Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Growth & Regeneration which sought approval from the Committee to recommence consultation on reviewing the Allocations & Development Management Plan Document (DPD), following the Adoption of the Amended Core Strategy by Full Council on the 7 March 2019.

The new Local Development Scheme timetable which was agreed at the Economic Development Committee on 27 March 2019 was detailed within the report and provided milestones.  A summary of the contents of the proposed Issues Paper was also attached as Appendix A to the report.

A Member noted that the range of allocations proposed to be retained meant that there was no need for additional land for housing or employment development to be identified so that overall requirements could be met. Indeed that where existing allocations were concluded to be undeliverable then there was scope for their de-allocation to occur.  The Member also suggested that the reference to new affordable housing provisions within the NPPF within the consultation paper needed to make clear that the Framework required at least 10% of new dwellings which were to be made available for affordable home ownership.

Members commented on Section 7 – Open Space and stated that a review was needed regarding green space provision within the district.  It was felt that homes required green spaces around them in order for health and wellbeing.  It was also raised that the difference between greenspace provision between rural and urban areas (where access may not be as widespread) needed to be reflected in this work.

Section 5 – Open Break Review, Winthorpe, Coddington and Farndon were raised by the local ward Member and the need to keep them as three separate villages.  It was felt that any flyover in connection with in improvements to the A46 bypass to the north of Newark could detrimentally impact this.  The recent Gypsy & Traveller appeal at Winthorpe, located within the Open Break and which was dismissed, had underlined the importance of the designation and also its ability to stand up at appeal.  It was felt that there had been some good work around the technical feasibility of flood alleviation work for the Gypsy & Traveller sites on Tolney Lane.Members however raised longstanding concerns over the level of perceived need for future gypsy and traveller pitches and also their distribution between Authorities.  It was felt that the district had now delivered enough pitches and whilst the level of pitch requirements the Authority were likely to need to deliver may be felt to be disproportionate, particularly in comparison to other local authorities, the reality was whether this was 10, 40 or closer to 80. The Director - Growth & Regeneration informed Members that as it stands the Council would be unable to identify land to meet them.  The importance of allocating and delivering appropriate land to meet this need and providing for its future-proofing through being able to be expanded was emphasised.  It was underlined that the identification of land through the Plan would be taken through this Committee and that it would be presented with the findings of the Tolney Lane flood risk alleviation work.

Section 4 – Town Centres and Retail, a Member commented that whilst he understood why the Council had focused on Newark Town Centre, the need to look at retail frontage designations in other Centres should be included in the consultation paper, as they were vulnerable and should be included in the management strategy.  The Chairman commented that the emphasis on Newark may be connected to the future high streets funding bid.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)     the progress towards meeting the timetable of the adopted Local Development Scheme be noted;

(b)     delegated Authority be given to the Director – Growth & Regeneration to finalise the Issues Paper in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Major Opposition Spokesman and Local Development Framework Task Group; and

(c)     upon agreement of the Issues Paper in accordance with (b) above that public consultation be carried out for six weeks starting in July.