Agenda item

  Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services -

  Spatial Planning Team Leader, Regeneration and Local Services.

The Chairman introduced the Spatial Planning Team Leader, Michelle Robinson who was in attendance to give a progress update on the County Durham Plan(for copy see file of minutes).

The Spatial Planning Team Leader asked Members to recall the last update at Committee in October 2017, with Cabinet in November 2017 receiving a new timetable and a response from the Council to the Government consultation on “Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places”.  Members were reminded of the history of the County Durham Plan (CDP) and that the current position in terms of having paused and more recently having a figure in terms of housing need of 1,368 units per annum.  The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that the original projections made in June 2016, using Office of National Statistics (ONS) data from 2012, had been for between 1,500 and 1,700 per annum, however, using 2014 ONS data the range was more in line with the 1,368 figure. 

It was noted that Government suggested that Local Authorities could go higher than their figure if an Authority’s Plan was based on job-led aspirations, however, Government had yet to explain to Local Authorities how they would go about doing so.

The Spatial Planning Team Leader noted that the Council’s full response to the Government consultation was attached at Appendix 2 and it was reiterated that Cabinet in November 2017 had agreed the new timetable in terms of the CDP, with the preferred option stage in June 2018.  It was explained that Government had suggested there would be further consultation and a National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.  She added that Cabinet would agree each stage and there would be more consultation on the CDP prior to submission, with Member Briefings, drop-in sessions and reports back to the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman thanked the Spatial Planning Team Leader and asked Members for their comments and questions.

Councillor M Wilkes noted he felt that the problem with the first iteration of the CDP was building too many houses.  He added that the Government saying that Local Authorities could go beyond the figure given, if the plan was job-led, and that this could mean that the CDP was back to square one.  He noted that Councillors should not allow the process to be completely Officer-led and ensure that backbench Councillors could feed into the process.  The Chairman noted that the Committee was cross-party and there was a lot of opportunities to input, with workshops sessions and she felt that Members had been kept informed.  Mr T Batson agreed with the Chairman and added that the CDP had been “approved”, in terms of support from local people whilst being consulted upon.  He added that he had always noted there needed to be an element of flexibility in terms of planning in order maximise opportunities, and not to be too “set in stone”.  Councillor M Wilkes noted the previous estimates for the number of homes for the Durham area and reiterated that there was a need for Councillors to be able to have their say.

Resolved:       

(i)            That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the progress and receive regular updates in terms of Government guidance advice and potential changes.

(ii)          That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the Council’s response to the consultation on “Planning for the Right Homes in the Right Places”.