Issue - meetings

This report provides an overview of the draft Green Belt Topic Paper prepared to assist with the formulation of the Local Plan.

Recommendation:

That the Local Plan Sub-Committee notes the contents of this report and the associated Topic Paper.

The Sub-Committee received a report which provided an overview of the draft Green Belt Topic Paper which had been prepared to assist with the formulation of the Local Plan.  The Sub-Committee was invited to note the contents of the report and the associated Topic Paper.

In introducing the report, the Head of Planning Policy & Conservation summarised that as 76% of the District was Green Belt, this topic area was one of the most important within the Local Plan.  Recent updates to national planning policy set out that Green Belt boundaries should only be altered where exceptional circumstances were fully justified: these exceptional circumstances included releasing Green Belt where housing needs could not be met in other areas (i.e. through urban and brownfield sites) and also the acute need for affordable housing and other forms of specialist accommodation.

The report summarised the three Green Belt reviews which had been undertaken in the past and introduced the latest Green Belt review.  Further detail on the evolution of strategy and policies, previous approach to the Green Belt, and key national policy changes was included in the Topic Paper.  The Sub-Committee heard that the Topic Paper was a ‘living document’ which would be updated throughout the plan-making process in order to reflect the updated evidence, changes to the policy context, and the outcomes of various stages of consultation and engagement.

In response to a question, officers advised that if it was felt that the standard method local housing need figure could not be met without unacceptable harm to the Green Belt, and the evidence met the test set out in paragraph 146 of the NPPF, then there was potential for the Council to make a case at Examination for a Local Plan with a lower housing need figure.

Jon Bishop, of the Three Rivers Joint Residents’ Association spoke on the item, drawing attention to potential anomalies arising from the settlement hierarchy outlined at paragraph 4.13.5 of the report.  It was considered that the current definition may result in a lesser protection for Carpenders Park than for South Oxhey (although they were considered to be essentially the same conurbation), and for Kings Langley (which partly sat in Dacorum) and it was suggested that officers review the paragraph to allow these areas to be viewed more holistically.

Officers advised that the settlement hierarchy would be updated as part of the Plan-making process but it was not expected to change significantly.   In classifying settlements as towns or villages consideration was given to Office for National Statistics (ONS) definitions, as well as definitions in previous Green Belt reviews.  As the classifications would be closely scrutinized at Examination, changes were likely to be challenged.  In relation to Carpenders Park it was not considered to be a village, but rather part of the urban sprawl conurbation of South Oxhey and Watford.  The classification of a settlement as a town, key centre or village would apply through the totality of the Plan, and not solely in relation to the Green Belt.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12