Agenda and draft minutes

Resolved – That Councillor Swindells of Preston City Council be appointed as Chair of this meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for introductions as it was the first Joint Advisory Committee meeting since the recent elections, and membership had changed.

The Chair took the opportunity to advise the Committee that Julian Jackson, Central Lancashire LDF Team Co-ordinator, was retiring. On behalf of all Members he expressed his sincere thanks to Julian for his dedicated service to the Joint Advisory Committee and wished him all the very best for the future.

Apologies for absence were received for Councillor Hughes MBE, South Ribble Borough Council and Councillor Walmsley of Chorley Borough Council.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Central Lancashire LDF Joint Advisory Committee held on 30 January 2012.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Central Lancashire Local Development Framework Joint Advisory Committee held on 30 January 2012, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team presented a report giving details of the key outcomes of the consultation representations, engagement events and the areas where revisions to the Charging Schedules were likely to be needed following the outcome of the Preliminary Draft Consultation of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Julian Jackson reported on the extensive consultation and focused engagement which had been carried out and the responses received which were on predictable lines depending on whether the bodies concerned stood to benefit or experience costs as a result of the levy being introduced.

Julian also said that the consultants had been asked to review their viability work in light of the comments received and accordingly recommend any changes in approach for the next stage of consultation and the outcomes of that work would be reported verbally to Members.

Steven Brown reported that the consultants had set a series of questions to consultees based on development viability and infrastructure funding gap justifications as well as various discretionary elements and he gave an overview of the new charging schedules.

Councillor Goldsworthy queried the differences between authorities in the proposed charging schedules particularly with regard to Inner East Preston. Mike Molyneux said that viability of development in inner city areas experiencing deprivation together with many other factors formed the basis of the revisions.

Julian confirmed that a report detailing all of the charging schedules would have to be submitted to each authority’s full Council meeting. A period of four weeks would follow to allow objections to be submitted to the examination stage.

Resolved - That the report be noted and the areas to revise the Charging Schedules be endorsed.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team submitted a report summarising the key findings of the Central Lancashire Open Space Study.

Mike Molyneux explained that the study and subsequent report was prepared by consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page for Central Lancashire. It supplemented a previous report, produced in 2010 which was not completed as the appointed consultants had been placed in administration. The assessment covered the quantity, quality and accessibility of a wide range of different types of open space which was particularly important for deciding on the future provision of open space in Site Allocations Development Plan Documents and for on grounds management. The study also considered the application of open space standards across Central Lancashire and explored how aspects such as quality and the value of sites could be strategically improved.

It was requested that maps be provided to accompany the report documentation.

Members then asked questions relating to Appendix 1 of the report which provided details of recommended standards applied to each typology for all three Central Lancashire authorities. This was in order to assess current need and which had been projected to 2026 assessing future need based on anticipated growth.

Resolved – That the contents of the report be noted.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team presented a report summarising the key findings of the Central Lancashire Playing Pitch Strategy.

Mike Molyneux reported that the Playing Pitch Strategy was prepared by consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page for Central Lancashire and it detailed the findings of the research, consultation, site assessments, data analysis and GIS mapping. The strategy had been prepared in accordance with the methodology provided in Sport England’s ‘Towards a Level Playing Field – A guide to the production of playing pitch strategies’ for assessing demand and supply for outdoor sports facilities.

It was reported that developing the strategic approach to the analysis of playing pitch supply and demand was intended to allow the authorities to:

v  Protect facilities against development pressures, and specifically residential proposals on land in and around urban areas.

v  Identify facility supply and demand issues in relation to predicted population growth up to 2026.

v  Address ‘demand’ pressures created as a result of specific sports development pressures eg mini-soccer, increased demand for artificial pitches.

v  Address issues of cross boundary facility provision.

v  Stand up to scrutiny at a public inquiry as a robust study.

A summary of issues were contained within the report together with an area-by-area analysis of the surpluses/deficiencies, key issues and proposed actions.

Resolved – That the contents of the report be noted.

Report enclosed.

The Joint LDF Officer Team presented a report updating Members on the progress of the Core Strategy leading to the Inspector’s Report on the Examination process.

Julian Jackson reported that the Core Strategy Examination resumed with a hearing session on 6 March for the Inspector to consider issues arising in respect of the proposed Housing Related Changes. The Inspector had announced that his target date for sending his Report for fact checking to the authorities was the week commencing 14 May and Julian confirmed that this had been received and that fact checking had commenced.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Verbal updates will be given on this item.

District Councils updated the meeting on the progression of their individual Council’s site allocations and development management policies.

Mike Molyneux reported that Preston City Council’s consultation period on the Site Allocations Preferred Options was due to conclude on 2 July 2012. He said various roadshows had already been undertaken with a final roadshow being planned at the Town Hall offices. Mike said that so far the response had been good. He said the next stage was the publication version due by November 2012 followed by a submission in spring next year and examination in summer 2013.

Lesley-Ann Fenton reported on the current position in relation to Chorley Borough Council. She said that over the summer preparation would take place on the publication version with a view to submitting it to their Council in September, followed by a consultation period. At present Lesley-Ann said that Chorley was approximately 6-8 weeks ahead of Preston.

Helen Hockenhull of South Ribble Borough Council reported that their public version was due to be submitted to their Cabinet on 13 June followed by consultation from 2 July until mid August with submissions in October and Examination in the New Year. She said that South Ribble was looking to adopt the document in April 2013.

Resolved – That the updates be noted.

The next meeting of the Central Lancashire LDF Joint Advisory Committee is 5.30pm on Thursday 19 July at South Ribble Borough Council.

The next meeting of the Central Lancashire LDF Joint Advisory Committee will be held on 19 July 2012 at 5.30 pm at South Ribble Borough Council.