Agenda item

(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 (para. 9.80) be amended to read:

 

“The Cheadle Town Centre Phase 2 Study (2017) considered the provision of a link road between the A522 Tean Road and Brookhouse Way / A521 as part of this residential scheme. The route is severed by a disused railway line which is in third party ownership and a bridge would be required to connect a link road through. The Council will safeguard the route within the site for a potential future link road and secure developer contributions towards the construction of the link road.”

 

As an AMENDMENT, it was PROPOSED and SECONDED that site “LE127” be removed from the proposed site allocations.

 

Upon being put to the vote the Amendment was declared CARRIED.

 

As an AMENDMENT, it was PROPOSED and SECONDED that there should be no development on The Mount, Leek except for brownfield sites.

 

A named vote having been called, voting was as follows:-

 

Those voting FOR:

 

Councillors Atkins, Bull, Gledhill, K. Jackson, M.M. Lovatt, M.A. Lovatt, Lucas, Malyon, Walley, P. Wilkinson, C. Wood, P. Wood, Worthington. (13)

 

Those voting AGAINST:

 

Councillors Bond, Bowen, Davies, Deaville, Ellis, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Forrester, Hall, Harrison, Hawkins, Hughes, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Ogden, Podmore, Ralphs, Riley, Roberts, Shaw, Wain, Ward. (24)

 

ABSTENTIONS:

 

Councillors Alcock, Banks, Jebb, A. Wilkinson.  (4)

 

The AMENDMENT was declared LOST.

 

As an AMENDMENT, it was PROPOSED and SECONDED that site “BDNEW” be removed from the proposed site allocations.

 

A named vote having been called, voting was as follows:-

 

Those voting FOR:

 

Councillors Alcock, Atkins, Gledhill, K. Harrison, Hawkins, K. Jackson, Jebb, M.M. Lovatt, Lucas, Malyon, Walley, A. Wilkinson, P. Wilkinson, C. Wood, Worthington. (15)

 

Those voting AGAINST:

 

Councillors Banks, Bond, Bowen, Bull, Davies, Deaville, Ellis, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Forrester, Hall, Hughes, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Ogden, Podmore, Ralphs, Riley, Roberts, Shaw, Wain, Ward, Worthington. (25)

 

ABSTENTIONS:

 

There were no abstentions.

 

The AMENDMENT was declared LOST.

 

As an AMENDMENT, it was PROPOSED and SECONDED that site CH132 be removed from the proposed site allocations, that no development takes place in Cheadle until a link road be built and that the proposed school in site CH321 be moved to a more central location.

 

A named vote having been called, voting was as follows:-

 

Those voting FOR:

 

Councillors Alcock, Atkins, Bull, Gledhill, Harrison, K. Jackson, M.M. Lovatt, Lucas, Malyon, Walley, A. Wilkinson, P. Wilkinson, C. Wood, P. Wood. (14)

 

Those voting AGAINST:

 

Councillors Banks, Bond, Bowen, Davies, Deaville, Ellis, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Forrester, Hall, Hughes, Jebb, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Ogden, Podmore, Ralphs, Riley, Roberts, Shaw, Wain, Ward, Worthington. (25)

 

ABSTENTIONS:

 

There were no abstentions.

 

The AMENDMENT was declared LOST.

 

It was PROPOSED and SECONDED that the recommendations contained in the report be approved, subject to the amendments made above. 

 

A named vote having been called, voting was as follows:-

 

Those voting FOR:

 

Councillors Banks, Bond, Bowen, Davies, Deaville, Emery, Fallows, Flunder, Forrester, Hall, Harrison, Hawkins, Hughes, Jebb, Jones, Lawson, Lea, Ogden, Podmore, Ralphs, Riley, Roberts, Shaw, Wain, Ward, Worthington. (26)

 

Those voting AGAINST:

 

Councillors Alcock, Atkins, Bull, Ellis, Gledhill, K. Jackson, M.M. Lovatt, Lucas, Malyon, Walley, P. Wilkinson, C. Wood, P. Wood. (13)

 

ABSTENTIONS:

 

There were no abstentions.

 

RESOLVED:  1.     That the background evidence and subsequent analysis referred to in the report and accompanying appendices be considered.

 

2.    That the Preferred Options Local Plan for public consultation purposes be agreed, subject to the deletion of site LE127 and amendments to Policy DSC3 referred to above.

 

3.    That delegated authority to the Executive Director (Place) to make non-material amendments to the Preferred Options Local Plan document ahead of the public consultation be agreed.

 

4.    That the proposals for public consultation on the Preferred Options Local Plan be agreed.

 

5.    That the proposed timetable for taking the Local Plan forward be agreed. This would form part of the Local Development Scheme.