Minutes: LDF Core Strategy MWG 09.01.14

THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL

At a meeting of the Local Plan Member Working Group held in the Dickinson Room, Three Rivers House, Rickmansworth, Thursday 9 January 2014 from 4.00pm to 5.02pm.

Present:-Councillors Martin Trevett (Chairman), Sara Bedford, Phil Brading, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Paula Hiscocks, Marie Louise Nolan, Ralph Sangster and Ann Shaw OBE.

Officers:-Claire May, Principal Planning Officer

Geof Muggeridge, Director of Community and Environmental Services

Renato Messere, Head of Economic and Sustainable Development

Janet Ide, Committee Manager.

LP08/13MINUTES

The Minutes of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy Member Working Group meeting held on 25 September 2013 were agreed as a correct record.

LP09/13DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

LP10/13SITE ALLOCATIONS EXAMINATION

Following approval by Full Council, the Site Allocations Local Development Document was submitted to the Government for Examination on 21 June 2013. In October 2013, an independent Inspector, appointed by the Planning Inspectorate, conducted the Examination by way of written exchanges and a series of hearings held between 15 and 31 October 2013.

As a result of representations made on the submission of the Site Allocations LDD, subsequent written submissions, discussions at the hearings and site visits, the Inspector had issued a letter detailing the additional changes that were necessary to make the Plan ‘sound’.

The Member Working Group received the Inspector’s letter which outlined the additional Main Modifications to the Site Allocations LDD (SALDD) which were necessary to meet legal and statutory requirements.

The Inspector had stated that the changes previously proposed by the Council and the modifications proposed in his letter, were necessary in order to make the Site Allocations LDD sound.

As the extension of the Kings Langley Employment Area was not considered necessary to make the Site Allocations LDD sound, it was the officer’s opinion that it should not be extended to include the land put forward by the Alpine Press and the new Gospel Halls Trust for housing and worship respectively.

As the Council had a legal duty to progress the Local Plan there was no real alternative option to proposing the modifications to the Site Allocations LDD as set out in the report. To not propose all the required modifications as set out in the Inspector’s letter, would lead to the Site Allocations LDD being found not to be ‘sound’ and the Council would be unable to adopt the document as part of the Local Plan for the District. The risks associated with this option were significant and would mean the Site Allocations process would cease and an early review of the Core Strategy would need to be undertaken. This would require an objective assessment of housing need to be undertaken in accordance with National Policy which was likely to result in a much higher housing target and the need for a full Green Belt Boundary review to accommodate that need.

In addition, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that local planning authorities should grant planning permission where a ‘local plan’ was absent, silent, indeterminate or where relevant policies were out of date. Therefore, in order to resist speculative planning applications for inappropriate development in the District it was imperative that the local plans were in place as soon as possible.

IIn the context of the Inspector’s letter of the 28 November 2013, there were no reasons to withdraw or choose not to propose the modifications required. To do so would leave the Council without an up to date Development Plan and place it at risk of being unable to successfully defend the refusal of what it considered to be inappropriate development.

Following the approval by the Executive Committee a statutory six week period consultation would be undertaken. It would be in the form of a schedule listing the changes and everyone on the database would be sent a letter/or email to advise them of the consultation and would be directed to the website. Any representations would be sent to the Inspector for his consideration. Once the Inspector decided that there were no further issues that had been raised he would then issue his draft report. When the report was finalised it would be referred to Full Council, in June 2014, with the recommendation that Council adopt the Plan.

Members of the Group felt that the letter should contain a paragraph that explains that whilst the Council did not think the Inspector had come to the right opinion on all matters, the Inspector had made his recommendations which the Council had to accept and that the Council would only be consulting on the soundness of what the Inspector had decreed. Members of the Group would be sent a copy of the draft letter for their agreement.

A member asked that as all these papers were in the public domain could the Group agree that the papers be published on the website. This was unanimously agreed.

It was proposed by the Chairman, duly seconded by Councillor Paula Hiscocks and unanimously agreed that the Local Plan Member Working Group recommend to Executive Committee that the changes proposed as Main Modifications by the Inspector be agreed.

ACTION AGREED:-

that the Local Plan Member Working Group recommend to Executive Committee that the following changes be proposed as Main Modifications to the Inspector:

The deletion of the following sites from the Site Allocations LDD
Site S(b) Froghall Farm
Site H(1) Adjacent 65 Toms Lane
Site H(2) Land at Three Acres, Toms Lane
Site H(6) Leavesden Pumping Station
Site H(13) Killingdown Farm Buildings
Site H(17) Branksome Lodge, Loudwater
Site H(26) Harefield Road Depot
Site H(28) Land South of Tolpits Lane

That the previously proposed removal of the Green Belt designation from the above sites are withdrawn where appropriate

That the Green Belt designation is removed from the build areas of the school sites, Site S (a) Mill End/Maple Cross and Site S (d) Baldwins Lane.

That the site dwelling capacities of the following sites are reduced:

Site H(3) Kings Langley Employment Area (reduce by 50 dwellings)
Site H(33) Former Little Furze School (reduce by 25 dwellings)
Site H(36) The Grapevine Public House (reduce by 10 dwellings)

That land at Woodside Road (as detailed in Appendix 3) be allocated for 100 dwellings in combination with a primary school and phased 2016-2021 to address the loss of dwellings from this 5 year planning period and that the Green Belt designation be removed from the housing and the school build area

That land at Fairways Farm (as detailed in Appendix 3) be allocated for 100 dwellings and phased post 2026 with a view to bringing it forward if needed or retaining it as undeveloped if appropriate to contribute to the next plan period and that the Green Belt designation be removed.

That land at Killingdown Farm (as detailed in Appendix 3) be allocated for between 140-180 dwellings phased post 2026 with a view to bringing it forward if needed or retaining it as undeveloped if appropriate to contribute to the next plan period and that the Green belt designation be removed from the site area.

GYPSY, TRAVELLER AND TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE CONSULTATION

An assessment had been undertaken and as a result there was one less pitch required. The Consultation document had been adjusted and would be sent out shortly.

LAND AT WOODSIDE ROAD, ABBOTS LANGLEY

A Member asked that a Planning Brief be prepared for land at Woodside Road as this would not be a popular development, and in order to mitigate circumstances, it would be helpful. Officers agreed to investigate the feasibility of preparing a brief.

CHAIRMAN

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