Agenda item

to consider a report that updates Members on the status of Our Plan, in particular the Development Plan element of the Plan

38/15  

A report was considered that updated Members on the status of Our Plan, in particular the Development Plan element of the Plan.  The report made recommendations for next steps, which involved an adapted approach focused around the Housing Market Area (HMA) and a strengthened Duty to Co-operate arrangement.

The report was also considered by the Executive on 15 October 2015, with the recommendations being endorsed (subject to inclusion of some minor additions) at this meeting (Minute E.31/15 refers).

In discussion, the following points were raised:-

(a)    Some Members confirmed their support for the Executive recommendations and emphasised the need for the Council to make swift progress in this regard.

(b)    Two additional recommendations were separately PROPOSED and SECONDED as follows:-

-         That ‘Our Plan’ be re-named ‘Our Plan: South Hams’; and

-         That a specific Duty to Co-operate arrangement be put in place with neighbouring authorities in immediately adjacent Housing Market Areas.

When voted upon individually, both proposals were subsequently declared CARRIED and added to the substantive motion.

It was then:

RESOLVED

1.       That Option 2 for progression of South Hams Our Plan (as set out at section 4 of the presented agenda report) be pursued recognising that this will need a plan period to 2032 or 2033 or alignment with neighbouring authorities;

2.       That a detailed Duty to Co-operate protocol, or similar agreement, be established with neighbouring planning authorities within the Housing Market Area.  This would  address joint approaches to strategic planning relating to timetable, evidence, policies, strategic allocations, governance, staffing, scope of Housing Market Area, viability and infrastructure amongst other matters;

3.       That the Local Development Scheme be reviewed and re-issued in line with point 1 (above);

4.       That further evidence work (joint or specific) be procured as required;

5.       That the response to the Our Plan Topic Papers public consultations be published (as set out at section 4 of the presented agenda report);

6.       That the remaining Strategic Housing Land Availability assessment work be published (as set out in section 4 of the presented agenda report) and options for additional sites be explored;

7.       That a budget provision for 2016/17 of £75,000 be made for Our Plan examination anticipated to be met from the Planning Policy and Major Development Reserve.

8.       That guidance for Neighbourhood Plan Groups be issued to inform their work as it relates to Our Plan

9.       That a refreshed Our Plan Engagement Strategy be issued

10.    That regular updates be provided to the Strategic Planning Working Group

11.    That further monitoring reports be submitted to the Executive every three months and the Council as and when required making specific proposals for future consultation, consideration and submission of Our Plan

12.    That those specific details to be agreed under recommendations 2,3,6,8 and 9 be delegated to the Lead Specialist – Place and Strategy in consultation with the Chairman of the Strategic Planning Working Group and the Leader of Council;

13.    That ‘Our Plan’ be re-named ‘Our Plan: South Hams’; and

14.    That a specific Duty to Co-operate arrangement be put in place with neighbouring authorities in immediately adjacent Housing Market Areas.