Agenda and minutes

Cabinet, at its meeting held on 29 July 2004, had re-titled the UDP Advisory Panel as the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel in order to reflect the recent changes to the Planning System.

In order to reflect its new duties, the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel, at its meeting held on 2 December 2004, agreed its revised terms of reference and

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To Cabinet)

That the revised terms of reference set out below be agreed:

1.                   To give detailed consideration to and make recommendations in respect of:

(a)                the Local Development Framework and its Development Plan Documents and matters incidental thereto;

(b)                representations received to Development Plan Documents and any amendments proposed;

(c)                monitoring the implementation of the Framework, its review and modification as necessary.

2.                   To make recommendations in respect of the development of such individual sites as may be referred to the Panel by the Cabinet.

3.                   To give detailed consideration and to make recommendations in respect of all other planning policy matters such as the designation of Conservation Areas and amendments to their boundaries and the designation of locally listed buildings.

[REASON:  To ensure that the Panel’s Terms of Reference reflect its new remit].

The Director of Strategy (Urban Living) briefed Members on her report and thanked her staff for producing the draft Local Development Scheme (LDS) within a short timescale. She reported that the deadline for submission of the LDS to the Government Office for London (GOL) had changed and that it had been extended from December 2004 to 31 March 2005.

The Director of Strategy (Urban Living) identified the Council’s priorities in the LDS and how these would be achieved, details of which were set out in her report. She added that there was no statutory requirement to involve the community in the production of the LDS and that officers hoped to provide information on the Local Development Framework (LDF) via the website and other mediums.

In response to a number of questions from Members, the Director of Strategy (Urban Living) explained how:

·                     the community would be engaged with a view to identifying their needs for inclusion in the LDS. As the timescales to ensure total engagement with the community were tight, the Plan would be developed incrementally.  The King’s Cross model - mentioned by a Member – was noted as an excellent example of engaging with the community to accept change rather than imposing change; however, community involvement at King’s Cross had been developed over a number of years.

·                     Members would be involved. It was proposed to hold a workshop on 1 March 2005 to allow Members to discuss the LDF proposals prior to finalising and issuing the document to GOL.

A Member stated that she was concerned about the process and the requirement to conform generally to the London Plan, which, in her opinion, was not suitable for Harrow.

The Panel was informed that:

·                     all policies in the saved HUDP would eventually be replaced by the LDF and that it was important to ensure that there were no delays in meeting the deadline;

·                     the expertise of the Community Engagement Team which was based in the Organisational Development Directorate would be utilised, together with expertise in other Council service areas, to assist the LDF team.

A Member suggested more frequent meetings of this Panel to ensure that Members had an opportunity to address all issues.

Following further discussion on community engagement, the Panel agreed that a briefing paper rather than the detailed LDS should be available for comment through the Council’s website and that articles - inviting comments - should be posted in the local newspapers.  The full LDS would be available to anyone who wanted to receive a copy and it would also be accessible on the website.

The Panel also agreed that Members of the Development Control Committee be invited to participate in the Workshop scheduled to be held on 1 March 2005 at 6.30 pm.  The Panel agreed the following programme:

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (To Portfolio Holder)

(1)  That the  ...  view the full minutes text for item

To note the appointment of Councillor Burchell as Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year, as agreed at the Cabinet Meeting of 11 November 2004.

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment of Councillor Burchell as Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year, as agreed at the Cabinet meeting of 11 November 2004.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Panel for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year.

Councillor Anne Whitehead was nominated and seconded.  Councillor Marilyn Ashton was nominated and seconded.  Upon being put to a vote, it was

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Anne Whitehead be appointed Vice-Chair of the Panel for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the special meeting of the Unitary Development Plan Advisory Panel (predecessor body of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel) held on 8 July 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting of the Unitary Development Plan Advisory Panel (being the predecessor body to the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel) held on 8 July 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no public questions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no deputations to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Set out below are the revised terms of reference of the Strategic Planning Advisory Panel for discussion:

1.         To give detailed consideration to and make recommendations in respect of:

(a)       the Local Development Framework and its Development Plan Documents and matters incidental thereto;

(b)       representations received to Development Plan Documents and any amendments proposed;

(c)            monitoring the implementation of the Framework, its review and modification as necessary.

2.         To make recommendations in respect of the development of such individual sites as may be referred to the Panel by the Cabinet.

3.         To give detailed consideration and to make recommendations in respect of all other planning policy matters such as the designation of Conservation Areas and amendments to their boundaries and the designation of locally listed buildings.

See Recommendation 1 above.

The Liberal Democrat Group has nominated Councillor Branch to be a non-voting co-optee on the Panel. The Panel is asked to agree this appointment.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Branch be appointed as a non?voting co?optee on the Panel.

Report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living)

The Director of Strategic Planning introduced his report and advised Members that he could no longer recommend approval of the Development Brief for land at Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, for the following reasons:

·                     the stance taken by the Environment Agency on flood risk and the possibility that a significant part of this site might not be available for development;

·                     to allow officers to assess the impact on traffic of the planning application received for the site, to ascertain the access arrangements and to allow the negotiations between the developer and the Environment Agency, which were at an advanced stage, to be concluded;

·                     the recently available information that the owners of a major part of the site, subject to the current planning application, had an option to purchase the area to be vacated in the New Year by the Office of Government Commerce.

The Chair stated that approval of the development brief ought to be deferred to allow officers to take account of the issues above and the following additional matter:

·                     provision of health and education in the area.

In response to questions from Members, the Director of Strategic Planning stated that:

·                     the planning brief referred to above could not be agreed until the Council had reviewed the access arrangements;

·                     the planning brief ought to be agreed prior to a decision being taken on the planning application received;

·                     the revised brief would be submitted to the March 2005 meeting of the Panel;

·                     the owners of the site were in negotiations with the Environment Agency and that they were looking at ways of dealing with the flood risk which would not prejudice the development potential of the site;

·                     more sophisticated models were now being used by the Environment Agency to determine/forecast flood requirements more accurately than had previously been the case; and this had resulted in the Agency taking a more precautionary approach on this particular site in response to the submitted application;

·                     the public would be re-consulted on the brief should there be significant changes in either the mix of uses or the quantum of development arising from the outcome of the further work outlined.

Members made the following observations:

·                     that the approval of the brief before the Panel that evening could lead to development on a piecemeal basis of the site which was undesirable;

·                     that the views of the Environment Agency needed to be resolved prior to approval of the brief;

·                     that in any development of the site, the existing trees and gardens ought to be retained and that the planting of additional trees – in particular willow trees – ought to be a prime consideration in the brief;

·                     that the sophisticated modelling exercises used by the Environment Agency may well impact on the number of properties built;

·                     that with global warming, the approach being taken by the Environment Agency should be seen positively.

Members asked to be kept informed at all times of the progress in the negotiations between the developer and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Report of the Director of Strategy (Urban Living)

See Recommendation 2 above.

(i)         Training for Members of the Development Control Committee

The Director of Strategic Planning reported that Members of the Development Control Committee would be trained on the Local Development Framework (LDF) between now and 1 March 2005 and the session would be made available to other interested Members.

A Member commented on the large number of training sessions being held for Members and the need for officers to avoid clashes where possible.

RESOLVED:  To note that Members of the Development Control Committee would be trained on the LDF.

(ii)            Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 – A Brief Guide

RESOLVED:  To note that ‘Planning Notes’ in relation to the above?mentioned Act were circulated to Members for information.