Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 9 October 2019 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and Officers to be invited to declare any interests which they may in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interests which they may have had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of agenda items 4-6 which contain information ‘not for publication’ by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication that was ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’, as defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of agenda items 4, 5, 6 and 7 (see Minutes 5-8 below).

To consider a verbal presentation by a representative of the Chief Planning Officer.

The presentation will provide members with an update on the sustainability appraisal.

The Working Party is asked to note the report and offer any comments.

Officer contact: Emma Curle Tel 474 3542 Email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Chief Planning Officer presented a verbal report which provided Members with an update on the sustainability appraisal.

Members were advised that the sustainability appraisal was baseline information that informed the local plan.  A wide range of stakeholders had been consulted.  A number of areas still need to be tackled including traffic congestion, aging populations and clean air.  In addition, recommendations regarding policy structure and content and site allocations and policies still needed to be made.  Consideration also needed to be given to mitigation options where negative impacts existed.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members requested that they be provided with a copy of all the information collated so far.

RESOLVED – (a) That the verbal presentation be noted.

(b) That the Chief Planning Officer will provide Members with a copy of the data relating to the sustainability appraisal as soon as possible.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer.

The LDS is effectively a project management document for the production of the Local Plan, which identifies and describes the documents that the Council intends to produce to make up the Local Plan. The report provides an overview of the process of drafting them and identifies key milestones and timescales for their preparation.

Members of the Working Party are asked to note the contents of this report, in particular the timings set out in the Appendix, and comments are invited before a final version of the updated LDS is taken to the Cabinet Member for final sign-off.

Officer contact: Emma Curle Tel 474 3542 Email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated which was effectively a project management document for the production of the Local Plan, and which identified and described the documents that the Council intended to produce to make up the Local Plan. The report provided an overview of the process of drafting them and identified key milestones and timescales for their preparation.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Councillors raised the issue of garden grabbing, there is a great deal of concern in the community regarding this and Members wished to know if there was any scope to revise the current policy in this regard.  Members were advised that this was something that officers were going to look into.

·         A short discussion took place on the issue of children’s homes and the number of children coming in from outside the Borough, and how this was to be tackled.

·         Members felt there were other issues that needed to be under consideration such as amenity space and parking provision.  It was pointed out that there is a maximum standard but not a minimum standard.  There are a number of grey areas and it was felt that this was an opportunity to help frame and shape things.

·         Members considered that ongoing parking problems resulting from Houses of Multiple Occupation could not be sustained.  It was also acknowledged that Houses of Multiple Occupation were addressing a real housing need.

·         Councillors requested feedback from the review of outcomes tour.

·         Officers presented Members with their preferred options for a revised timetable.  This included a publication date of June 2021 and submission of November 2021.  This would lead to examination in March-May 2022 and Adoption in September 2022.

·         It was acknowledged that there had been a number of delays.

·         A discussion took place around the so-called ‘Salford Option’ and whether this was worth pursuing in terms of the workload and outcome.

·         Members stated that they would like to make a positive, informed decision and that an all Member briefing session would be helpful.  Previous briefings have been well attended and morning, afternoon and evening sessions have contributed to this.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out the Council’s approach to community involvement within the planning system, including the preparation, alteration or revision of the various components of the Local Plan and in the decision-making process for planning applications. Section 18 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires a Council to prepare and regularly update the document.

The Working Party is requested to review the proposals and suggest alterations or additions that are felt necessary to ensure appropriate levels of consultation are established.

Officer contact: Emma Curle Tel 474 3542 Email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which set out the Council’s approach to community involvement within the planning system, including the preparation, alteration or revision of the various components of the Local Plan and in the decision-making process for planning applications. Section 18 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires a Council to prepare and regularly update the document.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A discussion took place relating to wider consultation in general.  The point was made that people come to Area Committees to speak for and against planning applications, however quite often the decision is not made by the Area Committee.  This can be difficult for people to understand and they can view this with suspicion.

·         Members felt that the public would benefit from knowing exactly what can and cannot be taken into consideration when determining a planning application.  It was suggested by officers that some information on this could be put onto the Council’s website.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a verbal presentation of the Chief Planning Officer.

The presentation will provide members with an update on the Stockport Local Plan.

The Working Party is asked to note the report and offer any comments.

Officer contact: Emma Curle Tel 474 3542 Email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Chief Planning Officer presented a verbal report which provided Members with an update on the Stockport Local Plan.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members stated that they would like to see some information relating to the Local Plan beforehand, so that they could then provide some input.  The results of the scrutiny reviews would also be very useful.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.