Agenda item - East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document

The report of the Director – Development and Economic Growth is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a) any recommendations made by Local Development Framework Group be considered;

b) the proposed revisions to the draft East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) be supported;

c) the adoption of the East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document be approved;

d) delegated authority be granted to the Director of Development and Economic Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, to adopt the East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document no later than 30 June 2026 and to make any necessary final graphical, presentational and minor textual changes required to the SPD prior to publication; and

e) a further report be brought to Cabinet in the event that either or both of the other local planning authorities (North West Leicestershire District and South Derbyshire District Council) do not adopt the SPD in order to review the Council’s position as regards the SPD.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Upton, presented the report of the Director – Development and Economic Growth, detailing the East Midlands Freeport (EMF) Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Councillor Upton advised that the report had been prepared on a collaborative basis by the three local planning authorities for the EMF sites, Rushcliffe Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council and South Derbyshire District Council. A five week consultation had taken place and the intention was that all three councils would adopt the SPD before the national cut-off date of 30 June 2026.

The main purpose of the SPD was to support the development of the Freeport, and to ensure a coordinated and collaborative delivery and funding of the strategic transport infrastructure required to support the three EMF sites, with contributions to be made on an equitable and proportionate basis. More work would be required to underpin the SPD through an EMF Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP), which would be subject to public consultation and adoption in due course. The SPD envisaged a Framework Section 106 Agreement to coordinate funding and delivery from multiple sites as they came forward through the planning process. The SPD stated that until such time as the IDP has been endorsed, only limited weight should be given to it, as a material planning consideration, although the need for pulled contributions would carry weight. Councillor Upton confirmed that the draft SPD was accompanied by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) Screening Report, as detailed at Appendix 3 to the report. Following consultation with the statutory authorities, it was concluded that the SPD did not require an SEA or an HRA. The report had been considered by the cross-party Local Development Framework Group, which had voted in favour of the recommendation requesting Cabinet to adopt the SPD by a majority vote seven to four. As Chair of that Group, Councillor Upton advised that some members of the Group felt that the focus of the report appeared to be on strategic road transport, with little, if any mention of public transport. Councillor Upton concluded by reiterating that without this SPD there would be a greater risk that development associated with EMF would come forward without the necessary strategic infrastructure contributions.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Brennan referred to this significant site, with the EMF in Rushcliffe centred on the Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station site, which was a major strategic site not just for Rushcliffe, but the wider region and potentially nationally, in terms of bringing forward employment, innovative businesses and economic growth. She stated that it was really important that all sites within the EMF could move forward, with Rushcliffe’s particular interest centred on the power station site, and the sooner it could start moving forward to attract investment and innovation the better.