Agenda item

To review the report.

Councillor Richard Wilkins proposed the recommendations which were seconded by Councillor Liz Leyshon. 

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to: -

A)    Note the responses made to the Limited Update Regulation 18 consultation document as summarised in the Consultation Statement in Appendix 1 and changes proposed to support technical and other documents.   

B)    Agree the Sustainability Appraisal and compliance reports appended to this document. 

C)    Agree the Mendip Local Plan Part II Limited Update (submission version) at Appendix 2 and that this was published for a period of six weeks from 28 June 2024 to 9.00am on 12 August 2024 in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. 

D)    Agree that any changes necessary to the publication documents following this meeting were delegated to the Head of Planning in conjunction with the Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets in order to expedite the Regulation 19 publication stage and submission.  

E)    Agree that following the conclusion of the Regulation 19 publication period, the Limited Update be submitted to the Secretary of State for Independent Examination under section 20 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, together with the submission documents prescribed by Regulation 22 of the 2012 Regulations (including representations received relating to legal compliance and soundness) before 30 September 2024. 

F)    Agree that officers provide updates to this Committee on progress to submission and the examination stages of the Limited Update. 

The Principal Planning Policy Officer, Andre Sestini, introduced the report for Mendip Local Plan Part II Site Allocations Review - Reg 19 publication version. This report summarised the responses made to the Limited Update Regulation 18 consultation document which was agreed by this Committee on 14 February 2024. The report recommended agreement to a submission version of the Limited Update and that following the publication period, these were submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for Independent Examination, alongside representations received from interested parties. Representations made at this stage in the process could only relate to legal compliance or soundness.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:

·       The Committee thanked the team for the hard work on the Plan, which included meeting the tight submission deadline and working with local councillors throughout the process.

·       Councillors queried the date of the current hearing and were advised that it was likely to be in early 2025.

·       Concern was raised on the potential change in legislation that could occur under new government and the risk of impact on the plan.

·       The Committee queried the differing in size of the sites and the number of dwellings per site.

·       Councillors queried the margin for leeway within the target number of houses built.

·       Councillors queried the completion date of 2029 and the level of housing completion that needed to happen to comply with the date.

·       Councillors highlighted an error on the Risk Assessment which showed a Risk Score being 20, and that this should be corrected to 16.

·       The Committee were concerned in regard to the phosphate mitigation plan, and assurance was given by Andre Sestini, Principal Planning Policy Officer.

Councillor Richard Wilkins proposed the recommendations which were seconded by Councillor Liz Leyshon. 

Having been duly proposed and seconded, the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee RESOLVED to: -

A.    Note the responses made to the Limited Update Regulation 18 consultation document as summarised in the Consultation Statement in Appendix 1 and changes proposed to support technical and other documents.   

B.    Agree the Sustainability Appraisal and compliance reports appended to this document. 

C.   Agree the Mendip Local Plan Part II Limited Update (submission version) at Appendix 2 and that this was published for a period of six weeks from 28 June 2024 to 9.00am on 12 August 2024 in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. 

D.   Agree that any changes necessary to the publication documents following this meeting were delegated to the Head of Planning in conjunction with the Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets in order to expedite the Regulation 19 publication stage and submission.  

E.    Agree that following the conclusion of the Regulation 19 publication period, the Limited Update be submitted to the Secretary of State for Independent Examination under section 20 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, together with the submission documents prescribed by Regulation 22 of the 2012 Regulations (including representations received relating to legal compliance and soundness) before 30 September 2024. 

F.    Agree that officers provide updates to this Committee on progress to submission and the examination stages of the Limited Update.