Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

The Planning Policy Team Manager presented the report to Members.  He highlighted that the considerations within the report suggested that there was not a need to review Policy S2.  However, due to concerns from members of the Planning Committee relating to the lack of policy support for applications in smaller settlements, the suggested approach as detailed at section 4.0 of the report would form part of a wider consultation.

Councillor R Ashman asked if the smaller hamlets such as Acresford should be included.  The Planning Policy Team Manager responded that these areas would currently fall under the planning policies which identified them as being subject to countryside policies and did not form part of the small villages category.

In relation to paragraph 3.3 of the report, which commented on a number of instances where the Planning Committee approved applications contrary to officer’s recommendations, Councillor J Legrys made it clear that these decisions were not taken as a collective, but independently. 

Councillor J Legrys raised concerns that people may find a way to work around the policy and take advantage.  He also felt that the hamlets should be merged with the smaller settlements within the policy as a small development could save a village school or shop.  The Planning Policy Team Manager stated that the inclusion of hamlets had not been ruled out and it would be looked at further.

Councillor R Johnson felt that this was an important matter as villages needed to grow and have a proper infrastructure in place for development.  He also commented that some contentious applications considered in the past under policy S2 were recommended refusal by officers.

Councillor J G Coxon asked if the Council was still encouraging neighbourhood plans in parishes and whether the hamlets would fall under them.  The Planning Policy Team Manager commented that it was important for the District Council to have plans in place to cover parishes due to the risk of the areas not being covered if a neighbourhood plan was not adopted.

The Chairman felt that the criteria to be able to demonstrate a local connection to the area should include anyone who worked in the District who wanted to relocate, as the proposals were a little restrictive.  The Planning Policy Team Manager stated that discussion had been had regarding the inclusion of people that work in the District into the local connection criteria and it was ruled out initially due to the risk of it being abused but he would be happy to look into it further along with the results of the consultation.  Councillor J Legrys asked the Planning Policy Team Manager to consider this carefully as that would mean someone like himself who was not born in the District but had lived here for 35 years and was retired would be excluded, but someone who worked in the District could take advantage. 

It was moved by Councillor D Harrison, seconded by Councillor J G Coxon and

RESOLVED THAT:

The approach to revise the settlement hierarchy as set out within the report be approved.