Agenda item

** Due to the size of the documents, the four appendices to this report will be published as a supplement to the main agenda pack **

Report of Assistant Director – Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To seek approval of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) 2020, and to present the District’s current housing land supply position. 

To seek approval of accompanying updates to the Local Plan’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan and the Brownfield Land Register.

To seek approval of a review of policies in the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 (Part 1) in accordance with Regulation 10A of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To approve for publication the 2020 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) presented at Appendix 1.

1.2          To note the district’s housing delivery and five-year housing land supply positions (for conventional housing and for Gypsies and Travellers) at Section 5 of the AMR and the need for updating of the land supply positions should these materially change.

1.3          To approve for publication the 2020 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) update presented at Appendix 2.

1.4          To approve for publication the 2020 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) presented at Appendix 3.

1.5          To approve for publication the Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 at Appendix 4.

1.6          To authorise the Assistant Director for Planning and Development in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, Infrastructure Delivery Plan update, Brownfield Land Register and Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 if required prior to publication.

Resolved

(1)           That the 2020 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(2)           That the district’s housing delivery and five-year housing land supply positions (for conventional housing and for Gypsies and Travellers) as set out in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) and the need for updating of the land supply positions should these materially change be noted.

(3)           That  the 2020 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(4)           That the 2020 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(5)           That the Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(6)           That the Assistant Director for Planning and Development in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, Infrastructure Delivery Plan update, Brownfield Land Register and Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 if required prior to publication.

The Assistant Director – Planning and Development submitted a report to seek approval of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) 2020, and to present the District’s current housing land supply position. 

The report also sought approval of accompanying updates to the Local Plan’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan and the Brownfield Land Register.

To report further sought approval of a review of policies in the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 (Part 1) in accordance with Regulation 10A of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

At the discretion of the Chairman, Councillor Broad addressed Executive.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Broad for his comments. In response to Councillor Broad’s address, the Assistant Director Planning and Development gave an overview of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 (Part 1) policy review process.

Resolved

(1)           That the 2020 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(2)           That the district’s housing delivery and five-year housing land supply positions (for conventional housing and for Gypsies and Travellers) as set out in the Annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book) and the need for updating of the land supply positions should these materially change be noted.

(3)           That  the 2020 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(4)           That the 2020 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(5)           That the Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(6)           That the Assistant Director for Planning and Development in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, Infrastructure Delivery Plan update, Brownfield Land Register and Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 if required prior to publication.

Reasons

The Annual Monitoring Report provides important information to measure the effectiveness of planning policies and to assist policy making and development management decision making. It is the statutory mechanism for monitoring housing delivery. Its most significant conclusion is that although the district is presently unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, the identified supply of 4.8 years is still well in excess of the 3 year ministerial flexibility. The AMR is accompanied by an updated 2020 Infrastructure Delivery Plan and a 2020 Brownfield Land Register which must be reviewed annually.

The Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan policies 2020 in Appendix 4 shows that the 2015 Local Plan does not require updating and continues to provide a sustainable strategy for growth in Cherwell to 2031. Nevertheless, the council has committed in its latest Local Development Scheme to a Cherwell Local Plan Review and to joint working on the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 in the interest of sustainably planning for future needs. Work on both plans is on-going.

Applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise and it will be up to the decision-maker to decide the weight to give to the policies which have been reviewed.

It is recommended that all four documents presented to Members be approved for publication.

Alternative options

Option 1: Amendment of the 2020 Annual Monitoring Report, Infrastructure Delivery Plan, Brownfield Land Register or Regulation 10A Review of Local Plan Policies 2020 in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning.

This is not recommended as officers consider the documents to be robust, supported by data and research.  Delay could lead to uncertainty within the development industry and risks for decision making.

Option 2: Not to approve the documents for publication

This is not recommended as the production of an authorities monitoring report and local plan policy review is a statutory requirement.

The AMR is necessary to monitor implementation of the Local Plan.  Updating the Brownfield Land Register is also a statutory requirement.  The Infrastructure Delivery Plan is required to monitor and support delivery of the adopted Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031.

The five-year review of local plans from adoption is a statutory requirement. By not publishing the review in Appendix 4 the Council would not meet its requirements and be open to allegations that the plan needs updating with consequences for  decision making through the planning application process.