Cabinet Member for Planning
Minutes:
21.1 The Chair of the Council welcomed Tom Barker, Assistant Director for Sustainable Communities, and Robert Hobbs, Corporate Manager for Strategic Planning to the meeting.
21.2 The Cabinet Member for Planning, Councillor Arthey was invited by the Chair of the Council to introduce report BC/20/8.
21.3 Councillor Arthey addressed some of the key points in the report including the background stages of the Joint Local Plan’s production, the extensive evidence base of the plan, the recommended options, and the principles provided by the plan.
21.4 Councillor Arthey went on to explain the amendments required to the Statement of Community Involvement due to the ongoing situation with Covid-19.
21.5 Councillor Arthey expressed thanks to the Chief Executive, the Assistant Director for Sustainable Communities, Tom Barker and his teams, especially the Strategic Planning team. He also thanked Phil Isbell, Chief Planning Officer and the Planning Team for their support. Special thanks were given to the Corporate Manager for Strategic Planning, along with the Members involved with the development of the plan.
21.6 Councillor Arthey PROPOSED the recommendations in the report which was SECONDED by Councillor Ward.
21.7 The Corporate Manager for Strategic Planning responded to Councillor Hinton’s question regarding Suffolk County Council’s Local Plan and explained that consultation had taken place between Babergh District Council and Suffolk County Council.
21.8 Councillor Hinton queried the extraction of mineral on development sites in relation to the Suffolk County Council mineral extraction plan and how this was mitigated in the Joint Local Plan. Councillor Arthey explained that sites were identified for housing allocation and not for mineral extractions.
21.9 Councillor Arthey and the Corporate Manager for Strategic Planning responded to Members’ questions regarding specific parts of the plan relating to their wards.
21.10 Councillor Barrett enquired whether support for planning applications with a wider mix of property sizes would be provided in the future, in particular four-bedroom houses. Councillor Arthey advised that decisions regarding these issues would be the responsibility of the planning department and Planning Committee.
21.11 Councillor Arthey responded to Member’s questions on issues including: the robustness of the Joint Local Plan, existing permissions granted, and how the consultation would be communicated to communities.
21.12 Following a query from Councillor Jamieson regarding policy LS01 and the village of Lindsey (Appendix a, page 328), the Assistant Director for Sustainable Communities confirmed that clarification of the number of dwellings would be provided outside of the meeting.
21.13 Councillor Arthey assured Members that Parish Councils had been engaged with the development of the JLP in 2018 and 2019 and that the plan had been well publicised.
21.14 Members debated the report on issues including: Neighbourhood Plans, the number of allocations for the Ipswich fringe area, potential increase in traffic and the provision of infrastructure, the National Planning Policy Framework, sustainability issues and local needs for housing.
21.15 Some Members fully supported the JLP and that the design of the plan would support biodiversity, whilst others had concerns for the impact on climate change, sustainability, and carbon reduction.
21.16 Councillor Ward expressed his support for the plan and commented on the work that had taken place in developing the plan.
21.17 Councillor Arthey summed up the issues and urged Members to support the submission of the plan for examination as the Council could not be fully compliant without one. The JLP would carry some weight to determine planning applications. The upcoming examination was unlikely to add many changes to the current draft, which he thought was a good plan.
21.18 The Chair of the Council read out the recommendations in the report.
21.19 The recommendations were put to Members for voting.
NOTE: Councillors Cresswell and Owen left the meeting at 7:17 pm, after the vote.
By 26 votes for and 1 vote against.
It was RESOLVED:-
1.1 That the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan Pre-Submission (Regulation 19) Document (November 2020) (Appendix A) be approved for publication under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).
1.2 That delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, to submit the Joint Local Plan Pre-Submission (Regulation 19) Document to the Secretary of State for an independent Examination and for modification and procedural processes necessary for the Examination.
1.3 That the addendum to the Statement of Community Involvement (November 2020) (Appendix E) be approved.
Supporting documents: