Agenda item

(Planning & Governance Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-022-2017/17).

(1)        That the progress made in the production of the Local Plan be noted;

(2)        That the updated Local Development Scheme, included at Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed and published on the Council’s website;

(3)        That expenditure from the Local Plan budget to date in 2017/18 be noted;

(4)        That District Development Fund growth bids be made in the sums of:

            (a)        £706,440 for 2018/19; and

            (b)        £400,180 for 2019/20 (£1,106,620 in total over the two financial       years); and

(5)    That the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder be authorised to report directly to the full Council at a special meeting in December 2017 on the proposed Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan for publication.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning & Governance presented a report updating Members on progress with the preparation of the Epping Forest District Local Plan.

The Portfolio Holder informed Members of the housing need figure published by the Government for the District of 923 homes per annum, which was almost double the 514 homes per annum currently within the draft Local plan for the District. It had been proposed by the Government that this figure would be required if the Council’s Local Plan had not been submitted for Examination in Public by 31 March 2018. Consequently, agreement was sought from the Cabinet for an updated Local Development Scheme, the high level project plan for the preparation of the Epping Forest District Local Plan. The proposed new scheme would supersede the earlier Local Development Scheme agreed in March 2017, with the preparation of the single District-wide Local Plan scheduled for submission to the Secretary of State for examination in March 2018.

In addition, the Cabinet was requested to authorise the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Governance to report directly to a special meeting of the Council in December 2017 on the proposed Regulation 19 Pre Submission Plan for publication. The Portfolio Holder stated that it was not clear at the present time exactly when the Examination in Public would be held, but it was expected to be in the Autumn of 2018. If all went well, then the Council would be looking to adopt the final Local Plan for the District in May 2019.

In order to meet this accelerated timetable, the Portfolio Holder stated that further funding of £706,440 in 2018/19 and £400,180 in 2019/20 would be required, and the Cabinet was requested to agree the necessary growth bids from the District Development Fund to be considered as part of the forthcoming budget setting process. This would amount to an additional £1,106,620 of funding over and above the estimated expenditure of £1,226,710 in 2017/18 and the previously agreed budget of £237,000 for 2018/19.

In response to comments and questions from the Members present, the Portfolio Holder stated that it would be possible for the Council to develop a sound Local Plan within the accelerated timetable; however, some non-essential elements would not get completed or would be completed in parallel with the essential elements. The Portfolio Holder assured the Cabinet that he would not bring forward a draft Local Plan for approval that was neither sound nor capable of being found sound by the Planning Inspector at the Examination in Public.

The Cabinet agreed that this was the right course of action for the Council to take in order to avoid the requirement for additional houses having to be built in the District.

Decision:

(1)        That the progress made in the production of the Local Plan be noted;

(2)        That the updated Local Development Scheme, included at Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed and published on the Council’s website;

(3)        That expenditure from the Local Plan budget to date in 2017/18 be noted;

(4)        That District Development Fund growth bids be made in the sums of:

            (a)        £706,440 for 2018/19; and

            (b)        £400,180 for 2019/20 (£1,106,620 in total over the two financial       years); and

(5)    That the Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder be authorised to report directly to the full Council at a special meeting in December 2017 on the proposed Regulation 19 Pre-Submission Local Plan for publication.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council was obliged under the Localism Act 2011 to prepare and publish a Local Development Scheme so that the public and stakeholders were aware of the likely timing of key stages of the plan making process.

The Council had to ensure that the Local Plan was sound and deliverable to meet the requirements of legislation and national planning policy, and also to ensure that future development was plan-led, sustainable and of a high quality. To ensure that the Local Plan would be sound and deliverable, it was vital that the production and implementation process was adequately resourced.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not provide an update on the preparation of the Local Plan.

To not agree to amend the Local Development Scheme.

To not agree the additional funding identified for the Local Plan from the District Development Fund.