existing LEGA study and Strategic Allocation in the adopted Arun Local Plan 2018. The Group Head of Planning noted that there was developer interest in the West Bank site and therefore it would not be prudent to use public money to produce work to generate such interest as per the original decision at Committee in June 2021, and instead direct the available funds to other specific areas identified in the report.

 

The Chair having invited discussion, Members that spoke sought greater clarity on the area that this study would include and why this area rather than others had been identified for this work, and though the Planning Policy Team Leader did explain that part of the study would be to define the area more definitively and that no new sites could be allocated outside of the development plan process, the Chair proposed a deferral which was seconded by the Vice-Chair in order to seek further clarification on the extent of the area (to include a map) and why this area had been identified as opposed to others.

 

The Committee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the item be deferred to the Special meeting on 7 December 2022 in order for Officers to provide further clarification on the extent of the area (including in a map format) and why this area had been identified as opposed to others.

455.

Arundel Town Council Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) pdf icon PDF 116 KB

The report seeks the Committee’s agreement in principle to support the development of Arundel Town Council’s Local Walking Cycling and Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) because it is consistent with the Council’s approach to delivering Active Travel opportunities, through its Active Travel study which was approved as a material consideration.

Minutes:

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Planning Policy Team Leader presented the report which sought the Committee’s agreement in principle to support the development of Arundel Town Council’s Local Walking Cycling and Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) because it was consistent with the Council’s approach to delivering Active Travel opportunities having previously approved its Active Travel study as a material consideration.

 

When the Chair invited discussion, one Member questioned the level of response and whether the Committee should hold off making a decision until the outcome of further consultation was known, whilst another congratulated Arundel Town Council on their work and hoped other Town Councils could do similar as it was really important for local communities to think about how they could get around their towns in more sustainable ways. The recommendation was then proposed by Councillor Lury and seconded by Councillor Thurston.

 

The Committee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Arundel LCWIP be supported in principle subject to the caveats in section 4.5 of the Officer report.

456.

Key Performance Indicators 2022-2026 - Quarter 2 Performance Report for the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022 pdf icon PDF 98 KB

This report updates the Committee on the Q2 Performance Outturn for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which make up the Corporate Plan, for the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Group Head of Planningpresented the report which set out the performance of the Key Performance Indicators at Quarter 2 for the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022. It was explained that this Committee had one KPI to note [CP36 – Number of new homes completed].

 

The Chair raised the issue of the council having no control over the achievement of this KPI and that it was down to developers to deliver on the housing they had planning permission to build. Another Member asked how many planning permissions had not been implemented and the Group Head of Planning responded that there were currently around 6,000 unimplemented permissions, though he did qualify this number also included outline permissions that could not necessarily be implemented, and that further detail would be available following the Annual Monitoring Report in January. The Committee then noted the report.

457.

Outside Bodies

Minutes:

The Chair noted that Members had received a Member Briefing on the South Downs National Park Authority from Councillor Thurston ahead of the meeting. He also stressed the need for the Strategic Site Advisory Groups to resume their meetings which would then be reported into this Committee. The Group Head of Planning confirmed that he was looking into setting up a series of these meetings over the next few months.

458.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 71 KB

The Work Programme for the remainder of 2022/23 is attached for the Committee’s information.

Minutes:

The Planning Policy Team Leader noted that additional reports on the Annual Monitoring Report, Brownfield Land Register and Southern Water’s consultation on their Water Resources Management Plan would be going to the January 2023 meeting of the Committee. The Chair verbally updated Members on a Special meeting of the Committee on 7 December to agree a response to the National Highways A27 Arundel further consultation, arranged after the publication of the agenda pack. The Group Head of Planning highlighted the work around bringing the Arun Housing Market Absorption Study to Committee and that due to the desire for a Member Briefing ahead of it coming to Committee there may be a need for it to be heard at a Special meeting of the Committee after the January meeting. The Committee then noted the Work Programme.