Issue - meetings

To receive and consider report 97/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy). 

Introduction and Report Summary

The draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West (or South West Plan) covers the area which abuts the Vale’s western boundary. This area includes Swindon. An independent panel of planning inspectors examined the draft Plan and the representations made. The Report of the Panel was submitted to the Secretary of State in January 2008. Following receipt of the Panel Report the Secretary of State has now published her proposed changes to the draft Plan under cover of a letter from Baroness Andrews to Sir Simon day, Chair of the South West Regional Assembly. Responses to the proposed changes are required by Friday 24 October 2008. This report describes and comments on the main changes that are proposed and sets out a proposed response from this Council. The document incorporating the proposed changes runs to some 290 pages.

There is also a covering letter from Baroness Andrews to Sir Simon day, Chair of the South West Regional Assembly.    

In the draft South West Plan, Swindon is identified as a Strategically Significant City or Town (SSCT) and, among other things, the Plan includes the proposed location of a strategic urban extension of about 12,000 dwellings on the eastern side of the town. This was endorsed by the Panel Report.  The Secretary of State has accepted that provision for sustainable housing growth in Swindon should include 12,000 new homes to the east of the town. This and other more detailed matters will be considered further in the main body of this report.

In her covering letter the Secretary of State notes that while the basis of the draft Plan has been retained, changes are proposed to reduce its length and make it clearer. These are summarised as:

a)         Section 2 ‘The Context for the Spatial Strategy’ has been deleted in its entirety.

b)         Section 4 ‘Sub-Regional Strategy Statements and Housing Distribution’ and Section 5 ‘Regional Approach to Transport’ have been deleted and completely replaced.

c)         A new policy ‘Policy CSS’ sets out the core objectives of the strategy.

d)         Housing provision over the plan period is increased by 29% over that in the draft Plan. The additional housing growth is proposed at Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth.

 e)        The affordable housing target is increased from 7,500 to 10,000 homes per annum.

f)          Changes have also been made to Policy G on Sustainable Construction and Policy RE5 on Renewable Energy to more closely align them with national policy.

The Secretary of State comments that the changes signal the need for the draft Plan to be refined through a partial review to ensure the South West maximises its contribution to the national home building target. Any additional housing growth will need to be planned in the most sustainable way by identifying further broad locations to meet longer term development needs, considering proposals for New Growth Points and Ecotowns.

The Secretary of State  ...  view the full agenda text for item 74

(Time: 3.36pm to 3.40pm)

The Executive received and considered report 97/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) that set out proposed changes to the draft South West Spatial Strategy, also known as the South West Plan.  The report also set out recommendations from the Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group on the response that should be made to the Secretary of State. 

In the draft South West Plan, Swindon had been identified as strategically significant and included a proposal for 12,000 dwellings on the eastern side of the town, near to the Vale’s boundary. 

While the basis of the draft Plan had been retained, changes were proposed to make it clearer and shorter.  The Executive reviewed the recommendations of the Advisory Group and concurred with its views. 

RESOLVED

that the following responses be made on the draft South West Plan’s proposed changes to the Government Office for the South West:

(a)               The Council objects to Development Policy A, as proposed to be changed, because the references to the wider context have been deleted and  recommends that new Development Policy A, as proposed to be changed,  is amended to restore these explicit references to the wider context;

(b)               The Council objects to Development Policy D, as proposed to be changed, because it does not require that the regionally and sub-regionally significant  infrastructure required to service development has been identified and proven to be deliverable and recommends that Development Policy D, as proposed to be changed, is amendedby the addition of the words ‘as part of the relevant major development proposal as set out in the RSS’;

(c)               The Council supports the addition to para 3.7.3 of the clause “well-connected by sustainable transport to higher order services and facilities in city and town centres”;

(d)               The Council objects to Development Policy F, as proposed to be changed,  because it does not explicitly acknowledge that urban extensions have implications for their surrounding communities and recommends that Development Policy F, as proposed to be changed, fourth bullet point, is amended as follows; ‘amenity space and green infrastructure that meets community needs, provides adequate protection to existing neighbouring communities, respects the landscape setting and supports improved biodiversity’;

(e)               The Council objects to Policy HMA2: Swindon HMA, as proposed to be changed, because it should make provision for an additional search area of sustainable housing and accordingly make consequential changes to the quanta of new homes set out in the respective search areas and require that the regionally and sub-regionally significant  infrastructure required to service development has been identified and proven to be deliverable. It recommends that Policy HMA2: Swindon HMA, as proposed to be changed, is amended;

(i)                 as it relates to Area of Search 2A to the east of Swindon by the deletion of 12,000 new homes and the substitution of 10,200 new homes,

(ii)               by the insertion of a new Area of Search at Commonhead for 1,800 new homes, and

(iii)             by the insertion of the following text ‘  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74