Agenda item

(Director of Planning & Economic Development) To consider the attached report (LPC-004-2012/13).

(1)        That, using the methodology in Appendix 1 of the report, an assessment against the purposes of including land within the Green Belt for the new Local Plan be conducted by the Council.

The Senior Planning Officer presented a report regarding a proposed methodology for the assessment of purposes of including land within the Green Belt for the new Local Plan.

The Senior Planning Officer reported that the Council was currently consulting on areas for potential growth for the next plan period to 2033. In order to achieve even the lowest level of growth required over the next 20 years, some release of Green Belt land would be required. Previous work on the Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) looked at whether areas of land were available or deliverable. The purpose of a Green Belt assessment was to follow the SLAA work and determine which areas from those being considered were the least harmful to release from the Green Belt. Any release of Green Belt land had to be carried out in the context of the five purposes of including land in the Green Belt, and with close reference to existing guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The Senior Planning Officer advised the Cabinet Committee that a methodology had to be considered for assessing the impacts of releasing the various sites, to determine which sites would cause the least harm to the purposes of including land within the Green Belt. The proposed methodology had been attached at Appendix 1 of the report. The Green Belt assessment would be carried out at approximately the same time as further Sustainability Appraisal work. The recommendations of the Green Belt assessment could then be used alongside the results of the consultation and further evidence gathering to identify the best range of sites or areas to consider for further testing prior to potential allocation.

The Chairman emphasised that any assessment had to conform with the guidance given in paragraphs 79 – 92 of the NPPF. It should consider the impact on the openness and permanence of the land and the five main purposes for including land in the Green Belt, namely:

(i)         to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;

(ii)        to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;

(iii)       to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

(iv)       to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and

(v)        to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

The Cabinet Committee were reassured that the second purpose listed above would be applied to villages as well as towns, and the Forward Planning Manager confirmed that this purpose had always been interpreted as all settlements by Officers, but that the wording was proscribed by the NPPF. The Senior Planning Officer affirmed that sustainability issues were dealt with under separate policies, and hence had not been included in the methodology as this focused solely on the Green Belt. The Chairman stated that the proposed methodology incorporated best practices from other authorities and commended it to the Cabinet Committee for approval.

Decision:

(1)        That, using the methodology in Appendix 1 of the report, an assessment against the purposes of including land within the Green Belt for the new Local Plan be conducted by the Council.

Reasons for Decision:

To permit Officers to undertake an assessment for progressing land allocations within the Green Belt and the new Local Plan.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not approve a methodology for an assessment against the purposes of the Green Belt. However, this would risk insufficient land allocations being made to accommodate the District’s growth, and the Local Plan being found unsound at the Examination in Public.

To carry out further assessments of the Green Belt, which would result in delays to the Local Plan process.