Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd October 2009 (for information).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd October 2009 were agreed as a correct record.

Minute 09/10 Proposed Revision to Wealden Local Development Scheme

In response to a question relating to the Community Infrastructure Levy, the Head of Planning and Environmental Policy explained that the final regulations were still awaited.  It was anticipated a report would be prepared once the detailed information was available.

The Committee considered a report which outlined the key issues arising from the Council's Core Strategy Spatial Development Options consultation and the proposals for developing the preferred spatial strategy.  This would allow the finalisation of the preferred strategy for the proposed submission Core Strategy based on consultation responses and other evidence, in a way which would best reflect need and deliverability.

Members were reminded that the consultation had been undertaken to further develop the Council's agreed spatial strategy and provide the opportunity for the local community, parish and town councils, other statutory consultees and key organisations to comment on the strategic aims and alternative options for future housing and employment growth in the District and other key issues.  A summary of the 10 options for growth and six questions forming the basis of the consultation were contained in Appendix A to the report.

Full details of the analysis of responses were contained in the report together with the officers' initial comments under the following headline issues:

-     The South East Plan

-     The unique character of the District

-      Regeneration and accessibility

-     Physical, community and green infrastructure

-      Employment and the economy

-      Sustainability and design

-      Infrastructure delivery

-     Waste water treatment capacity

-     Transport infrastructure

-     Other infrastructure requirements

The Head of Planning and Environmental Policy advised that recommendation B was an important part of the final testing and modelling of growth.  Paragraph 2 of the report explained that the fundamental elements of the consultation would be taken and tested on the basis of deliverability of the broad locations for growth, thus allowing an indication of development locations in the Council's single preferred strategy.  He drew particular attention to, and explained the purpose of, the recommendations.  The key comments in paragraph 5 of the report showed a lack of support for option 6 as being undeliverable and not aligning with the South East Plan.  The Central Rail Corridor Board had concluded that no further work should be undertaken on the Lewes/Uckfield railway line.  Adjoining authorities and the Local Strategic Partnership did not favour option 6 in line with this conclusion.

The Assistant Planning Policy Manager and Senior Planning Officer Policy gave a detailed presentation covering the following:

The purpose of Consultation

To identify:

-   the priorities of the local community;

-   to what extent the options and aims meet local and regional plans and strategies; and

-   the ability to deliver different distributions of growth

Responses to the Consultation

Responses by respondents:

-   interest and action groups;

-   parish councils;

-   statutory consultees;

-   businesses including developers and agents; and

-   general respondents.

Proposals from Analysis

-   Use the South East Plan as a basis for further assessment;

-   consider development requirements of AONB communities, whilst protecting the landscape;

-   create a Sustainable Settlement Strategy recognising sustainable transport provision;

-   confirm approach to improve economic performance; and

-   complete evidence base concerning water efficiency and carbon emission reduction.

Infrastructure and its impact on the Deliverability of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

The Assistant Planning Policy Manager provided an update with regard to progress on the LDF and outlined key issues since the last meeting of the Sub Committee.

A full analysis of the consultation responses had been undertaken and was reported elsewhere on the Agenda.

An advisory meeting with the Planning Inspectorate had taken place and a number of key issues had been raised, including:

1.   The necessary focus on "place" including housing, employment and other spatial matters.  The Core Strategy should have a clear picture of how the District's towns and villages would change.

2.   The importance of identifying the additional infrastructure necessary to delivery the overall strategy including especially waste water treatment, potential A27 improvements and mitigation requirements for the Ashdown Forest.

3.   The likelihood of limiting other included policies/policy areas within the Core Strategy to affordable housing, sustainable buildings, renewable energy, gypsies and travellers, and accessibility of small settlements.

The Inspector had also made the point that work on the Core Strategy should be kept focussed and not be side tracked by less critical matters.

With regard to infrastructure, the joint East Sussex/Eastbourne/Wealden Councils' transport study was due to report back by the end of February 2010.  Consultation responses from the Environment Agency and Southern Water concerning waste water treatment capacity had identified some technical anomalies which required clarification and further discussions particularly in view of Ofwat's funding programme.  There would be further assessments with regard to conservation issues relating to Ashdown Forest and Pevensey Levels and Natural England was undertaking additional work on Appropriate Assessment to feed into the Core Strategy.

With regard to adjoining authorities and the progress with their Core Strategies, Mid Sussex District Council was looking at a broad location in the East Grinstead area for the provision of 570 additional dwellings on a mixed development, and discussions with Eastbourne Borough Council on its latest consultation on housing options would be taking place early in the new year.

The Assistant Planning Policy Manager advised that the findings of the Housing Needs Survey were due to be reported to Cabinet in January.  Work was also being carried out in connection with the provision of permanent pitches for gypsies and travellers through the Partial Review of the South East Plan.

In response to Members' questions, the Head of Planning and Environmental Policy advised that the provision of sites for gypsies and travellers and travelling showpeople was referred to in the recent Inspector's comments and the methodology and criteria for the assessment were under review at the forthcoming examination in public (partial review of the South East Plan).  In response to a query, he confirmed the Inspector's comments would be made available to Members.

The Sub Committee noted the report and that the full PINS note would be circulated to Members of the Sub Committee.

The Chairman of the Sub Committee reported on the November LSP meeting and advised that the special 'Highways for the future' event on 24th November had been well attended by businesses, parishes/towns and infrastructure providers.  The delivery project was now underway. 

Councillor Galley further advised specific details of the meeting with the representatives of Government Office for the South East (GOSE) and Communities and Local Government (CLG) that had taken place on 24th November 2009.  GOSE/CLG had indicated it was pleased with progress on the LDF and the officers had built a very positive relationship with those organisations.  A summary of the discussion would be circulated to Members. 

LDF Informal Briefing Sessions

The Planning Policy Manager reminded Members that the dates for the informal briefing sessions, commencing in the New Year, had been fixed and circulated to all Members of the Council together with a brief overview of the content.  The Chairman of the Sub Committee confirmed that further details would be circulated in due course.

The next scheduled meeting will be held on 24th February 2010 at 2.00p.m. in Hailsham.

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on 24th February 2010 at 2.00pm in Hailsham.