Minutes:
The following additional papers were circulated in addition to the published report:
(A)
Map “Strategic Site – Area Between
Denvilles and Emsworth” (to replace map on page 237 of the
published report, and Map “Southleigh Park House (UE55)” to replace the
map on page 254 of the published report, both circulated in the
paper headed “Supplementary Information –
UE55 and Strategic Site”;
(B) Revised recommendations together with explanatory text including paragraph references relating to where within the published Cabinet report the additional text should be included, circulated in the paper headed “Additional Recommendations and Supplementary Information.”
As Cabinet Lead for Economy and Planning, Councillor Guest presented the report to Cabinet, together with the revised recommendations referred to in (B) above. The submission of revised recommendations and additional text in the Cabinet report had been in recognition of, and a direct response to, the important points made in many of the representations received around the importance of infrastructure provision alongside any new development.
The Cabinet received the following deputations:
·
Robert Tutton,
representing West Bedhampton Residents
Association
Mr Tutton outlined objections to the
release of agricultural land at site UE68 (Forty Acres), without
first exhausting options for redeveloping poorer quality sites, and
in the absence of a consultation response from Natural England, on
the grounds of the potential impact on local Brent Geese and Wader
populations. The WBRA also objected on
the grounds of the loss of a countryside gap of fundamental local
significance.
·
Rosie Law, representing Local Hayling
Residents
Ms Law outlined objections to the release of site UE18 (Station
Road) on the basis of its importance as a habitat for migrating
Brent Geese, the importance of the Hayling Billy Trail as a nature
reserve and current pressures on the highways infrastructure on
Hayling Island that would be exacerbated by further
development.
·
David Hindley, Resident of Old Bedhampton
Mr Hindley outlined objections to the release of site UE30 (Land
South of Lower Road, Bedhampton) on the
basis of the potential risk to pedestrians and cyclists, supported
by recent CCTV footage, should there be further development in the
area.
·
Sue Holt, representing Havant Friends of the
Earth
Ms Holt outlined objections to the release of greenfield sites for
development on the basis of the implications for important wildlife
habitats and a lack of clarity about mitigation, suggesting that
the local planning authority’s focus should be on the
identification of more sustainable brownfield sites, including
Havant Town Centre.
·
County Councillor Liz Fairhurst
County Councillor Fairhurst outlined objections focusing on UE68 and UE30 (Forty Acres and Land South of Lower Road, Bedhampton), the potential damage to the conservation area, highway safety pressure on traffic infrastructure and implications for local wildlife habitats.
·
Councillor John Perry
Councillor Perry preceded his deputation by stating that he was
speaking up behalf of residents taking into account the large
amount of correspondence he had received and that he would approach
the full Council debate with an open mind and make his decision as
to how he would vote when all the evidence was
presented.
Councillor Perry referred to the
Government’s national housebuilding programme, the implications for the
Council’s five-year housing land supply and the need to
undertake a detailed infrastructure review for Hayling Island to
secure sustainable development in the context of existing pressures
on local infrastructure that would make further development
unsustainable without significant improvements.
·
Councillor Claire Satchwell
Councillor Satchwell preceded her deputation by stating that she
was speaking on behalf of residents taking into account the large
amount of correspondence she had received and that she would
approach the full Council debate with an open mind and make her
decision as to how she would vote when all the evidence was
presented.
Councillor Satchwell outlined residents’ concerns in relation
to infrastructure provision, particularly in the key areas of
traffic management, flood mitigation and healthcare. Cllr Satchwell also urged the Council to formally
lobby the Secretary of State and the two MP’s to review the
5-year land supply rule to enable Councils to better defend
speculative planning applications prior to the adoption of new
Local Plans.
·
Councillor Andy Lenaghan (statement read to the
Cabinet by Councillor Mike Fairhurst)
Councillor Fairhurst preceded
Councillor Lenaghan’s deputation
by reading a statement from Cllr Lenaghan that he was speaking on
behalf of residents taking into account the large amount of
correspondence he had received and that he would approach the full
Council debate with an open mind and make his decision as to how he
would vote when all the evidence was presented.
Councillor Lenaghan’s statement
focused on the perceived speed with which the Local Plan review was
being taken forward, the infrastructure pressures associated with
new development, especially on Hayling Island and particularly in
relation to flooding and traffic infrastructure, and the need to
protect the Island as a tourist destination.
·
Councillor Joanne Thomas
Councillor Thomas preceded her deputation by stating that she was
speaking on behalf of residents taking
into account the large amount of correspondence she had received
and that she would approach the full Council debate with an open
mind and make her decision as to how she would vote when all the
evidence was presented.
Councillor Thomas outlined concerns relating to the perception that
new development would be approved in light of central government
pressure on housing targets and without adequate consideration of
local objections. Councillor Thomas
also referred to pressures on the traffic and healthcare
infrastructure on Hayling Island, the ecological implications
associated with increased floodrisk and
the need to safeguard local ecosystems and quality of life for
residents.
·
Councillor Ken Smith
Councillor Smith preceded his deputation by stating that he was
speaking on behalf of residents taking
into account the large amount of correspondence he had received and
that he would approach the full Council debate with an open mind
and make his decision as to how he would vote when all the evidence
was presented.
Councillor Smith outlined residents’ concerns around the
implications of new development on the health and traffic
infrastructure, current pressures on sewage systems and the need to
maintain gaps between settlements as identified in the 2012 Havant
Gaps Review.
The Cabinet noted that deputations from Andrew Walker and Councillor Malcolm Carpenter had been withdrawn prior to the meeting.
Cabinet members were
then given an opportunity to ask questions of the officers in
respect of the report and the additional matters raised by the
deputees. The Chairman then opened the matter up to debate by
Cabinet members.
Cabinet members were given an assurance that work had already begun under the Local Plan process to undertake a thorough infrastructure review and the revised recommendations before Cabinet at this meeting (B above) reflected this added focus, and in response to the extensive representations received, included a commitment to include a comprehensive Infrastructure Delivery Statement in the Havant Borough Local Plan 2036.
Cabinet members also expressed significant concern about the Council’s vulnerability to speculative applications for development in the absence of a 5-year land supply for housing, following the increased allocations identified by the Objectively Assessed Housing Need exercise undertaken in June 2016 as in compliance with the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
In order to mitigate this, and in order to better defend applications for unsustainable development, the Council needed to have the new Local Plan in place as soon as possible. This would put the Council as Local Planning Authority, and local communities, in a strong position to influence the location of new development. In the interim, the proposal to require developers to include an Infrastructure Delivery Statement in support of their applications would strengthen the Local Planning Authority’s ability to ensure the sustainability of any new development in the Borough.
In response to representations suggesting that alternative brownfield sites may be available for development, the officers stressed that the call for sites had been exhaustive and that the number of sites identified still fell short of the objectively assessed need, leaving the Local Planning Authority vulnerable to the imposition of development by the Planning Inspectorate. Withdrawal of identified sites would weaken the Local Planning Authority’s position still further.
The Leader of the Council reported that he would be writing in strong terms to the Secretary of State, the Minister for Housing and the local MPs demanding an urgent change in the Government’s housing strategy and, in particular, a review of the five-year housing land supply rule, to offer some interim protection to Councils such as Havant who were robustly reviewing their local plans in order to comply with the requirements of the NPPF.
This need to maintain
pressure on the Government through the Secretary of State and the
Borough’s MPs was strongly supported by Cabinet
members. This was also reflected in the
revised recommendations to Cabinet, in that the Government be
demanded to review its current housing strategy and recognise the
urgent need for infrastructure delivery alongside new
development.
RESOLVED that
(1) the responses to the
recent consultation be noted (Appendix 1to the Cabinet
report);
(2) the proposed changes to
the Local Plan Housing Statement be approved (as set out in
appendix 1 , and amended as set out in the paper headed
“Additional Recommendations and Supplementary
Information”);
(3) in addition, a
further change be agreed to require within Guiding Principle 4 and
its supporting text that any site outside the identified Urban Area
(Policy AL2) may only be considered in principle if accompanied by
a comprehensive Infrastructure Delivery Statement, produced as
agreed by, and in collaboration with, the Local Planning
Authority;
(5) the Havant Local Plan 2036
proceeds to Pre-Submission stage only after a further public
consultation takes place on a full Havant Borough Local Plan 2036,
which shall include a comprehensive Local Plan Infrastructure
Delivery Statement referring to every site identified for housing
development and included in the Local Plan Housing
Statement;
(6) the Council make
representations through the Council Leader and local MPs to the
Secretary of State and the Housing and Planning Minister to review
the five year housing supply rule to enable local planning
authorities that are making positive progress on local plan reviews
a moratorium on the release of sites until the local plan is
adopted;
(7) the Council make
representations through the Council Leader and local MP’s to
the Secretary of State, the Housing and Planning Minister,
Hampshire County Council, Solent LEP and other infrastructure
bodies regarding the need to recognise the urgent need for
infrastructure delivery alongside the building of new
homes;
(8) the Cabinet RECOMMENDS to
Council the adoption of the Local Plan Housing Statement (Appendix
2) in accordance with the above, and amended as set out in the
paper headed “Additional Recommendations and Supplementary
Information” and that as the Infrastructure Delivery
Statement is produced it becomes a material consideration alongside
the Housing Statement;
(9) the Borough
Council’s five year housing land supply position as described
in paragraphs 3.14 - 3.19 of the Cabinet report be noted;
(10) the
Head of Planning be authorised to publish a five year housing land
supply summary and update it as necessary;
(11) authority be delegated to the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Economy, Planning, Development and Prosperity Havant, to publish an updated Local Development Scheme (LDS) setting out a costed timetable for the production of the Infrastructure Delivery Statement and the Submission of the Havant Local Plan 2036; and
(12) authority be delegated to the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Economy, Planning, Development and Prosperity Havant, to make any necessary amendments to the documents listed above. These shall be limited to grammatical, typographical, formatting and graphic design changes and shall not change the meaning of the material.
Supporting documents: