Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning and Infrastructure

The Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager presented the report to Members, providing an update in respect of the Local Housing Need following the announcement from government in respect of changes to the standard method. 

A Member expressed surprise at the change in approach as the calculations did not include Leicester City’s overflow which was different to the previous method.  The Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager explained that there was no indication of what the housing requirement from Leicester City would be but that the  consultants appointed to undertake the assessment for Leicester and Leicestershire, and which would ultimately inform the local plan, would have regard to all available evidence when undertaking their assessment and making recommendations.  

In response to a request, the Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager agreed to send all Members of the Committee a link to the Scoping Report which included information on the Sustainability Objectives that would be used to assess policies and proposals in the Local Plan such as the 20 points of testing.

Some Members expressed concerns with the suggestion of more houses in their already heavily developed wards.  The Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager stressed the importance of considering all options for possible growth as it would be too much of a risk not to do so at this stage.

Councillor J Legrys moved that the officer’s recommendation be amended to read as follows:

‘A range of housing requirements be tested as set out at paragraph 4.13 of the report.  Housing testing should take full account of community needs and environmental sustainability’.

In support of his proposal, Councillor J Legrys gave his concerns that the community needs, and environmental sustainability would not be taken into account as part of the testing and the additional wording would give him more confidence that it would be done.  He also expressed concerns that the focus remained on the Leicester market when it was unknown and that the report did not consider Freeport or the Development Corporation.

The motion was seconded by Councillor D Bigby who then spoke in support.

The Planning Policy and Land Charges Team Manager assured Members that community needs, and environmental sustainability were covered by the sustainability framework as part of the sustainability appraisal, therefore would be tested as part of the process.  In relation to Freeport and the Development Corporation, it was difficult to know how they would affect the local plan at the moment, but officers would be looking into the implications in due course.  The Legal Advisor asked Members to reconsider the amendment as she was concerned that the wording as proposed could leave the Council open to challenge.  She explained that the nature of this report was to agree the commencement of the testing rather than the detail.

A lengthy discussion on the proposed amendment ensued and several alternative wording options were put forward by officers. 

On conclusion of the discussion, both the proposer and seconder of the motion declined the option to change the amendment and asked that the proposal be put to the vote as original stated.  It was felt very strongly that the amendment would provide reassurance that everything would be tested by due process on community need and environmental sustainability both for this Committee and future generations of Councillors.

Before the motion was put to the vote, the Legal Advisor asked that the words ‘as appropriate’ be added to proposed amendment so that it read as follows:

‘A range of housing requirements be tested as set out at paragraph 4.13 of the report.  Housing testing should take full account of community needs and environmental sustainability, as appropriate.’

Both the proposer and seconder agreed to this addition.  The motion was then put to the vote and was lost.

The officer’s recommendation was moved by Councillor D Harrison, seconded by Councillor R Boam and

RESOLVED THAT:

A range of housing requirements be tested as set out at paragraph 4.13 of the report.