Issue - items at meetings - Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Updated Background Studies

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

(1)         That the Cabinet Member approves the final reports of the two background studies as supporting evidence for the Core Strategy and other Local Development Framework documents.

14.1         Councillor Kennedy considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place seeking approval of two background studies that provide background and supporting evidence for the Core Strategy and future Local Development Framework documents.

14.2         Councillor Kennedy explained that the studies provided robust evidence for the Core Strategy. The first study, the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), identified a supply of land for housing development for the next 15 years; it was a technical report that did not allocate sites. The second study, the Open Space Study Update, developed a scoring system to assess all of the city’s open space and measured the quality of open spaces not owned by the city council.  Councillor Kennedy welcomed the completion of the studies as a step towards adopting a new development plan for the city and advised that she would begin considering how progress could be made with the Core Strategy, including developing proposals to work collaboratively.

14.3         The Head of Planning and Public Protection advised that the council had moved closer to meeting former South East Plan housing targets but recommended that the setting of local targets be considered to provide a better basis for the way forward with the Core Strategy.

14.4         Councillor Mitchell supported the proposal to set local housing targets. She was confident that the target suggested within the SHLAA was achievable, but noted that it would also be essential to invest in the surrounding infrastructure.

14.5         Councillor Janio queried the inclusion of references to the South East Plan. He welcomed the idea of local target setting and proposals to include all political Groups in the process.

14.6         Councillor Kennedy explained that it would be necessary to maintain references to the South East Plan until the Localism Bill was enacted by Parliament and that the language would be updated accordingly after that time.

14.7         RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Councillor Kennedy accepted the following recommendation:

(1)         That the final reports of the two background studies be approved as supporting evidence for the Core Strategy and other Local Development Framework documents.