Issue - meetings

Stockport Local Plan

Meeting: 13/03/2017 - Development Plan Working Party (Item 5)

5 Stockport Local Plan pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

 

Officer Contact: Steve Johnson on 0161 474 3509 or email steven.johnson@stockport.gov.uk.

Minutes:

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the broad framework for the first stage of the work on the Stockport Local Plan (SLP), which will comprise a Place based SLP Issues and Options, including the way in which the document would be presented.

 

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

 

·         Concerns were raised regarding the language used regarding growth, as not everyone in Stockport supported growth. In response, officers explained that it was not the intention of the Local Authority to deliver growth wherever and however, but to plan for growth that will naturally occur.

·         Members welcomed the “lighter touch” approach that was to be taken during the consultation and stressed the need to avoid planning jargon.

·         Extra resources had been allocated to assist in engagement with community groups, particularly those who don’t usually respond.

·         It was felt that the introduction of universal design standards at production level would bring about efficiency savings, but ultimately that the development needed to be viable and deliverable.

·         The local plan needed to take into account the level of requirement for travellers.

·         Members acknowledged that there was a need to take the time to get the Local Plan right, but that there were time pressures to ensure Stockport had a 5 year housing supply against the Core Strategy.

·         It was felt that the benefits to a community that a development brings were not effectively communicated to the public which resulted in negative feedback. It was further stressed that there should be an infrastructure plan to accompany a development plan. In response, it was explained that this was an opportunity to outline to residents the improvements that a development facilitates. Furthermore it was explained that the Local Plan would include details of social and spatial infrastructure improvements.

·         Planning officers welcomed suggestions from members and were seeking guidance from senior officers regarding how best to engage members in the process of the developing a Local Plan.

·         Members requested that the Local Plan take into account the benefits open space provision has on public health. It was explained that a post in the planning policy team was part funded by public health to ensure better health returns could be factored in.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.