Agenda and minutes

As Councillor Alistair Bradley was detained in traffic Councillor Margaret Smith (South Ribble Borough Council) was appointed as temporary Chair. 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited attendees to introduce themselves. 

Decision: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2018 be confirmed as a correct record. 

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of interests received.

Report of the Central Lancashire Planning Policy Officers (enclosed).

Zoe Whiteside, Development and Regeneration Manager, Chorley Council, presented the report.  The post of Local Plan Coordinator has not been filled, but a further round of recruitment will be undertaken.  The draft Memorandum of Intent and Statement of Common Ground (SCOG) have been drafted and has been sent to the Legal teams at South Ribble and Preston for comments. 

Councillor Alistair Bradley arrived and took the Chair.

A detailed programme has been developed and the team have been working to this.  Details of this were set out in a presentation.  Stage One relates to Issues and Options, Stage Two considers Preferred Options and Publication is Stage Three. The final Stage (Four) is submission. 

Members queried the timescales and noted that a comprehensive risk register has been produced to ensure that all risks are accurately recorded, and mitigations are put in place. 

A successful Member Learning Session had been held the previous evening with Chorley Councillors and Parish Councillors and this will be offered to other authorities. 

Members noted the evidence in relation to

·         Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA)

·         Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

·         Transport

·         Issues and Options

·         Strategic Housing Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA)

·         Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

Decision: That the report be noted.

Report of the Central Lancashire Planning Policy Officers (enclosed).

Zoe Whiteside, Development and Regeneration Manager, Chorley Council, presented the report which provides an update regarding the governments’ plans to reform developer contributions (including CIL and section 106).

The proposals are intended to reduce the complexity and uncertainty of developer contributions which are purported to act as a barrier to the delivery of housing. The government are keen to provide clarity and certainty to developers around the contributions they are expected to make.  Officers await the detailed consultation and guidance and will need to determine the potential impact particularly for plan-making.

Members agreed that overall, these are positive steps, in particular with regards the removal of the pooling restriction and the removal of the requirement to consult twice on CIL reviews.  This will improve the deliverability of a CIL review being undertaken and delivered in alignment with the local plan.

Decision: That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Development, Preston City Council (enclosed).

Chris Hayward, Director of Development, and Chris Blackburn, Planning Policy Team Leader, Preston City Council, presented the report which updates Members on the latest Core Strategy Monitoring Report.

During the monitoring year 1,613 dwellings were completed in Central Lancashire, 272 units above the target of 1,341. The dwelling completion targets were exceeded in Chorley and Preston but there is under provision in South Ribble.

Core Strategy Policy 7 requires market housing schemes to deliver affordable housing as onsite provision or via off-site provision/financial contributions.  The amount of affordable housing required to be delivered is dependent on a sites location, size and such considerations as financial viability.  During the year (April 2017 – March 2018) a total of 409 affordable dwellings were delivered across Central Lancashire consisting of 172 in Chorley, 197 in Preston and 40 in South Ribble.  Together this exceeded the Core Strategy target of 126 by 283 dwellings.

An error was noted in the provision during 2013/14 for South Ribble – the figure should read -71, not 71.  Employment land take up is below the Core Strategy target at the current rate.

Members discussed the trend for over delivery in recent years and noted that there has been a commitment to share the spread of development across Central Lancashire.  Members commended the work in relation to the provision of affordable homes. 

Decision: That the report be noted.

A verbal update will be provided at the meeting.

Jonathan Noad (Director of Planning and Property), South Ribble Borough Council, gave a verbal report. 

The purpose of the Study is to find out how open spaces are used, thought of and what we can do to improve them.  Open spaces are places that can be used by the public, including parks, play areas, playing pitches and more.

This is an important piece of work across the areas and is being undertaken in conjunction with sporting organisations. 

A draft report has been received from the Consultants and a report will be presented to the next meeting. 

Decision: That the report be noted. 

A verbal update will be provided at the meeting.

Alison Marland, Principal Planning Officer, Chorley Council, presented a verbal report. 

Both Preston and Chorley have received their individual draft retail reports from consultants White Young and Green. The South Ribble part of the study was completed last year and is also being updated to reflect the latest data.

The consultants still need to insert the latest Experian data expected in December which means the quantitative findings will change.  The findings of the study will be taken to respective Local Plan Working Groups in mid-December/ early January.

Once the study is finalised it is part of the evidence for the new Central Lancashire Local Plan and will assist in formulising updated retail policies for the Central Lancashire area. The three documents forming the retail study will be uploaded onto the Councils websites.

Decision: That the report be noted and that the consultants be invited to give a presentation at the next meeting. 

A verbal update will be provided at the meeting.

Chris Hayward (Director of Development, Preston City Council) gave an update.

Preston Western Distributor Road - a planning application for the Hodder Aquaduct will be considered the following evening.  It is recommended for approval. 

The Inquiry relating to the Compulsory Purchases Order (CPO) is due to commence the following week and expected to last two to three weeks. 

Jonathan Noad (Director of Planning and Property), South Ribble Borough Council, advised that a consultation on works to Penwortham Town Centre is currently underway. 

Members noted that all of the works contribute to the greater scheme and once they are all completed residents will see the benefits. 

Decision: That the update be noted.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

By Virtue of Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Condition:

Information is not exempt if it is required to be registered under-

The Companies Act 1985

The Friendly Societies Act 1974

The Friendly Societies Act 1992

The Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1978

The Building Societies Act 1986 (recorded in the public file of any building society, within the meaning of the Act)

The Charities Act 1993

Information is exempt to the extent that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Information is not exempt if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission pursuant to Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992(a).

Decision: To exclude the press and public for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Report of the Central Lancashire Planning Policy Officers (enclosed).

Zoe Whiteside, Development and Regeneration Manager, Chorley Council, presented the report which provides an update on the preparation of the first Statement of Common Ground for the three Central Lancashire Local Planning Authorities plus Lancashire County Council as counter signatory.

Members discussed the need to consider the obligations on LCC, including highways and mineral planning and school places.  The engagement with LCC is critical. 

The Statement must be in place before the consultation can begin on the draft plan.  

Decision: To note the contents of the report and the contents of the first draft Statement of Common Ground which is included at appendix one. 

A presentation will be delivered at the meeting.

Chris Blackburn, Planning Policy Team Leader (Preston City Council) gave a presentation. 

The presentation set out changes which have occurred over the last few months, and detailed the Standard Housing Methodology and the Housing Delivery Test. 

Members noted the need for discussions with other Local Authorities, such as Blackburn, and to have the infrastructure in place to support additional housing. 

Decision: That the presentation be noted.

That future meetings of the Joint Advisory Committee were previously agreed as follows:-

Tuesday, 29 January 2019 at Preston City Council

Tuesday, 26 March 2019 at South Ribble Borough Council

The proposed dates for 2019/20 are as follows:-

Tuesday, 4 June 2019 at Chorley Borough Council

Tuesday, 3 September 2019 at Preston City Council

Tuesday, 5 November 2019 at South Ribble Borough Council

Tuesday, 28 January 2020 at Chorley Borough Council

Tuesday, 24 March 2020 at Preston City Council

Members of the Committee are requested to consider/approve the above dates and venues and identify any changes necessary.

Decision: To note the meeting dates, but to change the meeting start time to 6.30pm and to change the 5 November meeting date.