Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented the Birchall Garden Suburb Masterplan and said the report sought approval to adopt the masterplan as a material planning consideration. She said that the East Herts District Plan was adopted in 2018 and it allocated a number of strategic sites for growth. Policy EWEL1 in the District Plan set out the strategy for co-ordinated development of Birchall Green through a joint masterplan with Welwyn Hatfield Council.

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth said that the masterplan was developed by East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield working with the landowner and other key stakeholders. She said that the landowner had submitted an outline application in June 2022, so the councils decided to lead on the plan process and jointly appointed an external partner. A steering group was established with representatives from both councils and met on four occasions and three engagement events were held for local members and residents.

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth said that if it was adopted, it would become a material planning consideration for both councils and be a reference guide for Herts County Council with regards to transport, highways and education provision.

Councillor Glover-Ward proposed that the recommendation in the report be supported. Councillor Copley seconded the proposal.

Councillor Cox said that he appreciated that the document was a masterplan and not a planning application but said that if approved, it would be an out of town housing estate serving a town that had huge amounts of brown belt land. He said that he felt the council should oppose the application.

Councillor Estop said that masterplans were an excellent policy and was pleased to hear that a steering group had helped officers work through the process. She said she felt that the masterplan process and document needed to be easier to understand so that the public felt they had joint ownership. She also said that the document started with aspirations for sustainable, high quality design which she said was an easy cliché and highly specific about high quality. She said that her overriding concern was that the landowner and developers were absent from the document yet they were the ones that needed to be ticking the box. She felt that a masterplan needed a statement from the landowner to demonstrate that they were committed to the process of the masterplan and its principles and there was not any information in the document about implementation.

Councillor Daar said she went to the resident engagement event with Councillor Glover-Ward and said she was impressed at the efforts being made on active travel within the development. She hoped that as the development came forward, active travels links would continue to Hertingfordbury and Sele and be promoted.

Councillor Hart said that the allocation for affordable housing within the document was on the low end. She said it was 40% for East Herts but said this was always normally watered down when development started. She said it was not financially or  ...  view the full minutes text for item 188

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented the Birchall Garden Suburb Masterplan report which recommended to Council the adoption of the masterplan as a material consideration for development management purposes. She said that the council had worked with the landowner and key stakeholders and had been prepared by East Herts Council and Welwyn Hatfield Council as the site straddled the boundary..

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth said that the masterplan process would normally come first but the landowner had submitted an outline planning application for the site in June 2022. She said that there was a steering group that had helped develop the masterplan with both representatives from East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield and they had met on four occasions. There were also three in-person engagement sessions for local residents to understand the process.

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth said the design approach was in chapter three of the masterplan which set out the key themes and a strong vision to ensure these were maintained as the proposals were developed.

Councillor Glover-Ward proposed that the recommendation in the report be supported. Councillor Hoskin seconded the proposal.

Councillor Dunlop asked why the only considerations for food production in the masterplan were allotments and orchards. He felt that the masterplan lacked ambition and that allotments were a token solution.

The Planning Policy Team Leader said that the masterplan did not preclude further opportunities for food growth. He said that the site would be made up of several planning applications but would take away Councillor Dunlop’s point and review.

Councillor Dumont said the report talked about the risks of the report not being agreed and that local stakeholders had been engaged in the process and were supportive of the document. He asked if the Executive Member could reassure Members that the report did have the support of the local community and expand on the risks of not approving the masterplan.

Councillor Glover-Ward said that if the council had a masterplan for the area, any planning applications would be judged against the plan. She said for example, they might not be able to place schools in the optimum sites for sustainable travel.

The Planning Policy Team Leader said that most masterplans set up a steering group with local members and officers and in this case, across two councils. He said the steering group had four meetings and in the final meeting, the final masterplan was presented to the group, and they were happy with the outcome. The steering group discussed engagement with residents and the council held engagement events so that local residents could come along and talk to officers to understand the process. He said the draft masterplan had been on the council’s website for six weeks with additional information.

Councillor Hopewell said that residents might get anxious when they see masterplans and proposals for development. She said the administration was keen that residents feel consulted and engaged with and asked what the council and members could do  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122