Issue - meetings

To receive and consider report 77/09 of the Head of Planning. 

(Time: 3.52pm to 4.07pm)

The Executive received and considered report 77/09 of the Head of Planning Services.  This set out the recommendations of the Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group on further changes to the draft core strategy as part of the council’s local development framework.  The report advised the Executive to carry out public consultation on these changes to assess reaction to the revised proposals.  This was a requirement of the local development framework procedure.  The report also set out a revised timetable to complete the core strategy. 

The key issue of debate at the advisory group had been over the need to provide for additional housing over that suggested in the original draft core strategy and the location of development.  The advisory group recommended that this should be north-east of Wantage rather than south-west of Abingdon, due to the evidence that the latter site should not be pursued for development.  Also recommended was a new housing allocation site in the northern part of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. 

The advisory group reconsidered the policy seeking affordable housing on all new sites and recommended that affordable should be sought on housing sites where the application was for three or more homes.  However, this would have to be subject to individual schemes remaining viable. 

The advisory group also looked at proposals for additional shopping floor space in Abingdon and Faringdon town centres. 

The Executive agreed with the advisory group’s recommendations and agreed to consult the public on the further changes proposed to the draft core strategy.  The consultation would take place from 18 December 2009 to 29 January 2010.    Councillors noted the proposed consultation arrangements. 

R E C O M M E N D E D

(a)               that the local development framework core strategy will not include a major housing site for up to 1,500 homes south-west of Abingdon as no deliverable solutions have been identified to resolve the traffic problems; and

(b)               that work proceeds on the core strategy on the basis of including a major housing site north-east of Wantage;

RESOLVED

(c)        that consultation is carried out for a six week period on the following:

(i)                 the amount and distribution of housing outlined in paragraph 14 of report 77/09, including the preferred strategic sites west of Didcot, south of Park Road at Faringdon, and north east of Wantage, and a new strategic housing site in the northern part of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus;

(ii)               a policy seeking affordable housing on all new sites in the district of three or more homes, subject to individual schemes remaining viable;

(iii)             a general policy relating to gypsies;

(iv)             current expectations on future economic development growth and the amount of land to be identified in the local development framework;

(v)               details of potential redevelopment schemes in Abingdon and Faringdon to provide additional retail floor space;

(vi)             a proposed new road west of the A34, linking the A417 south west of Didcot with the Harwell Science  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41