Decision details

(Time: 3.43pm to 3.46pm)

The Executive received and considered report 14/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) regarding Swindon Borough Council's Core Strategy, part of its Local Development Framework.  Following the Issues and Options stage, Swindon Borough Council had published its Preferred Options document.  This would set the context for future growth at Swindon over the next twenty years.  Much of the document addressed matters local to Swindon.  However, for the Vale the document touched on issues such as the relationship with villages outside Swindon and the eastern extension to Swindon comprising 12,000 dwellings.  The document asked for views on its contents and sought responses to a number of specific questions, particularly in relation to the vision and objectives which underpinned the preferred options. 

A report on this matter had been considered by the Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group in May 2008.  Based on this report and the comments of the Advisory Group, comments on the Core Strategy Preferred Options Document were submitted to Swindon Borough Council.  Due to a deadline of 12 May for these comments, it was not possible for the Executive to consider these comments before they were submitted.  However, the covering letter had explained that this matter would be taken to the Executive for further consideration and ratification.  The comments which were submitted to Swindon Borough Council took into account the Advisory Group's views. 

Members noted that since this matter was considered by the Advisory Group, Thames Water had published its draft Water Resources Management Plan which identified the proposed reservoir in the upper Thames as the preferred option to maintain security of water supply from 2020 to 2025.  The Council’s response to Swindon Borough Council had been updated as the officers were concerned that historical revisions to the timetable for a reservoir did not lead to confidence in future target dates.  The officers raised concerns over the planning of a major strategic housing allocation on the basis that a provisional and as yet unjustified reservoir was going to be built. 

Members agreed with the officers' comments and endorsed the response to Swindon Borough Council. 

RESOLVED

that the responses to the Swindon Borough Core Strategy, as set out in Section 4 of report 14/08, be endorsed and that these be formally submitted to Swindon Borough Council as the Vale Council’s responses in this matter.