Agenda item

This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Planning and Transportation, Councillor Mike Rigby.

The Report recommends publishing a Framework Plans for the SS1 area as a whole and a Concept Plan for the MH2 area for public consultation in order to provide developers, local residents and businesses the opportunity to comment on the draft proposals.   The Framework Plan and Concept Plan closely follows Policy SS1 of the Core Strategy, showing indicatively, the disposition of the main land uses – land for new homes, new roads, employment areas, the bus and ride, a new through school, District Centre, open space and green infrastructure etc.

Resolved that the Executive recommended that:-

1)    The draft SS1 Policy area Framework Plan, the draft MH2 Concept Plan  and the draft MH2 Design Guidance be published for public consultation; and

2)    That the outcome of the public consultation, including any appropriate suggested amendments, be reported back to the Executive as soon as possible with a view to seek approval to adopt the Plans and Guidance for Development Management decision making purposes.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:-

·         Councillors were pleased to see the report and that it included work on sustainability and climate change.  It was exciting to see a new site for generations to come and that developers had taken the report on board with carbon neutrality.

·         Councillors were committed to the report and agreed that the viability of residents should be taken into account.

·         Concern was raised that during MH1, local residents were not listened to during the consultation stage and Councillors did not want to repeat that with MH2.  Councillors requested that if decisions were made against that of local feedback, they should be told why those decisions had been made.

·         Councillors queried how the strategies that had been introduced after MH1 would be included in MH2, for example, Garden Town and the New Design Guide.

All strategies fed into the process, all material planning considerations and setting out the masterplan gave officers something to use for the proposals and in their judgement of the plans.  Viability was still important within the planning consideration.

·         Councillors requested an update on the district centre in MH1 and what had happened and how the implementation would be improved in MH2.

Officers highlighted that there were many reasons why the district centre had not been finished but agreed that it needed to be delivered in MH2.

·         Councillors queried whether housing orientation was included in the design.

Officers advised that the District Design Guide advised on housing orientation.

·         Councillors queried the figures given on electric vehicle charging points and what was deemed as ‘significant’.

The charging points were part of the product design and could be located in garages or on driveways, the figures were aspirations as this was a high level report, so more detailed figures would be given later on in the project.

·         Concern was raised on the chaos caused by the lack of parking near the school and whether the district centre would resolve that.

Councillors were advised that the area allocated for parking had not been tarmacked and that planning officers had been in contact with the developers to find out what progress could be made.  They also wanted to check that the contractors hadn’t breached any of the planning conditions.  Councillors were advised that progress had been slow.

·         Councillors highlighted that other garden towns had been mentioned within the report, but that they wanted the project to be carried out based on local merits.

Officers advised that the reference to garden towns was to illustrate that the Council could deliver quality spaces and bring forward MH2 as a garden community in a modern context.

·         Concern was raised on the lack of infrastructure in MH1 and who had been responsible for that.

Clarification was given.

·         Councillors urged that the project needed design principles that would be delivered.  Further details were given on the Section 106 agreement for MH1.

·         Councillors agreed that they were pleased with the report and that good communications were in place with the local Parish Councils and that feedback from their experience with MH1 had been welcomed and they looked forward to moving forward with MH2.

·         The Leader advised that she had been out and met with the Parish Councils to discuss the work being done.  She reminded the public to take part in the consultation and feedback any concerns or information they had.  She wanted to ensure that all concerns could be resolved.

Resolved that the Executive recommended that:-

1)    The draft SS1 Policy area Framework Plan, the draft MH2 Concept Plan  and the draft MH2 Design Guidance be published for public consultation; and

2)    That the outcome of the public consultation, including any appropriate suggested amendments, be reported back to the Executive as soon as possible with a view to seek approval to adopt the Plans and Guidance for Development Management decision making purposes.