Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer containing a summary review of the consultation outcomes for the Revised Draft Site Allocations Plan which was subject of public consultation in early 2018. The report highlights that, based on these outcomes, a relatively limited number of changes are proposed, where issues raised are considered to go to the soundness of the Plan. All of the representations have been made available to the Planning Inspectors and will be placed on line in due course.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report providing a summary review of the consultation outcomes for the Revised Draft Site Allocations Plan (SAP) which had been subject to public consultation between 15^th January and 26^th February 2018.

The report highlighted the changes now proposed which go to the soundness of the Plan following the consultation. It was noted that all of the representations and the revised Draft Plan had been submitted to the Planning Inspectors on 23^rd March 2018.

The Team Leader, Strategic Planning, presented the key headlines from the report noting that 2097 individual responses had been received which raised 7620 individual representations - 627 in response to the Parlington MX2-39 proposals. Issues which garnered the most responses related to Parlington, land to the east of Garforth and Aireborough.

Two changes to the Plan were detailed:

Broad Locations – In response to comments received from Historical England, Policy BL1 had been amended to read:

1. The Site Allocations Plan identifies sites as Broad Locations for housing and/or mixed use to contribute to the Core Strategy housing requirement in Policy SP6.

2. Broad Locations will remain within the Green Belt until they are required for housing and/or mixed use following a future review of the Plan

3. Upon review Broad Locations will be either (in whole or in part):

a)  allocated for housing (or mixed use), under policy HG 2, or

b)  allocated for school provision, under policy HG 5, or

c)  designated as safeguarded land, under policy HG 3, or

d)  deleted as a Broad Location.

This would provide flexibility for any future plans for the larger Broad Locations which may in the future only need to be released for housing, safeguarded land or a school in part

Green Belt – Where a non-Green Belt element of a larger site can be brought forward as a housing allocation this should be encouraged – where this approach does not restrict the future comprehensive development of a Broad Location at the point at which the Plan is reviewed. Following consideration of this on applicable sites, the Plan had been amended to allocate land for housing in Phase 1 at HG2-171, Westerton Road (Outer South West) for 35 units, with consequential amendments made to site plans and the indicative capacity for BL1-29 – to reflect that the small parcel of land is brownfield and could come forward for housing against Core Strategy policies.

The Panel noted that further hearing sessions were anticipated for July 2018. Discussions covered the following matters:

-  Development of a small non-green belt element of a larger site would not compromise the comprehensive development of the whole site at a future date. Such sites had been reviewed, and only site HG2 – 171 could sustain a split between allocation/Broad Location. It was noted that to provide additional assurance, the site requirements for any future development of HG2-171 could stipulate that the development should not compromise the development of the wider site at a later stage.

-  The fact that the SAP and Core Strategy Selective Review processes were ongoing simultaneously and the impact that the CSSR Housing Requirement  (51,952 units) balanced against the  SAP requirement of c70,000 units may have on any major appeals determined before July – when the Inspectors will conduct further SAP hearing sessions.

Additionally, it was noted that Thornhill Estates sought a Judicial Review of the Inspector’s decision regarding the Bagley Lane PAS site. It was agreed that Members would be provided with an update, following the deadline for submissions

In conclusion, the Chair highlighted that Members and officers noted and valued the number and content of the responses received to the consultation; and that these would be given due consideration as the Submission Draft progressed.

RESOLVED

  i).  To note the overall consultation outcomes as outlined within the submitted report

  ii).  To note that the Revised Draft Submission Site Allocations Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 23^rd March 2018

 iii).  To note the next steps in the Revised Plan Examination process.