Agenda item

(Director of Neighbourhoods) to consider the attached report.

The Planning Policy Manager, Mr K Bean introduced the Brentwood Draft Local Plan 2013-2033 consultation report. The Committee noted that the Brentwood Draft Local Plan includes the strategy, planning policies and proposed land allocations intended to cover the period 2013 to 2033.

The Borough has an area of about 15,300 ha, 89% of which was Green Belt. Its 2011 population was 73,601 with the 2014 mid-year estimate being 75,600. It provided about 30,000 jobs, dominated by micro and small businesses.

The Draft Plan sought to fully meet its Objectively Assessed Housing Need (OAHN) within Brentwood’s boundary – 7,240 houses (net) between 2013 and 2033 - an average rate of 362 per annum. Provision will also be made for an additional 5,000 jobs (250/annum), requiring about 33ha new employment land mainly located (23.4 ha proposed) at Junction 29 of the M25 – Brentwood Enterprise Park.

Areas within the two key transport corridors (i.e. the A12 and A127) created the focus for sustainable growth. Brentwood and Shenfield would be the main focus for development in the A12 corridor supported by two strategic allocations in the A127 corridor, making provision for new homes and jobs.

To meet local needs fully there will be limited release of Green Belt for development within transport corridors. Limited development, including infilling where appropriate, would take place in villages within rural areas at a level which maintained local amenity and distinctiveness, and was commensurate with available services and facilities. This means that development in the Rural North of the Borough (the area adjoining this district) was extremely unlikely to be of significant extent or to have any adverse consequences for Epping Forest District.

The Essex Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) published in July 2014 identified a need for an additional 84 pitches in the Borough between 2013 and 2033. Since July 2013, permission has been granted for 17 new pitches, reducing the GTAA target to 67. The Draft Plan included a criteria-based policy to deal with planning applications for pitches and proposes the Dunton Hills “Garden Village” as a broad location for future provision of about 20 pitches. Epping Forest District and Brentwood Borough are in a very similar situation – i.e. with challenging pitch provision targets from the GTAA (112 and 84 respectively) and with very comprehensive Green Belt coverage (92% and 89% respectively), so there could be some advantage in considering joint provision in the general area of the common boundary. The Draft Plan suggested that the target for new pitches may fall slightly in light of the revised guidance, and the GTAA was being reviewed.

RESOLVED:

That the following comments be made to Brentwood Borough Council in response to the consultation on its Draft Local Plan 2016:

(a)  To support Brentwood Borough Council’s spatial strategy which

(i)            concentrates new housing and employment development in the A12 and A127 corridors; and

(ii)           allows for limited release of Green Belt for development, and limited development, including infilling, within rural villages.

(b)  To support the aim of Brentwood Borough Council to make provision for its full Objectively Assessed Housing Needs (7,240 new houses) entirely within its own area.

(c)  To suggest that the final version of the Local Plan should include

(i)            direct reference to the Duty to Co-operate and related future arrangements with neighbouring authorities; and

(ii)           consideration of the potential for joint working with neighbouring authorities to make sufficient provision for the needs of the travelling community, with particular reference to paragraphs 4(d), 10 (c) and 16 of “Planning policy for traveller sites” (2015).