Agenda item

To receive and consider report 95/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy). 

Introduction and Report Summary

The Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets the overall timetable for producing documents that comprise the Local Development Framework (LDF).  The current LDS was submitted to the Government towards the end of 2006 and agreed by them in May 2007.  It is important that it is kept up to date as all LDF documents must be prepared in accordance with it; it informs people what documents will be produced and when; and one element of the Planning and Housing Delivery Grant is dependent on Councils meeting the key milestones it sets out.  The LDS should therefore be as realistic as possible about the future work programme.

For ease of reference Appendix 1 to this report sets out the key milestones for:

·      The Core Strategy – which establishes the vision for the future of the Vale and the different communities within it, the broad framework for development in the district, key policies and strategic sites

·      A “Managing Development” Plan Document – (formerly called the Site Allocations Document) which identifies smaller sites, contains the criteria based development control policies and shows detailed designations (such as major developed sites in the Green Belt)

·      The Statement of Community Involvement - sets out how people will be involved in the preparation of the LDF documents

·      Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) for design and also sustainable construction and resource efficient buildings.

Appendix 2 contains the LDS as proposed to be revised and submitted to the Government Office.

We have recently received a request from Thames Valley Police to secure contributions or facilities for the police.  Officers are currently assessing the need for and timing of such guidance, and whether the resources are available to prepare and implement it.  The Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group considered it would be appropriate for a decision on whether to include this in the LDS to be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the planning portfolio holder and opposition spokesman.

The contact officer for this report is Katie Barrett (Development Policy Manager, telephone 01235 540339.  E-mail address: katie.barrett@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Recommendations

The Executive agree the changes to the timetable for the preparation of the documents that will comprise the local development framework as set out in Appendix 1 to this report, and agree to the Local Development Scheme in Appendix 2 to this report being submitted to the Government Office.

In the event that the Government Office requires changes to the Local Development Scheme, authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) to:

i)          make minor changes that do not affect the overall approach of the LDS

ii)         make more substantive changes in consultation with the planning portfolio holder and opposition spokesman.

Authority be delegated to the Deputy Director in consultation with the planning portfolio holder and opposition spokesman to decide the principle of whether to include an SPD for contributions towards new infrastructure for the police arising from new development. 

(Time: 3.28pm to 3.33pm)

The Executive received and considered report 95/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) regarding the need to review the Local Development Scheme.  The scheme set the overall timetable for producing the Local Development Framework documents.  The current scheme had been agreed by the Government in May 2007.  However, it was important that it was updated as it informed the public about the timescale for the production of documents.  One element of the Planning and Housing Delivery Grant was dependent on councils meeting their key milestones set out in the Local Development Scheme.  It was noted that the reason behind the revision was the extra work the Government now the required councils to do; originally the requirement had not been so onerous.  A draft of the revised scheme had been considered and approved by the Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group.  The Advisory Group had recommended the scheme’s approval by the Executive for submission to the Government Office. 

The revised scheme had taken account of the following:

·      The Government expected the Local Development Framework’s Core Strategies to contain more information about place shaping and include strategic sites for development.  More evidence had to be gathered than previously envisaged and there had been delays in obtaining responses from statutory consultees

·      The Government had merged the issues and options stage with the preferred options stage and introduced consultation on the submission document before it was submitted to the Secretary of State.  All of this would also require changes to the Statement of Community Involvement

·      No bids had been received from consultants to prepare the Design Guide, resulting in a re-writing of the brief and a delay

·      A new supplementary planning document had to be added to the scheme on sustainable construction and resource efficient building

The amended scheme had set out more realistic dates and avoided key consultations around the local elections in June 2009 (County Council) and May 2011 (District Council).   The Core Strategy would be adopted in June 2011 and the Managing Development document would be adopted in August 2012. 

Members also noted that the Council had received a request from Thames Valley Police to secure financial contributions towards their services and facilities.  An assessment was taking place of the need for and timing of such guidance, and whether resources would be available to prepare and implement it.  The Strategic and Local Planning Advisory Group considered that a decision on whether to include this in the Local Development Scheme should be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder and Opposition Spokesman.  The Executive agreed to this delegation but considered that if extra work was required to prepare a supplementary planning document, it should be funded by the Police. 

RESOLVED

(a)       that the changes to the timetable for the preparation of the documents comprising the Local Development Framework be agreed, as set out in Appendix 1 to report 95/08, and that the Local Development Scheme, set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be submitted to the Government Office for approval;

(b)       that in the event that the Government Office requires changes to the Local Development Scheme, authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy) to:

(i)         make minor changes that do not affect the overall approach of the scheme;

(ii)        make more substantive changes in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder and Opposition Spokesman; and

(c)        that authority be delegated to the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy), in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder and Opposition Spokesman, to decide the principle of whether to include a supplementary planning document for contributions towards new infrastructure for the Police arising from new development.