Decision details

The Portfolio holder for Housing and Planning presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities seeking approval for the draft Local Plan Part 2 to be published for a six-week representation period, before being submitted for examination by an Independent Planning Inspector.

The new Rushcliffe Local Plan would be formed of two parts with Part 1 of the Local Plan (the Core Strategy) having been adopted by the Council in December 2014. It was noted that Part 2, having been through a process of consultation had now reached the stage where, as required by legislation, it was required to be examined by an Independent Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, before it could be adopted as part of the statutory development plan alongside the Local Plan Part 1. It was noted that the Local Plan Part 2 would identify non-strategic allocations and designations, for both housing and employment uses in the Borough and would also set out more detailed policies (sitting below the Core Strategy’s more strategic level policies) for use in the determination of planning applications. The draft Local Plan Part 2 was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report and a timetable for the remaining stages of the process for the adoption of the plan, culminating with adoption in December 2018 was tabled at the meeting for information.

The Portfolio holder advised that the proposed sites allocated for housing development would have a significant and positive impact on the Council’s ability to demonstrate a five-year housing supply as required by the Government. The Portfolio holder noted that home building in Rushcliffe was not keeping up with demand and that it was becoming more difficult for residents to find a suitable home in their local area. The Portfolio holder advised that the lack of affordable housing was becoming a pressing social issue in Rushcliffe, with the average price of a house currently eight times the average wage in the Borough, so the allocations in the Plan which contained provision for 30% affordable housing would contribute positively to the much needed supply of affordable housing.

The Portfolio holder noted the significant challenge that the Government’s requirement on the Council to increase the Borough’s housing stock by 28% had presented, and that with development of some of the strategic housing sites in the Borough being slow, it was essential that the Council identified other smaller housing sites in order to be able to demonstrate a five-year housing supply. The Portfolio holder advised that it was essential to be able to show a five-year housing supply, as without one the Council would lose control of where houses were built, which could lead to unwanted and unsustainable developments.

The Portfolio holder advised that the Plan had been through extensive and wide-ranging consultation, but that the time for action was now. It was acknowledged by the Portfolio holder that there was opposition to some of the sites included in the Plan by people who either did not want new housing, were concerned about the impact on services and infrastructure that new houses would create or did not want to lose open green space. The Portfolio holder advised, however, that not building new houses was not an option, and that if the Council did not identify suitable sites for development then the decisions on where houses should be built would be taken away from the Council and made by the Government. The Portfolio holder noted that in this situation it was preferable that where houses were built was decided locally and determined by a Plan that had been informed by consultation with residents.

The Portfolio holder advised that he believed the Plan to be sustainable and that it was capable of meeting the housing needs of current and future residents of the Borough. The Portfolio holder thanked officers, partners, members of the public who had taken part in the consultations and members of the Local Development Framework Group for their contribution to getting the Plan to the current point.

Councillor Butler in seconding the recommendations advised of the need for the Local Plan Part 2 to be progressed so as to avoid the Council losing control of where new houses were built in the Borough. Councillor Butler noted that while everyone may not be happy with the sites identified for development in the plan that there would be an opportunity for further consultation before the Plan was adopted. Councillor Butler noted the significant work of officers in getting the Plan to its current stage and thanked members of the Local Development Framework Group for their contribution.

Councillor MacInnes welcomed the Plan and noted that it was a robust document that would stand the rigours of a public inspection from an Independent Planning Inspector, as well as showing how the Council would meet the demands of Government Policy in demonstrating a five-year housing supply. Councillor MacInnes noted that with the building of new houses it was essential that their impact on local services and infrastructure was mitigated as far as possible, and that it was essential that the Council, as the Local Planning Authority, engaged with developers and other public service providers at an early stage to ensure that the necessary infrastructure, such as schools and GP surgeries were in place in advance of the new homes. Councillor MacInnes advised that it was essential to support the Plan in order to ensure that the Council was able to oppose uncontrolled and unwanted developments, as well as to enable much needed market value and affordable homes to be built across the Borough.

Councillor Jones expressed his frustration that the Local Plan Part 2, had due to the delays in the commencement of building on sites that had planning permission, needed to include extra housing sites to make up for this shortfall. Councillor Jones noted the potential risk of cramming and pressure on infrastructure including roads, parking provision, schools and health services and that the Council needed to be proactive in engaging with the providers of these services to ensure that it anticipated and responded to the pressures on services that housing development would bring. Councillor Jones also requested that with regard to the Plan’s policies on recreational spaces for children and young people the wording of the policies should be strengthened and made more specific. Councillor S Mallender thanked officers for their work in creating the document, noting its thoroughness. Councillor S Mallender noted her disappointment that it had been left to the Council to find extra housing sites to compensate for sites with planning permission that had not been built on.  Councillor S Mallender noted the importance of green spaces, not only surrounding new developments, but in the developments themselves. Councillor S Mallender welcomed the policies contained in the Plan regarding flooding and flood risk to properties neighbouring new developments, but requested that officers looked to strengthen the wording of these policies, as well as the policies on green infrastructure and limiting the number of hot food takeaway units in retail areas.

Councillor Buckle noted the lack of affordable housing across all communities the Borough and that it was essential for the sustainability of these communities that more affordable housing was built. Councillor Buckle also welcomed the control of where future development took place and the control of greenbelt development that the Plan would give to the Council. Councillor R Mallender noted the need for a mix of housing types to be built, including properties for people downsizing, which in turn would assist in the supply of family houses.  Councillor R Mallender welcomed the policies on renewable energy and the focus on locally generated renewable and large-scale battery storage.

Councillor Clarke noted that the Council’s target for new houses would be very challenging, requiring record numbers of houses to be built, but that this was a challenge that the Council was capable of meeting.  Councillor Clarke noted that changes to the mix of housing types may be needed in the future to meet housing needs, and that it was essential that supporting infrastructure and employment opportunities were in place to support the new housing developments. Councillor Cottee noted that, with regard to planning and choosing sites for development, it was impossible to satisfy everybody. Councillor Cottee advised that in Keyworth the allocated sites differed to those included in the Neighbourhood Plan, but that he would be supporting the Local Plan Part 2 as it was a strategic plan for the entire Borough.

Councillor Chewings noted with concern that there was no mention of increasing secondary school provision in the Plan, and advised of the stresses on secondary schools that were currently happening with children having to travel outside of their area to secondary school. Councillor Chewings also advised that the primary schools in Cotgrave were currently nearly at capacity and that soon primary aged children would have to travel out of their area for a school place which was not acceptable and which would also create congestion and parking problems.  Councillor Chewings stated that it was essential that housing developers made the required contributions to infrastructure to mitigate the demands on services that new houses would create. Councillor Chewings noted that it was essential that the Local Plan Part 2 included policies to ensure a good housing mix, including social housing, starter and retirement homes. Councillor Chewings advised that she did not think the Plan strong enough to stand up to speculative developers and as consequence could not support the document.

Councillor Edwards noted his concern about education provision to cater for new developments and that a severe weakness in the plans for the new development of Fairham Pastures would be the need for secondary school children to travel to school in East Leake. Councillor Edwards also advised that he did not believe that that the targets for affordable housing provision contained in the plan were high enough. Councillor Edyvean noted the  challenge that enabling a 28% increase in housing stock would provide, but advised that the housing sites proposed in the Plan would create a 5-year housing supply in the Borough, which would enable the Council to turn down applications for unwanted development and to win planning appeals in these circumstances.  Councillor Robinson advised that Council acknowledged the demands on infrastructure, particularly education that housing developments would bring and that discussions were being held with delivery partners on meeting these challenges, and noted that he was confident that these challenges would be met.

Councillor Upton responded to the issues raised in the discussion and advised that suggested areas for where the wording of policies could be strengthened would be looked at further. Councillor Upton noted the obligations in the Plan placed on developers to provide the required infrastructure to support new housing developments, and that Nottinghamshire County Council, as the Local Education Authority, had a legal obligation to provide adequate school places, but acknowledged that primary age children having to travel outside of their area to school was not an ideal situation. Councillor Upton noted the time that the Plan had been in production, as well as the comprehensive amount of consultation that had taken place, but that it was now essential that the processes of requiring for the final adoption Plan moved forward

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the draft Local Plan Part 2 (Land and Planning Policies) and the draft Local Plan Part 2 (Land and Planning Policies) Policies Map be published for a six week representation period.

b)    following the representation period, the draft Local Plan Part 2 and draft Local Plan Part 2 Policies Map be submitted for public examination.

c)     authority be delegated to the Executive Manager-–-Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio holder for Housing and Planning, to make minor drafting amendments to the draft Local Plan Part 2 and draft Local Plan Part 2 Policies Map prior to their publication in order to make necessary corrections or to provide clarification.