Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Development Management

Purpose of report

To seek the agreement of Executive to prepare a Local Development Order for phase 0 and part of phase1a of Graven Hill

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1            To agree in principle to the proposals for a Local Development Order (LDO) for Graven Hill.

1.2            To agree to implement a pilot LDO for phase 0 and part of phase 1a of Graven Hill.

1.3            To delegate authority to the Head of Development Management (in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning and the Commercial Director (Bicester) to agree an appropriate number of houses (between 100 and 200) to be included in the LDO, from within phase 1a.

Resolved

(1)          That, in principle, the proposals for a Local Development Order (LDO) for Graven Hill be agreed.

(2)          That a pilot LDO for phase 0 and part of phase 1a of Graven Hill be implemented.

(3)          That authority be delegated to the Head of Development Management (in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning to agree an appropriate number of houses (between 100 and 200) to be included in the LDO, from within phase 1a.

The Head of Development Management submitted a report to seek the agreement of Executive to prepare a Local Development Order for phase 0 and part of phase1a of Graven Hill.

Resolved

(1)          That, in principle, the proposals for a Local Development Order (LDO) for Graven Hill be agreed.

(2)          That a pilot LDO for phase 0 and part of phase 1a of Graven Hill be implemented.

(3)          That authority be delegated to the Head of Development Management (in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning to agree an appropriate number of houses (between 100 and 200) to be included in the LDO, from within phase 1a.

Reasons

Local Development Orders give a grant of planning permission to specific types of development within a defined area. They can enable the planning process to be streamlined by removing the need for developers to make a planning application.

At Graven Hill, an LDO would allow prospective purchasers of the self-build plots to know that if they meet the requirements of a set design framework. (e.g., maximum height and built area within the plot), they can proceed with development without further cost or delay.

Alternative Options

On the basis that this will be the first LDO to deliver new build residential development in the UK, together with the risks and uncertainty associated with both delivery and the quality of the build environment, Members could consider running a pilot project in respect of only phase 0 of the Graven Hill development. Phase 1 could then be delivered through the traditional planning system with a PPA in place, ensuring certainty and transparency in both the process and the quality of built development. This would enable the success of both delivery methods to be measured.

This option is rejected because it would not allow full delivery of enough houses via the LDO approach and could result in a detrimental impact on prospective self build purchasers.

Members could consider delivering the entire the entire self-build development at Graven Hill through the traditional planning system with a PPA in place, ensuring certainty and transparency in both the process and the quality of built development.

This option is rejected because it would not allow delivery of any houses via the LDO approach and could result in a detrimental impact on prospective self build purchasers.