Place Overview & Scrutiny
Subject: City Plan Update for Place Overview and Scrutiny
Committee: Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Date of meeting: 1st October 2024
Report of: Corporate Director, City Services
Contact Officer: Name: Luke Proudfoot
Tel: 07824867048
Email: Luke.Proudfoot@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: (All Wards);
Key Decision: No
1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the work that is being done to refresh the City Plan, the Council’s strategic planning policy document. This is currently at an early stage of preparation. Appendix 1 contains information on the timeline of work on the City Plan as well as consultation and engagement plans.
2.1 Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee notes the work that has been done to date on the City Plan review.
2.2 Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee agrees to keep the City Plan review on the work programme for future opportunities to scrutinise the work as it progresses.
3.1 The new Council Plan ‘A better Brighton & Hove for all 2023 - 2027’ sets out a clear vision for a better Brighton & Hove. It includes four key outcomes to achieve this:
· A city to be proud of – with a flourishing economy and a sustainable, safe and clean environment
· A fair and inclusive city – with homes for all, reduced inequalities, better accessibility and keeping people safe
· A city where people can thrive – securing a better future for children and young people and enabling everyone to live healthy and fulfilling lives
· A city of responsive and well-run services – putting the needs of residents, businesses and visitors at the heart of what we do.
3.2 Planning for new development in the city will help us shape the places we live and work in, the spaces we use for sport and recreation, and those for education, well-being and health. Preparation of a new City Plan will enable the city’s planning policy framework to better support the delivery of the priorities and key outcomes set out in the Council Plan.
Current City Plan
3.3 The current City Plan sets out a framework of planning policies to guide future development in the city to 2030. It identifies how much new housing and commercial space will be needed to help meet the needs of our residents and businesses. It supports the creation and maintenance of thriving, sustainable communities by encouraging high-quality and well-designed places, but also conserving and enhancing the environment, biodiversity and our important heritage assets. The City Plan also helps to ensure that new development is supported by necessary infrastructure. This could include health and community facilities and children's play areas. It applies to the whole city apart from those parts that fall within the South Downs National Park area (the National Park Authority produces its own Plan).
3.4 The current City Plan has two parts:
• City Plan Part One, adopted in 2016. This sets out the Council’s overall approach and the amount of new development required across the city to 2030. It sets out the broad locations and Development Areas where significant development will take place. and includes strategic site allocations and key city wide policies to guide development.
• City Plan Part Two, adopted 2022. This sets out additional site allocations and a suite of detailed development management to complement the strategic policies set out in the City Plan Part One.
3.5 It is now eight years since City Plan Part One was adopted. A new City Plan will also enable planning policy to better reflect other changes that have occurred at local and national level since 2016.For example, the council has declared a climate and biodiversity emergency; a national and local housing crisis continues to mean that housing is in short supply and remains unaffordable to many people; and the way we use our town centres and office spaces is changing.
3.6 We therefore need to update our strategic planning policies to ensure the City Plan is appropriate for the city over the period to 2041 and reflects the key aims of the new Council Plan.
3.7 Part Two has recently been adopted and is up to date. There is consequently no intention to undertake a wholesale revision of Part 2. We will combine some policies in Part One and Part Two that cover the same issue, and exceptionally, changes to national policy or local priorities may mean there is a need for a Part Two policy to be revised.
3.8 When complete, the updated Brighton & Hove City Plan will be a single, consolidated document. This will make it easier to use and understand and make future updates a simpler process. This new City Plan will be called the ‘City Plan 2041’.
City Plan 2041
3.9 The new city plan will need to accord with national planning policy (National Planning Policy Framework) and must be prepared in compliance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Town & Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The NPPF makes clear that to be sound, a local plan should be positively prepared; justified, effective and consistent with national policy. There is a need for up-to-date evidence to inform and test policy options and assess the strategy for accommodation growth and site allocations. A number of background studies have already been prepared and have been published on the city plan website. However further evidence will need to be commissioned to inform draft policies and site allocations.
3.10 The new city plan needs to be prepared in consultation with statutory consultees, the local community and other interested parties. The Key Issues consultation, expected to take place this autumn, is the first stage of public engagement in producing the new City Plan 2041. At this early stage in the plan’s preparation the consultation document does not include new policies or site allocations. We have set out what we think are the key issues for the City Plan 2041, and potential ways these issues could be addressed. We will seek the views of local people, statutory consultees, organisations, and businesses on these and on ask whether there are other issues that have not been identified that should be considered.
3.11 The consultation is structured around the following ‘topic areas’:
· Homes for Everyone
· Sustainability and Climate Change
· A Diverse and Sustainable City Economy
· Design and Place-Making
· Culture and Tourism
· Healthy City and Communities
· Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure
· Transport and Infrastructure
3.12 Each topic area identifies key issues with consultation questions. All topic areas link to the objectives of the Council Plan.
3.13 Consultation feedback will inform the development of the draft City Plan policies and site allocations. There will be a further round of consultation and engagement once the draft Plan has been prepared. Place Overview & Scrutiny members may wish to consider and comment on this draft in due course.
4.1 It should be noted that as part of the development of the draft City Plan the consideration of realistic and deliverable options will need to be assessed through the plan preparation process including evidence gathering and the Sustainability Appraisal. The preferred approach and discounted alternatives will be available as part of the consultation on the draft City Plan.
5.1 None specifically for this report.
5.2 Members will note that consultation on the City Plan review will need to accord with the approach and standards set out in the council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which reflects statutory requirements and take account of the council’s Community Engagement Framework. The SCI identifies who we need to engage with and the type of engagement approaches we will use. This is reflected in a more detailed engagement plan that sets out how the community and other stakeholders will be involved at this stage and subsequent stages of plan preparation and is included at appendix 1.
5.3 An extended eight-week period of consultation is planned from starting in October. It will be presented on the council’s new Your Voice consultation portal. Hard copies of the consultation text and associated information will be made available at the council’s main deposit points to ensure those who cannot engage digitally are not excluded. The consultation text has been written in plain English and extensive efforts have been made to ensure it is clear to those without technical planning knowledge.
5.4 A City Plan 2041 logo has been produced to ensure consistency of branding on all material associated with the plan throughout the process. This is to minimise potential confusion with other council initiatives and strategies.
5.5 Supporting documentation, and posters will be prepared to publicise the consultation and inform people on the purpose of City Plan 2041. A series of online webinars (which will be made available for later viewing) and in-person exhibitions across the city will take place. Short videos on key topics are planned.
6.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from the recommendations
of this report. The cost of officer time, document production and consultation associated with City Plan 2041 will be funded from existing revenue budget within the Planning service.
Name of finance officer consulted: John Lack, Principal Accountant
Date consulted (dd/mm/yy): 12/09/24
7.1 In this report members are asked to note the intentions for the City Plan 2041.The resulting process for the making of or review of a local plan will be governed by provisions in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which established the system of local development planning, and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations which made provision for the operation of that system. Any review or making of a new local plan needs to comply with the requirements of these legislative provisions
Name of lawyer consulted: Katie Kam, Senior Planning Lawyer
Date consulted (dd/mm/yy): 16/09/2024
8.1 None specifically for this report, however it should be noted that the new City Plan will help deliver equalities outcome from new development. A Health and Equalities Impact Assessment (HEQIA) will be carried out on draft policies to ensure that the policies are coordinated to address equalities, health and well-being outcomes throughout the city. With regards to engagement, the draft engagement plan attached as appendix 1 refers to seldom heard from groups such as young people, older people, black and racially minoritised communities, LGBTQI+ communities, disabled people, faith communities, and gypsy and traveler communities, who will be consulted as part of the plan.
9.1 None specifically for this report, however it should be noted that the Plan is required to be accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal (SA). The role of the SA is to promote sustainable development by assessing the extent to which the emerging plan, when judged against reasonable alternatives, will help to achieve relevant environmental, economic and social objectives. As a first stage a SA scoping Report has been prepared which will be published for consultation.
10. Health and Wellbeing Implications:
10.1 None specifically for this report.
11.1 The Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee is asked to note the progress of the work on changes to the City Plan, and to consider future opportunities for scrutiny to input into this work. Before the new city plan can be adopted it must go through several stages of engagement in accordance with statutory requirements and regulations.
Supporting Documentation
1. City Plan Draft Engagement Plan