Cabinet considered the recommendations from the Extraordinary Local Development Framework Panel on 19 May 2016.

The Cabinet Member for Planning thanked the staff in Spatial Planning for their hard work.  He advised Members that that there had been a legal challenge from the Swan Quay partnership against the Local Plan Examiner but Swale Borough Council had sought Counsel advice and had been advised to continue with their recommendations.

Minute No. 683 – Faversham Creek Neighbourhood Plan – Examiners Report and Next Steps

Members welcomed the Examiners report and praised staff and residents’ input.

Resolved:

(1)          That the modifications to the Faversham Creek Neighbourhood Plan as set out in the Examiner’s Report (Appendix I) be accepted.

(2)          That the Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions and complies with the provision made by or under Sections 38A and 38B of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004 be agreed.

(3)          That the decision to accept the Examiner’s recommendations be publicised; and

(4)          That the organisation of a local referendum to cover the Faversham Town Council area be approved.

Minute No. 684 – Local Plan Modifications

The Cabinet Member for Planning referred to (1)(iv) c) on Minute No. 684 and clarified that the 370 dwellings were made up of the planning approval of 310 dwellings and an additional 60 unit care home at Perry Court Farm.  He further advised that the recommendations from the Minutes would be going out to consultation and the results considered by the Inspector; in seeking an increased housing number as directed by the Inspector’s guidance, 170 new sites came forward and 16 of those sites were chosen and some Local Green Spaces had been dealt with under delegated powers, but new sites that came forward after the closing date of the latest consultation were not included.

Members raised a number of points which included:

·        Suggestion of a condition ensuring that the site at (vi)d) SW/703 at SW Sittingbourne should not be developed prior to infrastructure improvements on the A249/Junction 5 M2;

·        Questioned whether there was space at the Nova site for 90 dwellings?;

·        Pleased with increase in numbers at the Nova site;

·        Pleased that Ham Farm and Graveney Road  was not included;

·        Would the 60-bed care home count towards the yearly housing supply?

·        Cautious of some of the proposals, particularly (v)g) SW/194 Barton Hill Drive, Minster

·        Clarification of any changes to the tabled Village Green List provided at the LDF meeting and copy of the map required;

·        Concern that residents were not consulted on the additional housing target numbers or the 16 new sites;

·        Concern that the whole plan could be rejected by the Inspector if consultation process with residents not followed correctly;

·        Request that (v)(g) SW/165 Belgrave Road be replaced by SW/169 Power Station Road which has been excluded but already had planning permission granted;

·        Merits and disadvantages in including all sites;

·        Praised officers and Members of the LDF panel;

·        Housing needs survey was carried out appropriately and raised the housing allocation numbers;

·        Allocation of funding to schools and issue of school places;

·        Difficulty in explaining to residents the Council’s obligation to allocate sites.

·        If we don’t go forward with the recommendations, could be in a worse situation;

·        Concerns over the over-intensification of housing in Iwade;

·        Duty to homeless and future generation to provide housing;

·        Difficult situation but progress must be expedient or there could be a risk that all future planning applications could be granted.

In response, the Cabinet Member and Spatial Planning Manager advised:

·        The minutes would clearly show the anticipation that requirement for infrastructure improvements should  be carried out parallel to any development of SW/703 but the detail would form part of the planning application as required by Policy New MUX1;

·        There was space for 90 dwellings at the Nova site;

·        The 60-bed care home would count towards that year’s housing supply;

·        An updated Village Green Map would be provided by Spatial Planning;

·        Recommendations were being put forward for consultation;

·        Did not agree that procedures were not being followed;

·        Was not minded to replace SW/165 with SW/169;

·        Was not minded to reduced the numbers of housing allocated in Iwade;

The Leader thanked the Cabinet Member for Planning, the Members of the LDF Panel and all the staff involved.

The Cabinet Member for Planning thanked everyone involved. He advised that the modification phase of the Plan had been carried out within the methodology and plan-making that had been adopted when the original plans were submitted to the Inspector and she had seen and endorsed the modified plan.

Resolved:

(1)  That the recommendations as set out below be agreed:

(i)That the housing target of the Local Plan to 776 dwellings per annum (13,192 dwellings for the revised plan period), with a ‘B’ class employment target of 130,000 sq.m (60 ha) be agreed.

(ii) That the reported changes to the land supply of existing Local Plan allocations amounting to an additional 325 dwellings be agreed.

(iii) That the sites in Tables 2-5, in the report, be discounted from further consideration.

(iv)  That the site allocations at Faversham be agreed as set out below:

a) the sites within Table 6 of the report be discounted from further consideration;

b) That an additional 60 dwellings at Lady Dane Farm be allocated;

c) The allocation of SW/441 and SW/413 at Brogdale Road and Perry Court Farm for 66 and 370 dwellings respectively, together with 18,525 sq.m of employment floorspace at Perry Court Farm;

d) Allocation of SW/334 at the former Nova premises for 90 dwellings.

e)  Land to the east of Faversham at Graveney Road (SW/783) should not be allocated from employment to housing for 40 dwellings;

f) that the allocation of SW/233 at Preston Fields for 217 dwellings be agreed and the allocation of SW/700 at Ham Farm not be allocated.

v) That the site allocations for the Isle of Sheppey be agreed as set out below:

a) sites in the report at Table 7 on eastern Sheppey and in Table 8 at Minster and Halfway be discounted from further consideration;

b) SW/128 at The Bunnybank and SW/197 to the north of Eastchurch not be allocated for housing;

c) SW/133 to the east of Scocles Road, Minster not be allocated;

d) SW/184 at Parsonage Chase, Minster, not be allocated, but incorporated within the allocation at SW/194;

e) SW/721 (extended site) at Barton Hill Drive, Minster not be allocated;

f) SW/321 at Southsea Avenue, Minster not be allocated, SW/457 and SW/705 to the north-east and east of Minster be allocated for housing for 10 and 50 dwellings respectively; and

g) SW/165 at Belgrave Road, Halfway and SW/194 at Barton Hill Drive, Minster be allocated for 140 and 620 dwellings respectively.

(vi) That the allocations for the Sittingbourne sites be agreed as set out below:

a)   The sites in Table 9 of the report be discounted from further consideration;

b)   SW/343 land at the former Bell Centre, Bell Road be allocated within Policy Regen 1 for mixed use with a minimum of 120 dwellings;

c)    SW/126 at Cryall’s Lane not be allocated; and

d)   SW/703 at SW Sittingbourne is allocated as an additional mixed use allocation including 564 dwellings.

(vii) That the allocations for sites at rural local service centres be agreed as set out below:

a)   SW/435 and SW/714 at Boughton not be allocated;

b)   Teynham not be a focus for further allocations and that sites in Table 10 at Teynham be discounted from further consideration;

c)    Land, subject to Policy MU3, at Frognal Lane, Teynham, be retained for employment use and not allocated for housing;

d)   Sites in Table 11 of the report at Iwade not be allocated;

e)   SW/117, SW/183 and SW/123 at Iwade be allocated for a total of 572 dwellings;

f)     Sites in Table 12 of the report at Newington not be allocated;

g)   Site SW/010 at The Tracies, Newington not be allocated;

h)   Land north of High Street, Newington be allocated for a total of 115 dwellings;

i)     SW/164 at Pond Farm, Newington and at SW/732 Ellen’s Field not be allocated;

j)     SW/707 (140 dwellings), at Pond Farm, Newington not be allocated.

(viii) That the allocations for sites at other villages in Table 13 of the report be discounted.

(ix)

a) that the revisions made to the pitch need assessment for Gypsy and Travellers; and

b) that the modifications to Policies CP3, DM10, DM8 and DM9 to remove the requirement for larger housing allocations to include pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and to reflect up-to-date planning policy on Gypsy and Traveller sites be agreed

(x)

a)   That the modifications in respect of the percentage need and split of affordable housing products; and

b)   That the on-going national debate on starter homes may require further modifications to policy before the Local Plan is adopted.

(xi) That the Policies New Regen 3 (Port of Sheerness) and New Regen 4 (Kent Science Park) be agreed.

(xii) That the Panel agree the additional list of Local green space sites as submitted at the meeting, subject to review of those sites highlighted by Panel Members and delegate finalisation of the list to the Head of Planning Services in consultation with the Chairman.

 (2) That it be agreed that, subject to any further amendments, the publication and consultation of the proposed Local Plan modifications, as set out in Appendix 1, and that it, together with the representations received, be forwarded to the Inspector as speedily as possible after the close of consultation;

(3)  That delegation be given to the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Chairman in respect of:

(i)  any further drafting of the modifications consultation document undertaken prior to its publication;

(ii) finalising the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment (Appendix 4 and 5) and published for consultation;

(iii) revisions to Technical Paper No. 2 on Local Green Spaces and the subsequent main modifications required; and

(ix) the publication for consultation of the Implementation and Delivery Schedule.