Agenda item

Report E/22/12 asks the Executive to approve the Selby District Publication Local Plan document for public consultation in order to further progress the adoption of a Local Plan.

The appendices to the report detailed below are to follow:

Appendix 3 – Draft Sustainability Appraisal

Appendix 4 – Draft Habitats Regulations Assessment

Councillor R Musgrave left the meeting at this point.

The Leader of the Council presented the Local Plan Consultation Document and Revised Local Development Scheme. The report explained that in September 2019 the Council had given approval for work to commence on the preparation of a new comprehensive Local Plan for the District. A Local Development Scheme was also brought into effect following Council approval.

Members noted that in accordance with the Local Development Scheme, consultation had taken place on the Local Plan Issues and Options in early 2020. Consultation on the Preferred Options for the Local Plan took Place in early 2021, with subsequent consultations on Additional Sites and Local Plan Evidence later that year.

Approval was now sought from the Executive for consultation to take place on the Publication Local Plan, which would be undertaken under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

Officers confirmed that this was slightly later than set out in the current Local Development Scheme and therefore a revised document was also attached for Members’ consideration. To complete the Local Plan a request was also made for additional resources to be drawn down from reserves.

The Executive discussed the report and asked several questions of Officers and offered some views on the plan. The questions related to proposals for Tadcaster, the need for quality housing and the agreement of local residents, the flood issues identified at the Burn site, Heronby, previous levels of development in Sherburn in Elmet, the rationale for proposed dwelling numbers, the increased budget for completion of the plan, differences between Tier 1 and Tier 2 villages, limits for development due to the greenbelt and proposals for further gypsy and traveller sites. Members also suggested that a glossary be included in the document for easier reference.

The Executive were supportive of the document and were pleased that the proposed development would bring in more jobs to the district.

The Leader of the Opposition who was present at the meeting also expressed his concerns regarding Tadcaster and the site at Cross Hills but acknowledged and praised the large amount of work by Officers and expressed his support for the plan.

Members acknowledged that the issues in Sherburn were well known and ongoing, as was the large allocation of safeguarded land. Several appeals had been lost and sites allocated regardless of this fact; if suggested sites were not allocated, more appeals would be lost.

The Executive noted the Leader of the Opposition’s additional point that the target for provision of housing per annum should be higher than required, due to the importance of allocating sufficient sites so that the Council’s Five-Year Housing Land Supply was fulfilled.

The Leader commended the report for approval.

RESOLVED:

The Executive

                                  1.       approved the Publication Local Plan consultation document at Appendix 1 of the report for consultation in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) regulations 2012 (as amended);

                                  2.       delegated to Officers the arrangements for the consultation to take place for six weeks between 26 August and 7October 2022;

                                  3.       delegated to the Head of Planning and Interim Head of Regulatory Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, any minor amendments required to the documentation for typographical, grammatical and factual or Plain English purposes to the documents prior to publishing for consultation;

                                  4.       recommended the updated Local Development Scheme at Appendix 2 to Council to be brought into effect; and

                                  5.       recommended to Council the drawdown of £313k of funding from the contingency reserve to support the completion of the Local Plan.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To further progress the adoption of a Local Plan.