Agenda item
Position Statement on Nutrient Neutral Development
Minutes:
Councillor Pike presented a report and recommendations seeking approval for a Position Statement which addressed the implications of case law on the Borough’s development strategies, the Habitats Regulations Assessments of planning applications and the proposed approach to mitigation. A supplementary paper, setting out proposed amendments to the Position Statement at Appendix A to the report was circulated at the meeting and is published on the Council’s website alongside these minutes.
Councillor Pike outlined the most recent advice from Natural England and the potentially significant implications for affordable housing delivery and the Council’s 5-year land supply. Through the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) officers and members were working with neighbouring authorities to agree a way forward. In the meantime, the proposals set out in the report would provide an interim solution to allow planning permissions to be granted.
The Chairman then invited Mr Daniel Ramirez to make a deputation to Cabinet on behalf of the South Coast Development Consortium. This deputation is published on the Council’s website alongside these minutes.
Councillor Dianne Lloyd was invited to address the Cabinet as Chairman of the Operations and Place Shaping Scrutiny Board. Whilst recognising the need to move forward urgently, Councillor Lloyd sought an assurance that the Scrutiny Board would be given an opportunity to review any proposed Implementation Plan prior to publication.
RESOLVED that
a)
the Council’s responsibilities under the
Habitats Regulations[1],
particularly in light of recent case law be noted;
b)
representations continue to be made through the
Council Leader to the Government’s Ministry of Housing,
Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) together with the
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA),
relevant Government agencies (including Natural England) and other
bodies to provide an efficient, central solution to the need to
ensure nutrient neutral development takes place;
c)
collaborative work with neighbouring authorities to
continue, including through the Partnership for Urban South
Hampshire (PUSH), relevant Government agencies (including Natural
England) and other relevant bodies to ensure nutrient neutral
development takes place;
d)
the Position statement on nutrient Neutral
development (Appendix 1), amended as set out in the supplementary
information, be approved;
authority be delegated to the Planning Policy Manager[2],
in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Planning, Regeneration
and Communities2, to prepare and publish a Nutrient
Neutrality Implementation Plan which will specify the detail of the
proposed short term water quality mitigation solutions and the
costs for new development;
e)
authority be delegated to the Planning Policy
Manager2, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for
Planning, Regeneration and Communities2, to make any
necessary amendments to the Position Statement on Nutrient Neutral
Development and Nutrient Neutrality Implementation Plan prior to or
after publication. These shall include any necessary factual
updates, corrections of minor errors, typographical errors. These
shall also include any necessary changes to reflect emerging best
practice, standing advice, policy or case law and;
f) The Operations and Placemaking Scrutiny Board be invited to consider any Implementation Plan on nutrient neutral development prior to publication.
[1] References to ‘the Habitats Regulations’ or ‘The Regulations’ in this report should be read as referring to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017 as amended), available at www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/1012/contents/made.
[2] Or successor in similar or equivalent role
Supporting documents:
- Cabinet Report - Nutrient Neutrality Position Statement (clean), item 8. PDF 160 KB
- Cabinet Report - Nutrient Neutrality Position Statement - Appendix A (Position Statement and ecological checklist) (clean), item 8. PDF 459 KB
- Cabinet Report - Nutrient Neutrality Position Statement - Appendix B (Letter to Gvt), item 8. PDF 1 MB
- DEPUTATION, item 8. PDF 286 KB
- Deputation Appendix A Detailed Commentary on Principle & Methodology, item 8. PDF 186 KB
- Deputation Nitrogen - Appendix B Legal Opinion, item 8. PDF 71 KB
- Nitrogen Supplemetary for Cabinet, item 8. PDF 118 KB