Agenda and minutes

The Panel considered a report on the Regulation 22 Consultation Statement, March 2017, which sought support to include this as a companion document to the East Herts District Plan for submission to the Planning Inspectorate.

The Statement had been prepared in order to comply with the requirements of Regulation 19 and Regulation 22 (1) part (c) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.  The Panel recalled that an Interim Consultation Statement had been considered at the Panel meeting held on 22 October 2016.  

Officers referred to the tabled amendment text relating to paragraphs 4.5 – 4.7 of the Statement set out at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, which highlighted updated figures on the number of comments received.

The Panel supported the recommendation now detailed.

RECOMMENDED - that the Regulation 22 Consultation Statement, March 2017, as detailed at Essential Reference ‘B’ to the report submitted and now amended, be agreed as a companion document to the East Herts District Plan, for submission to the Planning Inspectorate.

Consideration was given to a report setting out the Duty to Co-operate Compliance Statement, March 2017.  The Panel noted that a Compliance Statement was required, in order to help ensure that East Herts was able to demonstrate to an Inspector at Examination that it had met the requirements of the Duty. 

The Statement identified how the Council had engaged with neighbouring authorities and other organisations throughout the plan making process in order to address strategic cross boundary issues.  The Panel recalled that an interim version had been considered at its meeting held on 13 October 2016.

In response to Members’ comments, Officers explained that in respect of discussions with Uttlesford District Council on education provision, a Memorandum of Understanding would be agreed in due course.  It was also explained that the letters of support referencing regeneration of Harlow related to the wider Gilston and Harlow Town Garden Town project.  The Panel Chairman commented on the need to differentiate between the housing development on the Gilston Area site, which was wholly within East Herts and the broader project area involving Epping Forest and Harlow Councils.

The Panel supported the recommendations now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the Duty to Co-operate Compliance Statement be agreed in support of the Pre-Submission District Plan; and

(B)      the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree any further amendments to the Duty to Co-operate Compliance Statement  as required.

The Panel considered a report on an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) of the East Herts District Plan.  It was noted that, in line with the Council’s commitment to ensuring that its policies improved the quality of life within East Herts and that the District Plan policies were inclusive, met the needs of diverse communities and had outcomes and opportunities that were the same for all, an EQIA of the Plan had been undertaken.  This was detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report now submitted.

The Panel supported the recommendation as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the Equality Impact Assessment, March 2017, as detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be agreed.

The Panel considered a report seeking support for a schedule of Proposed Minor Changes to the District Plan.  The Panel also considered support for the submission of the District Plan and its supporting documents to the Planning Inspectorate on 31 March 2017, and the process, including indicative timelines, following submission of the Plan.

The Panel considered feedback on the Regulation 19 Consultation that had been undertaken between 3 November and 15 December 2016, and noted the next steps in the process, including submission of the District Plan to the Planning Inspectorate and the subsequent examination.

The Panel supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the schedule of Proposed Minor Changes, as detailed at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be agreed, with any further additions authorised by the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council;

(B)      the submission of the District Plan and supporting documents to the Planning Inspectorate on 31 March 2017, be agreed;

(C)      the process following submission of the District Plan be noted; and

(D)      the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree any further information required for the Examination.

Consideration was given to a report on the East Herts Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP), February 2017.  The Panel noted that in order to successfully deliver the identified level of growth across the District, new housing would need to be supported either by improvements to existing infrastructure or by the creation of new infrastructure.  Therefore the identification of required schemes was a fundamental part of the plan making process.  The Council was required to prepare an IDP in order to support the implementation of a local plan.

Various Members commented and asked questions on a number of different infrastructure issues. 

In response to Councillor S Bull’s comments in respect of the A10 southbound dualling at Buntingford, Officers acknowledged local concerns and advised that discussions with HCC would continue.

Regarding Councillor M Pope’s comments on the Spine Road in the development proposed to the north and east of Ware, the Panel noted that no exact route had yet been agreed and Officers advised that the trigger point for its provision was indicative and could be updated once the outcome of updated modelling work to be agreed by Hertfordshire County Council was known.

In respect of Councillor J Wyllie’s comments on the absence of London Road, Bishop’s Stortford from any transport measures, Officers advised again that HCC’s modelling work was awaited, but that initial evidence had demonstrated that the highway network in that area would be able to cater for the proposed level of development.

Councillor T Page referred to the map showing healthcare locations in Bishop’s Stortford and suggested this needed correcting, which Officers undertook to address.

Councillor G Jones made a number of comments relating to developers’ viability issues, the absence of off-street car parking as an infrastructure measure, the difficulties in persuading Network Rail to carry out station improvements in Hertford and the absence of special schools provision in Ware.  Officers commented that the schemes in the IDP were viable and had been evidenced by the studies undertaken.  It would be difficult to include off-street car parks in the IDP as parking generally was considered a part of much wider issues, such as sustainable transport.  As for special schools, this was difficult as HCC did not make forecasts as with other schools.

The Panel supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the East Herts Infrastructure Delivery Plan, February 2017, as detailed at Essential Reference ‘B’ of the report submitted, be supported as part of the evidence base to support the East Herts District Plan; and

(B)      the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to update the Infrastructure Delivery Plan as required for the Examination.

The Panel considered a report which sought support for the COMET Technical Paper, January 2017, as part of the evidence base to support the East Herts District Plan and detailed the main outputs of VISUM modelling.

The Panel was advised that transport modelling formed an integral part of the evidence base in support of local plan preparation.  The development strategy contained within the East Herts District Plan had been shaped by ongoing advice from both Hertfordshire County Council and Essex County Council in respect of highway capacity issues.  Each of the County Councils had prepared a strategic transport model which considered the impact of proposed growth on the highway network and identified mitigation measures that could alleviate any issues identified.

The Panel Chairman expressed her disappointment that the technical studies supporting the VISUM modelling had yet to be published by Essex County Council.  However, Officers provided the Panel with a verbal update with regards to emerging outputs.

The Panel supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the COMET Technical Paper, January 2017, be agreed as part of the evidence base to support the East Herts District Plan;

(B)      the outputs of VISUM modelling be noted;

(C)      the Head of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to agree the VISUM Technical Paper prior to the submission of the District Plan to the Planning Inspectorate; and

(D)      further transport modelling be undertaken prior to the District Plan Examination Hearing Sessions.

The Panel considered a report setting out the background and advantages of adopting a Masterplanning approach to development within East Herts.

The Panel noted that the District Plan included a series of site specific policies which established the principle of development in locations across the District and identified what a planning application was expected to address.  For the strategic sites, generally those over 500 homes, the District Plan set out a specific policy requirement that, prior to the submission of any planning application, a Masterplan should be prepared. 

The Panel considered the role of Masterplans and supported a process whereby Masterplans were collaboratively prepared and agreed to ensure high quality, well designed, sustainable places which embraced new technologies and construction techniques and had been developed with full community involvement.

The Panel Chairman emphasised the importance of this paper as it demonstrated the Council’s commitment to seeking high quality design and build in future developments.  Officers advised that these principles would be applied widely across large and small sites including sites those with affordable housing. 

In response to a comment from Councillor T Page on the need for guidance, Members were advised that training would be provided, including tours of sites that would demonstrate good and bad examples.

The Panel supported the recommendation as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the approach to Masterplanning set out in the report submitted, be agreed to support the delivery of sites allocated for development in the emerging District Plan.

The Panel Chairman welcomed Members, Officers and the public and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast.

She commented that this would be the last Panel meeting before the submission of the District Plan and advised that recommendations from this meeting would be submitted to meetings of the Executive and Council on 21 and 29 March 2016 respectively.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 13 October 2017.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.