Agenda item

Question to the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning from James Anderson

Further to the Council's proactive move in encouraging residents to ask questions, I would like to ask a question to Cllr Martin Weale (Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning)

 

Many residents have enjoyed and have spent considerable time and energies supporting the Council to develop the draft Powys Local Development Plan as an evidence based plan against which to consider planning applications. Whilst the draft LDP contains sufficient land allocation and development proposals to meet Powys’ projected housing needs throughout the lifetime of the plan, a review of ‘Major Development’ Planning Applications on the Council’s web pages shows that a relatively high proportion of current planning applications from across the county are seeking to develop Greenfield sites over and above LDP land allocations.

 

In considering planning applications outside of proposed LDP developments, individual isolated site consideration does not sound as though it is likely to engender effective strategic planning. What is the Council’s strategic response in continuing to support future generations to ensure that the legacy of approved housing developments remains positive and does not inadvertently lead to any over- development of open countryside or to the distension of any local communities that could see some community members become poorly located inhibiting their ease of access to existing services?

 

Minutes:

Many residents have enjoyed and have spent considerable time and energies supporting the Council to develop the draft Powys Local Development Plan as an evidence based plan against which to consider planning applications. Whilst the draft LDP contains sufficient land allocation and development proposals to meet Powys’ projected housing needs throughout the lifetime of the plan, a review of ‘Major Development’ Planning Applications on the Council’s web pages shows that a relatively high proportion of current planning applications from across the county are seeking to develop Greenfield sites over and above LDP land allocations.

In considering planning applications outside of proposed LDP developments, individual isolated site consideration does not sound as though it is likely to engender effective strategic planning. What is the Council’s strategic response in continuing to support future generations to ensure that the legacy of approved housing developments remains positive and does not inadvertently lead to any over- development of open countryside or to the distension of any local communities that could see some community members become poorly located inhibiting their ease of access to existing services?

 

 

Answer

Thank you for the question. I am the Cabinet’s Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Planning Services which includes Development Management and Planning Policy. I welcome and appreciate the input and support of residents in the process of preparing the Powys Local Development Plan (LDP). The LDP is nearing the conclusion of its Examination and I anticipate the Council to be in a position to adopt the LDP early in 2018 when it will replace the Powys Unitary Development Plan  (UDP) and provide the development plan policies for determining planning applications.

I am aware that the Council has received a number of planning applications for housing proposals on sites that are not allocated in the existing UDP or within the LDP. These applications have sought to justify themselves, more often than not, on the grounds that permission would assist in making up for the shortfall in housing land supply that the Authority finds itself in. This is not a situation unique to Powys and most authorities in Wales find themselves in this position.

 

Determining planning applications requires careful, methodical and balanced judgements to be taken by the authority, taking account of prevailing development plan policies and having regard to all other relevant material considerations. Welsh Government clarification on the issue of speculative development proposals was provided by Lesley Griffiths A.M., Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs on the 23rd Feb 2017 and I would refer you to that. (Link below). This is a material consideration that is taken into account by the authority when determining such applications. The Cabinet Secretary emphasised the need for such development proposals to be, “…well related to the existing settlement form and do not lead to unacceptable impacts on local economic, social and environmental infrastructure. The principles of sustainable development and the creation of cohesive communities, which forms the basis of Welsh Government’s planning policy, remains and should not be undermined by the need to increase housing land supply”.

 

http://gov.wales/docs/desh/publications/170223delivery-of-affordable-housing-through-the-planning-system-en.pdf

 

Mr Anderson’s supplementary question was: “Within your response to my question, you highlighted that Councils considering planning applications for developments that are not supported within their draft LDPs need to ensure that any approved applications are well related 'to the existing settlement form'. I would be grateful for a little more clarity around what this means in light of requirements of the Future Generations Act. Can you please confirm that planning applications for major housing developments within open-countryside outside of existing settlements and that are not supported within the draft LDP, will not meet that requirement?”

 

The Professional Lead – Planning Policy provided a response:  Planning applications submitted to the Council must be determined in line with legislation as set by the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004 (Section 38, 6) which states that any “… determination must be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.”  Regard will therefore be had to the prevailing development plan and to all other relevant material considerations which would include how a site’s location and characteristics relate to the form and pattern of existing settlements but also to many other considerations such as the Council’s annual housing land supply. Welsh Government’s Planning Policy Wales explains in Chapter 4 how the planning system achieves sustainable development in line with the duties of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

 

 



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