Issue - meetings

Councillor Williams, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration introduced a report on the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP).  A supplementary report had also been issued to amend a minor error regarding a site area, and to ask for authority to be delegated to the Cabinet Member, in consultation with the Service Director for Planning and Environment, to make further minor amendments that would not alter the implementation of the plan.

Following its submission in 2018, the appointed Inspector had completed his Examination of the plan and prepared his binding report setting out how the VALP should be modified in order to be sound.  To fully enact the plan, as modified to accord with the Inspector’s report, it had to be adopted by the Council.  If the plan was not adopted, it would need to be withdrawn leaving the North and Central areas of the council without an up to date Development Plan.

The Cabinet Member stressed that it was important for the Aylesbury Vale area of the Buckinghamshire Council to have an adopted Local Plan as it would support the delivery of 30,134 homes, including 16,000 in and around Aylesbury. Of these numbers, approximately 8,000 homes would be built to take the unmet housing needs from the southern part of the Council’s area.  An adopted local plan would allow local people and the Council to determine and decide where development took place rather than be subject to unwanted opportunistic and speculative applications from developers. Lastly, the VALP would also provide an incremental increase in the amount of green belt space in the Vale, which was highly unusual for a Local Plan to achieve.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions on the VALP as follows:

·                     That while 76% of the allocations in the VALP had already been completed or committed, not adopting the VALP would be unlikely to stop the planned growth at areas such as Hampden Fields or Woodlands.

·                     That as the information in the VALP regarding the expressway was out-of-date and not linked to a policy, the Cabinet Member would be looking to treat this as a factual correction, should Council give him delegated authority to make further minor amendments that would not alter the implementation of the plan.

·                     On some of the initiatives and tools in the VALP to protect biodiversity and the environment, which included adding 98.6 hectares of green belt to Buckinghamshire.

·                     On the methodology that had been used to calculate social and affordable housing numbers.

·                     That, as stated at the Cabinet meeting earlier in the week, the Council would engage with the Whaddon Parish Council at the earliest opportunity with regards to a SPD on the Shenley Park development.

·                     that the Council would continue to support Town and Parish Councils with the formation of their Neighbourhood Plans.

·                     It was confirmed that the Council would be looking to develop a new transport plan for Buckingham.  In addition, Officers had been asked to undertake a study on the A421 corridor.

·                     That some wind  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

Cabinet received a report on the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP).  A supplementary report has also been issued to amend a minor error regarding a site area and to recommend that Council be asked to delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Service Director for Planning and Environment, to make further minor amendments that would not alter the implementation of the plan.

Following it’s submission in 2018, the appointed Inspector had completed his Examination of the plan and prepared his binding report setting out how the VALP should be modified in order to be sound. To fully enact the plan, as modified to accord with the Inspector’s report, it had to be adopted by the Council.  If the plan was not adopted, it would need to be withdrawn leaving the North and Central areas of the council without an up to date Development Plan.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the Planning Inspector’s report, Appendix 2 to the agenda, be accepted.

(2)               That the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan, as modified in accordance with the Inspector’s report (Appendix 1), and updated to amend a minor error regarding a site area referred to in paragraph 2.1 of the supplementary agenda report, be submitted to Council with a recommendation that it be adopted.

(3)               That the final Sustainability Assessment report, detailed with the supplementary agenda, be noted.

(4)               That Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Service Director for Planning and Environment, to make further minor amendments that will not alter the implementation of the plan.

Councillor Williams, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration introduced a report on the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP).  A supplementary report had also been issued to amend a minor error regarding a site area and to recommend that Council be asked to delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Service Director for Planning and Environment, to make further minor amendments that would not alter the implementation of the plan.

Following it’s submission in 2018, the appointed Inspector had completed his Examination of the plan and prepared his binding report setting out how the VALP should be modified in order to be sound.  To fully enact the plan, as modified to accord with the Inspector’s report, it had to be adopted by the Council.  If the plan was not adopted, it would need to be withdrawn leaving the North and Central areas of the council without an up to date Development Plan.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration stressed that it was important for the Aylesbury Vale area of the Buckinghamshire Council to have an adopted Local Plan as it would support the delivery of 30,134 homes, including 16,000 in and around Aylesbury.  Of these numbers, approximately 8,000 homes would be built to take the unmet housing needs from the southern part of the Council’s area.  An adopted local plan would allow local people and the Council to determine and decide where development took place rather than be subject to unwanted opportunistic and speculative developments from developers.  Lastly, the VALP would also provide an incremental increase in the amount of green belt space in the Vale, which was highly unusual for a Local Plan to achieve.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions on the VALP as follows:

·                     that the Council would engage with the Whaddon Parish Council at the earliest opportunity with regards to a SPD on the Shenley Park development.

·                     that the Plan, and the Council, recognised the importance of providing infrastructure (including road infrastructure, looking at the A421), schools, and health facilities as part of development in the north of Buckinghamshire.  In total, HIF infrastructure funding of £172m had been obtained to provide the necessary infrastructure that would accompany the housing and other growth.   

·                     that the Council had a dedicated team who would continue to support Town and Parish Councils with the formation of their Neighbourhood Plans and planning related issues.

·                     that the VALP (Section 6 detailed economic development) also recognised the importance of providing and ensuring that there was good access to employment sites and that local jobs were provided as well as housing.  The Plan looked to ensure and provide protection to viable employment sites.  There were 13 key employment sites in the VALP including at Haddenham Business Park, Westcott, Arla and Silverstone, as well as ancillary land and other business sites.   

·                     on the various environmental and green initiatives that formed part of the plan, including 120 already designated Conservation Areas, the heritage points that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7