Meeting documents

To consider the report attached as an Appendix.

Contact Officer: Peter Williams 01296 585208

It was reported that following the completion of the issues and options consultation work had focussed on summarising the comments received. A summary of those responses had been attached to the agenda with the first item. Work had then focussed on the preparation of the detailed policies for inclusion in the plan. A significant number of these were now drafted and being discussed with Development Management.

A significant issue for the new plan was the degree of unmet need that AVDC may be requested to accommodate from adjacent Councils. Work had therefore been undertaken to establish the level of unmet need which may flow from other areas. Their positions were set out in the responses to the issues and options consultation. In summary a small amount of unmet need may be requested from Luton and Dacorum, but there was no indication what the figure would be. The total unmet need from Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks had been estimated at 10,000 dwellings for the issues and options consultation. With the advent of a joint plan for the unmet need from the other Bucks councils would increase. However it was not yet possible to be definitive about the figure as capacity work, such as phase 2 of the Green belt  Review and consideration of sites in the AONB was not due to be completed for Chiltern/South Bucks until their preferred options consultation took place in October 2016. Joint working was underway to establish the most accurate estimate and agree the way forward for a definitive figure to be established.

The following bullet points summarised the latest position on the preparation of VALP supporting evidence.

·         A revised Buckinghamshire Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA)report had been prepared by ORS to inform the production of the relevant Local Plans. This had established the overall housing need for Buckinghamshire at around 50,000 with a requirement of 21,300 for Aylesbury Vale.

·         A revision of the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) was underway. This involved over 100 site visits, consultations regarding constraints and application of the joint HELAA methodology. The revised HELAA would provide the source for further capacity

·         A Landscape Assessment from LUC was consulted on at issues and options and comments had been taken into account. The revised assessment had been published on the Council’s website and would be utilised in considering planning applications.

·         A revised Bucks Housing Market Area (HMA) report had been published following the decision by Chiltern and South Bucks to prepare a joint Local Plan. It concluded that the combined Local Plan area fell within the ‘best fit’ Bucks HMA.

·         Phase 1 of a joint Green Belt Review involving the Bucks Councils and including the County Council had been completed and published. A separate report on the review had been prepared for the committee.

·         Cooperative work on traffic modelling had commenced between the County Council and the District Councils to inform the preparation of the respective Local Plans. Work had also commenced on the preparation of an Aylesbury Transport Strategy.

·         A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and Water Cycle Study had been commissioned and work to gather data from the respective stakeholders was underway.

·         Work by consultants to prepare a report on the potential for a new settlement in Aylesbury Vale was continuing. The current focus was on determining the potential landscape and traffic impacts of the most suitable locations.

·         As part of efforts to reduce the over supply of employment land which amounted to 77 ha. against a requirement of 20 ha. is underway. The potential for  land to be reallocated for housing development was being explored as part of the work.

·         Sustainability appraisal work is continuing following the preparation of a Reasonable Alternatives report for issues and options consultation, work was now focussing on the appraisal of potential development sites.

·         Following the production of new government planning policy on travellers which included a revised definition of travellers for planning purposes a update of the joint Bucks traveller needs assessment was underway. The implications of initial results were currently being discussed between the respective councils.

The draft plan was currently being finalised and would be presented to Members at a seminar on Tuesday 31 May at 6:30pm.  The draft plan would then be considered by VALP Scrutiny Committee on 13 June, Cabinet on 15 June and Council on 28 June.  The draft plan would then be published for public consultation on Thursday 7 July, for a period of over eight weeks (due to summer holiday period), ending on Monday 5 September.  The consultation would include a series of public exhibitions and a more streamlined online system for submitting comments. A Town and Parish Councils event would take pace on 13 of July.

Following the public consultation on the draft plan, work would continue on finalising the key pieces of evidence and drafting the final plan.  The final plan would be published for comment in early 2017, following consideration again by VALP Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Council.  This was likely to be in December 2016.  Following the consultation on the final ‘proposed submission’ plan, the plan would be submitted for independent examination in March, which fits with the government’s deadline.  Once submitted, the timetable would be led by PINS and is therefore out of AVDC’s control, but it was anticipated the examination would start in the spring, and adoption by summer 2017.    

Members commented on the small amount of unmet need from Luton and Dacorum and what the figure may be. They also queried the oversupply of employment land. There was the major employment site, ARLA, currently identified; Westcott and Silverstone also both have enterprise zones.  

RESOLVED –

That Members noted the report.