Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director – Planning and Development

Purpose of report

To seek approval of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) 2023 including a housing land supply update (November 2023).

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

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To approve for publication the 2023 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) presented at Appendix 1 including a housing land supply statement and a 2022/23 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) update.

1.2          To approve for publication the 2022/23 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) presented at Appendix 2.

1.3          To authorise the Assistant Director - Planning and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder – Planning and & Development to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, and Brownfield Land Register if required prior to publication.

Resolved

(1)           That with the amendments set out in the annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), the 2023 Annual Monitoring Report (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) including a housing land supply statement and a 2022/23 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) update be approved for publication.

(2)           That the 2022/23 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(3)           That Assistant Director - Planning and Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder – Planning and & Development, be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, and Brownfield Land Register if required prior to publication.

The Assistant Director – Planning and Development submitted a report which sought approval of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) 2023 including a housing land supply update (November 2023) and the accompanying updates to the Local Plan’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan and the Brownfield Land Register.

Resolved

(1)          That with the amendments set out in the annex to the Minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), the 2023 Annual Monitoring Report (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) including a housing land supply statement and a 2022/23 Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) update be approved for publication.

(2)          That the 2022/23 Brownfield Land Register (BLR) (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for publication.

(3)          That Assistant Director - Planning and Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder – Planning and & Development, be authorised to make any necessary minor and presentational changes to the Annual Monitoring Report, and Brownfield Land Register 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 conclusions are that Cherwell is continuing to deliver homes and employment land despite the widely reported national pressures faced by the development industry such as disrupted supply chains, finance costs, and labour shortages.

Alternative options

Option 1: Deferment to seek significant amendment of the: 2023 Annual Monitoring Report, Infrastructure Delivery Plan or Brownfield Land Register.

Officers consider the documents to comprise robust factual reporting and updating against relevant indicators and requirements, supported by data and research.  Members are therefore asked to consider amendment through delegation and consultation with the Portfolio Holder should they consider significant changes to be necessary. 

Option 2: Not to approve the documents for publication

Production of an Authorities Monitoring Report is a statutory requirement and the AMR’s wider information supports the Local Plan implementation and review.  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 and its Partial Review.