Agenda item

Update on the Examination of the Havant Borough Local Plan, Withdrawal of the Havant Borough Local Plan from Examination and Consideration of the Housing Delivery Position Statement

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report updating members on the submission and examination of the Havant Borough Local Plan following the receipt of the Inspectors’ Interim Findings Report regarding the Examination of the Havant Borough Local Plan.

 

The findings recommended a withdrawal of the local plan, which would result in a longer period before a new local plan is in place. As a result, there would also be a significant reduction in the Council’s anticipated land supply which would further reduce the Council’s five year housing land supply.

 

The Committee was addressed by:

 

a          Mr Whittingdon, on behalf of Land & Partners Ltd, who reiterated the issues raised in his written deputation, which supported the development of land at Long Copse Lane

 

b          Councillor Kennett, who:

 

            i           raised concern that the Council had not actively pursued evidence to reduce the housing target for the area;

 

            ii           appreciated that the Council had a number of planning applications with complex environmental issues but reminded the Committee that the Housing Minister had advised that the absence of a 5 year housing supply was not a green light for damaging development;

 

            iii          with reference to an application to be considered by the Planning Committee on 3 February relating to the development of land adjacent to 54, Long Copse Lane, Emsworth, argued that land at Long Copse Lane was not a brownfield site but a green space; and

 

            iv          disputed the statement made by Land and Partners Ltd relating to the findings of the recent Local Plan Inquiry in respect of the suitability of the site north of Long Copse Lane for housing.

 

The Committee was reminded that the planning application referred to by Councillor Kennett was not a matter for consideration by this Committee.

 

The officers and relevant Cabinet Lead answered questions raised by members of the Committee.

 

The Committee considered the report in detail together with he views raised by the deputees. The majority of the Committee considered that the most appropriate form of action to take would be to withdraw the current plan, prepare another plan for submission and adopt the Housing Delivery Statement as submitted. It was therefore

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

 

a.         Note the outcome of the examination of the Local Plan, the Inspectors Interim Findings Report (examination library document reference CR18), the response to it (CR19) and subsequent communications (CR20, CR21, CR22 and CR23);

 

b.         Note the correspondence between the Council Leader and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities regarding the need for the NPPF to recognise more strongly the relevance of a plan led approach to development and to not penalise communities whilst plans are being put in place (Appendix 1);

 

c.         Authorise the withdrawal of the Havant Borough Local Plan from Examination in line with Section 22 (1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended);Preparation of a new Local Plan and CIL Charging Schedule for Havant Borough

 

d.         Authorise the preparation of a Local Plan to replace the Havant Borough Local Plan (Core Strategy) and the Havant Borough Local Plan (Allocations Plan);

 

e.         Authorise the preparation of an updated Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule for Havant Borough;

 

f.          Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager, or successor in similar or equivalent role, in discussion with the Cabinet Lead for Planning, Hayling Seafront Strategy and Coastal Management, or successor in similar or equivalent role, to prepare and publish a Local Development Scheme and keep this updated as necessary;

 

g.         Delegate authority to the Cabinet Lead for Planning, Hayling Seafront Strategy and Coastal Management, or successor in similar or equivalent role,to consider for approval, following scrutiny by the Planning Policy Committee, Or any future scrutiny meeting of similar or equivalent role, an update to the Hayling Island Transport Assessment, to consider the impact of development on summer traffic conditions;

 

h.         Note the Borough’s five year supply of 3.9 years and the implications that the delay in the local plan’s examination have for this issue;

 

i.          Approve the publication of the Housing Delivery Action Plan (Appendix 2);

 

j.          Adopt the Housing Delivery Position Statement (Appendix 3);

 

k.         Delegate authority to the Cabinet Lead for Planning, Hayling Seafront Strategy and Coastal Management, or successor in similar or equivalent role,to consider for approval, following scrutiny by the Planning Policy Committee, or any future scrutiny meeting of similar or equivalent role, updates to the Housing Delivery Position Statement; and

 

l.          Delegate authority to the Planning Policy Manager, or successor in similar or equivalent role, to make any necessary minor amendments to the documents listed in this report. These shall be limited to the inclusion of page numbers, a contents page, a glossary, factual updates, correction of minor errors, typographical errors and other minor changes that do not change the meaning of the material.

 

Supporting documents: