Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration, Economy and Growth and accompanying presentation by the Planning Development Manager, Graeme Smith providing an update of the development of the draft County Durham Housing Strategy (for copy of report and presentation slides, see file of minutes). 

The report and presentation provided an overview of the responses received to the consultation on the Draft Housing Strategy, including the comments made by committee members at the Overview and Scrutiny workshop focusing on the draft strategy and the response within the draft strategy to those comments.  The latest draft of the County Durham Housing Strategy and a draft Twelve Month Delivery Plan were also attached to the cover report.

Councillor V Andrews left the meeting at 10.31am

Councillor R Crute entered the meeting at 10.31am

The Housing Development Manager, noted the next steps in relation to the 12 Month Delivery Plan, noting aiming for dates for Cabinet and Council in July 2024, then with a more detailed five-year Delivery Plan to follow.

The Chair thanked the Housing Development Manager and asked Members for their comments and questions.

Councillor A Batey thanked the Officer for their very important presentation.  She noted a number of developments that were within her Electoral Division, near the A693, as well as within Consett and the impact this had upon the traffic on the A693 and commented that there were also events taking place at Beamish Museum which added to traffic on that particular road.   She asked as to whether when planning new developments, the potential impact upon the road network was assessed and asked what could be done to improve the situation.  She added that there was also a lack of public transport in this particular area, therefore Members were unable to point to public transport as an alternative.

The Housing Development Manager noted that there were a number of elements when looking at new developments and their impacts, firstly through strategy and looking at the Infrastructure Development Plan, part of the wider County Durham Plan (CDP).  He added that at a high level, any new development would be assessed alongside all development from the CDP and associated traffic flows to ascertain whether there was a need for infrastructure upgrades.  He noted another element was through individual planning applications, if a larger development, then colleagues from Transport and Highways would provide input on any issues.  He noted he would speak to Councillor A Batey as regards her specific issues outside of the meeting.  Councillor A Batey noted another issue was housing development  on brownfield sites and ensuring that  those developments link to public transport, both near destinations and those further away.  The Planning Development Manager added he would pick that matter up with Transport colleagues.

The Chair thanked the Housing Development Manager and noted a lot had been taken on board with the development of the Delivery Plan, providing more clarity on how priorities would be achieved and timescales.  He noted that an area that was of particular interest to Members was the affordable housing targets, adding that Councillor J Rowlandson had provided assurances in relation to the delivery of 500 new build council houses as part of the Delivery Programme.

Resolved:

That the report and presentation be noted with members comments on the draft strategy shared with the Service Grouping.

Councillor C Lines left the meeting at 10.59am