Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Iain Roberts and Stuart Bodsworth.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2012.                                                                                       

The Minutes (copies of which have been circulated) of the meeting held on 4 July 2012 were approved as a correct record.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Service Director (Place Development) to report at the meeting.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Development) reported that the next stage for the consultation on the Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) would be for the documents to be agreed by the Executive Meeting prior to a statutory six weeks’ consultation period. Responses would be analysed and a final submission presented for approval by the Council Meeting following its consideration by the Working Party and the Executive.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Service Director (Place Development) to report at the meeting.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Development) reported that the timetable for the consultation on the Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) would be dependent on when the final draft of the consultation document was agreed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Service Director (Place Development) to report at the meeting.

A representative of the Service Director (Place Development) submitted a briefing note (copies of which were circulated) regarding sites for gypsy and travelling showpeople, as requested at the last meeting of the Working Party. The representative also reported that since the last meeting the owner of the Adswood site had been approached by a developer interested in purchasing the land and the owner of the site on land off Vale Road had been approached by members of the Showmen’s Guild who were interested in purchasing the site for use by its members.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Should the Adswood site be purchased, this would be deemed sufficient for it not to be included in the draft Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) for a gypsy and travelling showpeople site if the developer stated that they did not wish it to be used for that purpose.

·         The developer interested in the Adswood site had experience of developing sites for housing and employment uses and may wish to use the site for those purposes.

·         If the Showmen’s Guild were to purchase the Adswood site and submitted a planning application then it would be judged on the current criteria.

·         If sufficient provision for gypsy and travelling showpeople was not allocated, then the Planning Inspectorate could potentially reject the Allocations DPD in its entirety.

·         Concerns were raised with regard to the fact that all of the potential sites were in the north of the borough. Sites in all areas of the borough had been considered. However, the sites being put forward by Officers were the only ones found to be suitable against the criteria, with no objections having been received from the land owners.

·         Members considered that if any sites were to be allocated then they must be restricted to managed settlements only.

·         The former BAE Systems site in Woodford was not deemed suitable for gypsy and travelling showpeople due to unsuitable access.

·         Concerns were raised that if a site was allocated on green belt land it would encourage other applications for development on green belt to be submitted.

·         The Executive would be made aware of the potential for the Planning Inspectorate to prevent the final submission of the DPD if the provision for gypsy and travelling showpeople sites was insufficient for the recognised need of the borough. In that instance, the Executive would be requested to decide whether or not the consultation should continue.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) (Four for, Three against) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to include only the site off Vale Road in that part of the draft Allocations Development Plan Document relating to gypsy and travelling showpeople sites.