Agenda and minutes

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

(b)       Other Interests

The following declarations were made:

To consider, in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, the approval of a dispensation to Councillor D. Trigger from attending meetings of the Council and its constituent bodies due to his ongoing treatment for a medical condition until the next meeting of the Council when the situation will be reviewed.

RESOLVED - That, in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, Councillor D. Trigger be granted a dispensation from attending meetings of the Council and its constituent bodies due to his ongoing treatment for a medical condition until the next meeting of the Council when the situation would be reviewed.

RESOLVED  -  That in accordance with Rules 30.3 and 26 of the Council Meeting Procedure Rules, rules of debate be suspended to facilitate informal debate.

(Councillors Hart, Herdman and P. Jackson left the meeting during its consideration and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.)

The Assembly considered a report which sought agreement on the Local Plan Preferred Options for consultation purposes and the timetable for the preparation and submission of the Local Plan to the Secretary of State.

The adopted Core Strategy made a commitment to undertake an early and comprehensive review of the plan for the period 2016 – 2031 to take account of longer term development requirements. The review of the Core Strategy would also roll it forward into a single local plan combined with site allocations.

To date, two public consultations had been undertaken alongside the gathering of extensive new evidence to inform the emerging Local Plan. On 8th March 2017, the Council agreed the development requirements for housing (average of 320 homes per year) and employment (27ha in total) up to the year 2031 in light of new evidence regarding housing and employment needs.

This Preferred Options Local Plan sought to provide an overarching strategy for the development of the District up to the year 2031 which delivers the agreed development requirements and wider objectives in a sustainable manner. The plan provided both strategic and more detailed development management polices and identified specific sites and boundaries to help determine future planning applications.

The plan built on the approach taken for the adopted Core Strategy with modifications to reflect new evidence, feedback and new Government policy and regulations. Key changes included amendments to Preferred Options sites, a new approach to support limited infill in the Rural Areas, an adjustment to the Spatial Strategy to increase the percentage of housing in the Rural Areas by 3% with a corresponding increase in Cheadle. These changes had enabled a significant reduction in the amount of Green Belt release when compared to the previous sites and boundaries.

It was proposed that the Preferred Options Local Plan would be subject public consultation from 31st July to 22nd September. This equated to nearly eight weeks. This goes beyond the standard six week period of consultation in order to account for the summer holiday period. It must be noted that the proposals agreed for consultation at the Preferred Options stage may be subject to change following further consideration prior to publication of the Submission Version Local Plan scheduled for February 2018. The submission of the Local Plan to the Secretary of State was proposed to follow in June 2018.

Members considered the details of the report in considerable depth.  This included concerns with regards to proposed sites allocated in Leek, Biddulph and Cheadle, the need for improved infrastructure to support new development and the impact on the green belt.  Councillors also requested that changes be made to Policy DSC3 Mobberley Farm, Cheadle as follows:

Second bullet point be amended to read:

“Safeguarding of the route within the site for a potential future link road and securing developer contributions towards its construction;”

Supporting text to Policy DSC3  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.