Agenda item

Summary

This report seeks Members’ approval of the Local Plan Regulation 18 Part Four:

Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting more

Green Belt land.

 

Recommendation

That the Policy & Resources Committee:

·        Approves and recommends to Full Council the Local Plan Regulation 18: Part Four: Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting More Green Belt Land document as set out in Appendix 1 for public consultation in accordance with the regulations and the Local Development Scheme.

·        That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning Policy & Conservation in consultation with the Lead Member for the Local Plan to make any minor changes that are required before the documents are published for consultation.

 

The Committee considered a report by Mr Marko Kalik, Head of Planning Policy and Conservation seeking Member’s approval to the Local Plan Regulation 18 Part 4: Three Rivers Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – protecting more Greenbelt land.

 

It was recommended that the Policy & Resources Committee:

 

1.    Approves and recommends to Full Council the Local Plan Regulation 18: Part Four: Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting More Green Belt Land document, as set out in Appendix 1, for public consultation in accordance with the regulations and the Local Development Scheme.

2.    That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning Policy & Conservation in consultation with the Lead Member for the Local Plan to make any minor changes that are required before the documents are published for consultation.

3.    That public access to the report be immediate.

4.    That public access to the decision be immediate.

 

At the invitation of the Chair, Mr Kalik presented the report. For the benefit of those Members who had not participated in Local Plan Sub Committee meetings where this Item had been considered, Mr Kalik provided a recap on how Members and officers had come to the present position and on proposals for the way forward.

 

At the conclusion of Mr Kalik’s presentation, the Committee heard a representation by Mr John Bishop on behalf of the Three Rivers Joint Residents’ Association.

 

The Committee then heard a detailed presentation by Councillor Giles-Medhurst, as Chair of the Local Plan Sub-Committee. During the course of his presentation, Councillor Giles-Medhurst moved that the Committee approve the Recommendations set out at Paragraph 16.1 of the report that was before the Committee.

 

The Committee then heard contributions from Members of the Local Plan Sub-Committee including Councillors Mitchell and Cooper.

 

In response to questions by Councillor Cooper, Mr Kalik provided the following information.

 

a)    Referring to Paragraph 2.12 of Appendix 1 to the report, officers had reviewed National Planning policies and were of the view that there were no exceptional circumstances that would allow use of an alternative method rather than using the Government’s Standard Method relative to housing targets.

b)    Officers had been holding regular “duty to cooperate” meetings with neighbouring authorities, infrastructure providers and other agencies. Therefore, it was unlikely that the Council would receive objections on the basis that it had not been holding “duty to cooperate” meetings.

 

The Committee then heard contributions from Councillors Hearn, Cooper, and Cox.

 

At this stage in the proceedings, Councillor Cooper moved the following amendment to the motion by Councillor Giles-Medhurst that the Committee approve the recommendations set out at Paragraph 16.1 of the report that was before the Committee:

 

Amendment 1

That the following sites be removed [from Appendix 1 – Local Plan Regulation 18 Part Four Consultation Document]:

 

1.    CFS3: Fraser Crescent and Woodside Road

2.    CFS6: Mansion House

3.    PCS21: Love Lane

4.    CFS65: Bucknalls Lane

5.    CFS16: Chorleywood Station Car Park

6.    EOS12.4: Maple Cross

7.    EOS7.0: Shepherds Lane and Mill End

8.    CFS59: London Road

 

Councillor Cooper addressed the Committee in support of the amendment. Councillor Hearn seconded the amendment.

 

The Chair spoke against the amendment before opening the debate to Members of the Committee.

 

Having put the amendment to a vote by way of a show of hands, the Chair declared that the amendment was not carried.

 

Councillor Cooper, seconded by Councillor Hearn, proposed the following amendment to the motion by Councillor Giles-Medhurst.

 

Amendment 2

That the following brownfield site be removed [from Appendix 1 – Local Plan Regulation 18 Part Four Consultation Document]: CG65: [Croxley Green] British Red Cross Community Way.

 

Having put the amendment to a vote by way of a show of hands, the Chair declared that the amendment was not carried.

 

Councillor Cooper, seconded by Councillor Hearn, proposed the following amendment to the motion by Councillor Giles-Medhurst.

 

Amendment 3

With reference to –

 

a)    EOS12.4: Maple Cross; and

b)    EOS7.0: Mill End,

 

that the following wording be included in the consultation:

 

“The infrastructure requiring current expenditure be open and operating before residential properties can be occupied”.

 

In response to a question by the Chair on the wording of the amendment, it was proposed that it would be necessary to seek legal advice as to whether the wording could be included in a local plan consultation.

 

After detailed discussion of the amendment, Councillor Cooper AGREED that the amendment be withdrawn.

 

Councillor Cooper, seconded by Councillor Hearn, proposed the following amendment to the motion by Councillor Giles-Medhurst.

 

Amendment 4

Regarding CFS16: Chorleywood Station Car Park, the consultation include wording to the effect that –

 

a)    There be no changes to the boundaries of Chorleywood Common; and

b)    That the permitted path through the site be preserved.

 

Councillor Cooper spoke in support of the amendment, noting that the permitted path through the site was not a “right of way”.

 

Following a debate by Members of the Committee on the proposed amendment, Councillor Cooper AGREED to the deletion of Paragraph a) of the amendment.

 

The Chair then put the revised amendment to a vote by way of a show of hands and declared that the amendment was carried.

 

Councillor Cooper, seconded by Councillor Hearn, proposed the following amendment to the motion by Councillor Giles-Medhurst.

 

Amendment 5

Regarding CFS65: Bucknalls Lane, that the wording in the consultation document be amended to include the following –

 

“Access would be required from the A405”.

 

Following discussion of the proposed amendment, the Chair declared that the amendment was carried by general assent.

 

Substantive Motion

 

The Chair put the substantive motion to a vote by way of a show of hands and declared that the motion was carried.

 

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

 

1.    Approve and recommend to Full Council the Local Plan Regulation 18: Part Four: Three Rivers’ Preferred Local Plan Lower Housing Growth Option – Protecting More Green Belt Land document, as set out in Appendix 1, for public consultation in accordance with the regulations and the Local Development Scheme, subject to the inclusion of the following provisions in the consultation:

a)    CFS16 Chorleywood Station Car Park: that the permitted path through the site be preserved; and

b)    CFS65: Bucknalls Lane: that access would be required from the A405

2.    That delegated authority be granted to the Head of Planning Policy & Conservation in consultation with the Lead Member for the Local Plan to make any minor changes that were required before the documents were published for consultation.

3.    That public access to –

•       The report; and

•       The decision

be immediate.

 

The meeting ended at 9.00 pm.

 

CHAIR