Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR

Contact: Helen Gray (0113) 3788657  Email: helen.gray@leeds.gov.uk

Note: Additional meeting 

Items
No. Item

20.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

 

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

Minutes:

There were no appeals against the refusal of the inspection of documents.

 

21.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

Minutes:

The agenda contained no exempt information.

 

22.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

 

(The special circumstance shall be specified in the minutes).

Minutes:

There were no late items of business.

 

23.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Minutes:

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made.

 

24.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor G Latty – Councillor J Procter attended the meeting as substitute. Apologies were also received from T Hill, Chief Planning Officer and D Feeney, Head of Strategic Planning.

 

25.

Core Strategy Selective Review pdf icon PDF 142 KB

The report of the Director of City Development provides a note of the workshop held for Development Plan Panel Members and others on 4th October 2017.

 

 

Minutes:

The Director of City Development submitted a report providing a note of the presentations and discussions held at the informal workshop for Development Plan Panel Members and others on 4th October 2017. The workshop focussed on some of the choices available for drafting policies and the scope of the Core Strategy Selective Review (CSSR). During discussions in response to the workshop notes, the Panel noted the following comments:

·  Some Members were keen to have a wider review of the Housing Market Characteristic Area (HMCA) boundaries, not just the anomalies identified to some boundaries.

 

·  The impact of the housing target calculation methodology, recently amended and simplified by the Government

 

·  Housing figures and the need to recognise that, until the Site Allocations Plan (SAP) containing a new housing target figure is adopted, the Authority will be under pressure to consider applications submitted in order to secure green belt or white land for development under the current SAP housing target

 

·  The proposed timescale for adoption of the revised housing target figure, recognising that the volume of consultation responses and the time taken to process them could impact on the planned implementation by end of 2018

 

·  The Strategic Housing Market Assessment process and the need to encourage housing delivery build-out rates to support Leeds’s 5 year land supply. One Member commented that as it was some time since the SHMA was reviewed; it would be useful to have up to date build-out rates.

 

·  The anticipated Chancellors Autumn Statement which could reflect the ongoing negotiation with the Department for Communities and Local Government over the two part Housing Deal for Leeds - firstly a city-wide approach involving the Housing Revenue Account and proposals to parcel up smaller pieces of land to encourage viable development by Small and Medium sized builders; and secondly the implementation of the Housing Investment Fund to address how the Authority can encourage the development of 17,000 homes on Brownfield Land. One Member suggested a cautious approach to the housing growth deal negotiations and reported on his experience of the current Homes & Community Agency disposal programme and focus on development on Government owned land and land designated as greenbelt or white land in his ward.

 

·  The Panel expressed support for additional resources to be targeted to support work on the CSSR, recognising that resources will be under pressure whilst the Authority deals with three urgent major pieces of work - the CSSR, Site Allocations Plan process and the Strategic Housing Market Assessment whilst also processing PAS site applications and complex appeals. Members received assurance that additional resources has been pooled from across Planning Services to support the processes and additionally, officers agreed to report the Panel’s comments to the Chief Planning Officer.

 

·  The ‘5 year land supply’ and the Authority’s position at appeals was discussed. Members received assurance that all of the evidence collated throughout the CSSR and SAP processes will be presented to any Inspector dealing with Section 78 planning appeals. It was reported that recently, Inspectors had had regard  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

Update on the Leeds Site Allocations Plan - Proposed Amendments to Examination Timetable and Scope of Further Technical Housing Work pdf icon PDF 79 KB

The report of the Director of City Development sets out a revised approach to progressing the Leeds Site Allocation Plan through its examination.  This is to ensure that the Council responsibility reflects a recent Government consultation and new evidence therein, which suggests that the housing need in Leeds is to reduce when compared to that in the adopted Core Strategy and therefore despite being sound, the Site Allocations Plan may result in green belt being released for housing which is ultimately not required.

 

The report sets out the initial scope of a revised approach to the SAP examination for consideration.  It updates the Panel on discussion with the DCLG and correspondence with SAP Inspectors.

Minutes:

The Director of City Development submitted a report setting out the initial scope of a revised approach to progressing the Leeds Site Allocations Plan (SAP) through the Examination process. The report also provided an update on discussions with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and correspondence with the SAP Inspectors.

 

In presenting the report, the Group Manager, Policy & Plans, set out the background to the need to take a revised approach to the SAP to have full regard of the consultation and reiterated that the figure specified in the consultation was intended to be a minimum and did not reflect the need that some authorities, such as Leeds, may have to match housing growth with economic growth ambitions. Additionally, the Government had made it clear that local authorities at advanced stages of Plan making should carry on regardless of the new approach to housing need.

 

Specifically the revised approach sought to ensure that Leeds reflected the most recent DCLG consultation “Planning for the right homes in the right places” and the evidence which suggested that the housing need in Leeds is likely to reduce. Using the Government’s proposed standardised method to calculate housing need had set a lower baseline for Leeds (the consultation figure is 2,649 homes per annum; equating to 42,000 for a 16 year plan period); compared to the 70,000 (net) requirement contained within the adopted Core Strategy (2012-2028).

 

At the time the SAP was submitted to the Secretary of State, the Council’s view was that planning for a lower Core Strategy Review housing requirement would ensure that the release of Green Belt remained justified. However, although the current SAP is considered sound, it was recognised that in light of a lower housing figure trajectory, it may result in green belt land being released for housing development which is ultimately not required and may not meet Government guidance. Careful consideration of whether the sites proposed to be released from the green belt to meet the CS targets remain fully in accordance with the exceptional circumstances required to release land from the Green Belt was now required – having regard to the latest consultation and methodology; and a revised housing requirement through the Core Strategy Selective Review which had indicated a downward trajectory of housing need.

 

Three options available to the Council were outlined: 

(a) Withdraw the Plan - Withdrawal of the plan would mean that Leeds would have no plan in place for the delivery of housing; leading to less certainty for investors in the City and an increase in speculative development proposals

(b) Carry on notwithstanding the recent consultation (as advised by the Government consultation) which could place the Inspector in a very difficult position with regard to the exceptional circumstances required to justify green belt loss and may ultimately result in a Plan which the Council may find very difficult to Adopt without challenge.

 

Support was sought for the third option - (c) continue to assess the SAP against the Core  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

27.

DCLG Consultation: 'Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places' pdf icon PDF 515 KB

The report of the Director of City Development asks the Development Plan Panel to consider the City Council’s draft response to the DCLG Consultation proposals, ‘Planning for the right homes in the right places’.  The draft response is attached as Appendix 1, which also included the Council’s previous response to the HWP (agreed by Executive Board).

 

Minutes:

The Group Manager, Policy & Plans, introduced the report of the Director of City Development setting out the Council’s draft response to the Department of Community and Local Government Consultation proposals ‘Planning for the right homes in the right places’ issued on 14th September 2017.  A copy of the draft response was attached as Appendix 1 to the report and included the Council’s previous response to the Housing White Paper published in February 2017.

 

Members discussed the focus of the consultation proposals - to promote a ‘new planning approach to speed up delivering homes’ and the range of proposals to achieve that; including:

 

Approach to calculating the local housing need – There was general agreement that a standard methodology was required so all planning authorities started from the same position and had the same approach, however the proposed response required more detail.

 

Statement of Common Ground – It was acknowledged that current Duty to Co-operate arrangements mostly worked well in West Yorkshire whilst acknowledging that some other local planning authorities were not always flexible and clear on what they hoped to achieve. The introduction of a Statement of Common Ground into that process would provide clarity.

 

Neighbourhood Planning – A comment was noted about the ambiguity of the question posed which seemed to suggest that Neighbourhood Plans could set development limits – this could set a precedent as they could be contrary to the limits set by the LPA – however importantly, Neighbourhood Plans could provide an overview for their area and work to provide local detail on the implementation of the Local Plan.

 

Viability Assessment – There was support for seeking VA’s earlier on in the planning application process acknowledging that the process would be overseen by the Authority. A comment was noted regarding the ability of the District Valuer to assess scheme viability prior to the grant of permission when some developers did not present deliverability/viability information with their applications, stating that viability was dependant on the volume of development permitted by the local planning authority.

 

Planning fees - There was support for an increase in planning fees, particularly for large volume sites.

 

Additionally, the Panel identified several responses which stated the Authority was ‘unsure’; it was agreed that further detail clarifying the reasons for the Council’s stance would be included. The Panel also noted that the Conservative Group on Leeds City Council would submit an individual response to the DCLG consultation.

RESOLVED –

a)  To note the contents of the draft consultation response to the DCLG consultation and the comments made during discussions

b)  To agree the revisions as suggested during the discussions and request that the Chief Planning Officer incorporate these into the City Council’s final response to be submitted by the 9th November 2017 deadline

 

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5 Councillors B Anderson and J Procter required it be recorded that they abstained from voting on this matter)

 

28.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 21st November 2017 at 1.30 pm

Minutes:

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 21st November 2017 at 1.30 pm