Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence.

To confirm, as a correct record, the minutes of the Local Plan Sub-Committee meeting held on 11 September 2024.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

To receive any declaration of interests.

This report sets out the implications the Government’s consultation on the new National Planning Policy Framework will have on the emerging Three Rivers Local Plan. Based on these implications Officers recommend to delay the Regulation 19 consultation and undertake further evidence work.

Recommendation:

That:

·         The Local Plan Sub-Committee agrees the delay of the Regulation 19 publication of the Local Plan;

·         Authorises Officers to undertake the further evidence work on Green Belt, Urban Capacity, Open Space, Sport and Recreation and Gypsy and Traveller needs;

·         That Officers prepare an updated Local Development Scheme setting out an updated timetable for the Local Plan.

This report seeks member agreement of the updates to the draft Local Plan policies from the Draft Local Plan Regulation 18 Part 1: Preferred Policy Options document. The policies were amended in response to changes to national planning policy, comments received as part of the Regulation 18 consultation and consideration at Local Plan Sub-Committee meetings in 2022 and 2023. The majority of these policies were then brought to Local Plan Sub-Committees throughout the summer of 2024. Further changes have been made to some of these policies following discussions at Local Plan Sub-Committees earlier this year. Additionally, this report seeks member agreement of a number of other policies that have not been brought to the 2024 round of Local Plan Sub-Committees.

Recommendation:

That the Local Plan Sub-Committee note the contents of the report, and recommends to the Policy and Resources Committee the following policy updates:

·            Residential Design and Layout

·            Chiltern Beechwoods SAC

·            Heritage and Historic Environment

·            Advertisements

·            Deliveries, Servicing and Construction

·            Ground Conditions, Contamination and Pollution

·            Northwood Headquarters

·            Green Belt

·            Green Belt Appendix

·            Provision for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

·            Green and Blue Infrastructure

·            Housing Density

·            Trees, Woodlands, Hedgerows and Landscaping

·            Broadband and Electronic Communications

·            Sustainable Transport and Travel

·            Open Space, Play Space and Recreation

·            Retail and Leisure

·            Affordable Housing

·            First Homes

·            Employment and Economic Development

·            Biodiversity

·            Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Development

·            Vision for Three Rivers and Strategic Objectives

·            Overarching Policy on Sustainable Development

If the Sub-Committee wishes to consider the remaining items in private, it will be

appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be

excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under Paragraphs 1 to 7 of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”