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Leicester & Leicestershire Statement of Common Ground on Housing and Employment Need (April 2022)

Meeting: 25/05/2022 - Local Plan Committee (Item 5)

5 Leicester & Leicestershire Statement of Common Ground on Housing and Employment Need (April 2022) pdf icon PDF 477 KB

Report of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager presented the report to members, which was accompanied by a presentation. He advised members that some errors had been noted in the Housing and Economic Needs Assessment, on the employment side, in relation to plot ratios. He informed the committee that the consultants had provided the Local Authorities with an updated assessment and highlighted that it did not relate to the housing side and that it did not change the figure of unmet need for Leicester, but it was not clear yet whether or not the Statement of Common Ground would need to go back to the Member Advisory Group for consideration.

 

A member stated that there was a public perception that the statement and figures before the committee had been reached without democratic input and questions had been raised as to why the total figure that Leicester could not meet had not been split equally amongst the seven District and Borough Councils. The member also noted that the calculations were based on the 2011 census and that in 18 months’ time, when the figures from the 2021 census would be available, the numbers in front of the Committee could all change.

 

Members noted the duty to co-operate, even though the district did not neighbour the city and felt that co-operation worked both ways and, as such, NWL should approach Leicester City to request support for improvements to the infrastructure provision, such as the Ivanhoe line, health services and education, as an acknowledgement of the district taking the additional homes to assist the city.

 

A number of members raised concerns over the impact the level of growth would have on the already over-burdened infrastructure of the district, with there needing to be sufficient infrastructure in place before development began, that serious consideration to the location of any development would need to be given due to the limited functional relationship between the district and Leicester City, and that, whatever housing was to be built, was of a type appropriate to meet the needs of the community it may be built in, including more affordable dwellings.

 

It was noted by all that the concerns that had been raised would be considered as part of the Local Plan Review and that all Council was being asked to agree was its position on the Statement of Common Ground and not where development should go.

 

It was moved by Councillor D Harrison, seconded by Councillor J Legrys and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

  1. The Statement of Common Ground which addresses the issue of unmet housing and employment needs from Leicester City be noted.

 

  1. The views of the Local Plan Committee on the Statement of Common Ground be forwarded to Council for it to have regard to when determining the Council’s position and

 

  1. The Council’s position on whether or not to support the Statement of Common Ground will be formally agreed at the meeting of Council on 21 June 2022 be noted.

 

The meeting closed at 7:16pm.