Issue - items at meetings - Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan

Report of the Executive Director, Environment Development and Housing (copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the content of the draft Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan and approves the document for a ten week period of public consultation

55.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Environment, Housing and Development detailing the content of the draft Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan and requesting that the document be approved in order to enable it to be displayed for a ten week period of public consultation.

55.2    It was noted that this was the first full draft of the Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) which aimed to set out a 15-20 year plan to guide the regeneration of Shoreham Harbour. The JAAP was a Development Plan Document (DPD) which would sit underneath the City Plan (and Adur Local Plan) to provide further detail on the Shoreham Harbour regeneration area. The JAAP formed part of the Local Development Frameworks for Brighton & Hove and Adur District and If adopted as a Development Plan Document (DPD) the policies within the JAAP would be a material consideration in determining all planning applications within the JAAP Harbour area.

55.3    The Joint Area Action Plan was being produced in order to identify a set of realistic, deliverable, locally supported and sustainable proposals for Shoreham Harbour and to manage the impacts of development over time. The Plan was a joint Plan because it had been produced by the City Council, Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council. The Shoreham Port Authority had also been closely involved in its production. The area covered by the JAAP stretched from the Shoreham Footbridge in the west through to Hove Lagoon in the east. Shoreham Harbour was distinct from its surroundings due to its concentration of industrial and other employment uses, many representing port-operational and port-related activities. However, closely linked were the neighbouring residential communities of Shoreham-by-Sea, Shoreham Beach, Southwick, Fishersgate, Portslade and West Hove that would be influenced by any future development plans.

55.4    The Head of Planning and Public Protection further explained that the Joint Area Action Plan was being produced in order to identify a set of realistic, deliverable, locally supported and sustainable proposals for Shoreham Harbour and to manage the impacts of development over time. The Plan would be produced jointly by the City Council, Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council. The Shoreham Port Authority had also been and would continue to be involved in its production. The document would be subjected to full public examination and would therefore need to have a compelling narrative.

55.5    Councillor Fitch referred to the discussions which had taken place at when the Committee had considered an earlier “draft” of the document at its meeting in September 2013 and the view expressed that their preference that no development in the vicinity of Aldrington Basin should be higher that of the recently Vega flats development. It was understood however, that the Portzed development would exceed that height and Councillor Fitch queried whether there were any inconsistencies in the document. The Head of Planning and Public Protection confirmed that wording set out in the local authority’s own action plan accorded with that contained in the development plan and would be referred to when guiding future development proposals.

55.6    Councillor Janio referred to the transport strategy as referred to at paragraph 1.8.17 of the document. He was fully in agreement that a range of measures would be necessary to prevent traffic becoming grid-locked between Hangleton and Portslade and that until that had been addressed the existing problems would continue. The Head of Planning and Public Protection confirmed that the need for a fully developed strategy were recognised and points such as that made by Councillor Janio would be fed into that process. In answer to further questions it was confirmed that the local Ward Councillors would be kept informed and would be fully engaged in the process.

55.7    Councillor Mac Cafferty welcomed the document and looked forward to seeing further refinements and improvements made to it as the process moved forward.

55.8    RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the content of the draft Shoreham Harbour Joint Area Action Plan and approves the document for a ten week period of public consultation