Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Place
Presented by the Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

The Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented the report to members. He placed his thanks on record to the officers in the planning policy team for all their hard work to date and also to Councillors J Simmons and J Legrys for all their cross-party support and work through the Local Plan Committee. He announced the consultation would run for eight weeks rather than the statutory six weeks.

The Leader invited Councillor J Legrys to address the Cabinet.

Councillor J Legrys placed on record his thanks to all the staff that had worked above what was expected on the draft Local Plan and also to the Chair of Local Plan Committee and the Portfolio Holder. He reminded members that all both Cabinet and Council were being asked to do was allow officers to proceed to the Regulation 19 consultation and that Council would consider the Local Plan again in November following the consultation, before it went to the examiner.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor A Woodman and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet recommends to Council that:

(I)        The proposed submission Draft Local Plan (appendix B) and policies map (appendix C) and sustainability appraisal (appendix D) are approved for a minimum six week consultation in accordance with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement, The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) and Regulations 19 and 20 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, subject to the finalisation of evidence base studies and there being no substantive issues for the Council to reconsider.

(II)        Following the public consultation, Full Council will be invited to consider the representations received on the draft plan and prior to considering whether the plan should be submitted to the Secretary of State under Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

(III)      Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure to make minor amendments to the Local Plan and accompanying sustainability appraisal before publication and before submission to the Secretary of State.

(IV)   Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure to make amendments to the wording of policies EC6, AP3, AP4, AP7, AP9, H4, H5 H10 and H11 and to agree any subsequent revised sustainability appraisal prior to publication.

(V)      Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure to agree the final content of the Local Plan appendices including the glossary, monitoring framework and housing trajectory

(VI)     Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure to prepare and consult on main modifications to the Local Plan during the examination process, if required, to address issues of soundness.

Reason for decision: To enable the view of Cabinet to be forwarded to Council when Council considers the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19) at its meeting on 11 June 2026.