Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Planning Policy & Economic Development

Summary

To outline for members the updated population & household projections for Cherwell and to consider the implications in terms of proposed changes to the Local Development Framework procedures and the consideration of a locally determined level of growth for the district.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the information contained in this report and in the attached technical paper (Appendix 1).

(2)               To agree the emerging broad population and household figures for Cherwell District for the period up to 2026 set out in Appendix 1 as a basis for further work on the Core Strategy.

Recommendations Approved

The Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development submitted a report which outlined for members the updated population & household projections for Cherwell and to consider the implications in terms of proposed changes to the Local Development Framework procedures and the consideration of a locally determined level of growth for the district. The item had been deferred from the 7 February Executive meeting to enable Members to receive further information on the subject.

Resolved

(1)               That the information contained in this report and in the attached technical paper be noted.

(2)               That the emerging broad population and household figures for Cherwell District for the period up to 2026 set out in the annex to these minutes (as set out in the minute book) be agreed as a basis for further work on the Core Strategy.

Reasons

The preparation of the Local Development Framework is a statutory requirement.  However, the Government has proposed that changes to the statutory procedures for the preparation of Local Development Frameworks will be introduced in April 2012.  These changes are expected to include greater responsibility for local planning authorities in assessing their local housing needs. The population and household projections set out in this report, together with the options for taking forward this work, will provide a basis for the Council to undertake further work to refine the Draft Core Strategy.

Options

Report of Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development

Summary

To outline for members the updated population & household projections for Cherwell and to consider the implications in terms of proposed changes to the Local Development Framework procedures and the consideration of a locally determined level of growth for the district.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:-

(1)               To note the information contained in this report and in the attached technical paper (Appendix 1)

(2)               To agree the emerging broad population and household figures for Cherwell District for the period up to 2026 set out in Appendix 1 as a basis for further work on the Core Strategy.

Item deferred

The Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development submitted a report which outlined for Members the updated population and household projections for Cherwell and sought consideration of the implications in terms of proposed changes to the Local Development Framework procedures and the consideration of a locally determined level of growth for the district.

The Executive acknowledged that the preparation of a Local Development Framework (LDF) was a statutory requirement but some Members were concerned about the population and household projections that had been proposed. Members commented that it was imperative that the correct figure was included in the LDF and raised concerns about the assumptions that had been made in reaching the recommended figure of 12,750 which was based on nil net migration. Members queried why the nil net migration scenario had been chosen over the other scenarios and questioned its validity and the household occupancy assumptions.

Members requested that officers provide further information in response to their concerns and agreed that further consideration of the item should be deferred to the March meeting.

Resolved

(1)               That consideration of the item ‘Population and Household Projections for Cherwell and Key Implications for the Local Development Framework’ be deferred to the March 2011 Executive meeting.