Agenda and minutes

The Panel considered a report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development), which outlined the findings of the 2004 London Housing Capacity Study.  The Mayor for London had identified a target for Harrow of 4,000 additional homes to be provided in the ten year period 2007/8 to 2016/17.  The report reflected upon the levels of housing development that Harrow had achieved in recent years and anticipated future housing development.  The report concluded that, on the basis of current and projected performance, Harrow could, in principle, meet the Mayor’s target.  Officers advised that it was possible that the target could be increased, but recommended that Harrow would not support more than 4,000 additional homes.

In response to a question from a Member, officers advised that the responses to the public consultation would be considered by the Mayor and then an Examination in Public would be held in the summer/autumn of 2006, on a date to be arranged.  There would be no automatic entitlement for Harrow to attend the Examination but the Panel’s Inspectors could invite Harrow to appear.  The Panel agreed that Harrow should reserve its position regarding attendance at the Examination, since no advantage would be gained by indicating at this stage that Harrow would wish to appear at the Examination.  Officers confirmed that Members would be advised of the date of the Examination.

Concern was expressed by Members of the Panel that Greater London Authority officers had included an automatic uplift of 25%.

Officers were requested to provide an update on recommendations from the Barker Report to a future meeting of the Panel, and to the Development Control Committee.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to Cabinet)

That a synopsis of the comments contained within the officer’s report, amended as appropriate in accordance with comments made by the Panel, be submitted to the Mayor for London as Harrow’s response to the Draft London Plan Alterations – Housing Provision Targets – Public Consultation, by 20 January 2006.

[REASON: To provide the Mayor for London with the opportunity to feed the Council’s comments into the Examination in Public to be held on the draft Alterations.  Targets determined through this process will be statutory, and the Council will need to consider these in the preparation of the Local Development Framework].

The Panel considered a report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development), which outlined Harrow’s response to the draft Alterations to the London Plan policies on Planning for Waste and Planning for Minerals.  The report identified issues specific to Harrow, and also included the joint response that had been prepared on behalf of the West London boroughs.

Officers advised that indicators showed that an additional 53.6 hectares of land for recycling and waste treatment facilities would be required for the West London Sub-Region.  In view of this, the Panel agreed that the new requirement for councils to protect existing sites would be important, and emphasised the need for Harrow to submit a joint response with other West London boroughs.

During the discussion on the report, the following issues were raised:

• The Panel agreed that, whilst Harrow did not support incineration, no options for waste treatment should be ruled out at this stage.

• A Member expressed concern that the joint response appeared to contain an assumption that PPS10 (Planning for Sustainable Waste Management) would override PPG2 (Green Belts).  In response, officers advised that Green Belt guidance would need to be considered alongside waste issues.

• The Panel expressed concern that Harrow would not have space available to provide new sites for waste treatment facilities, and that the requirement for Harrow to provide an additional 4,000 homes in the ten year period 2007/8 to 2016/17 (discussed in Recommendation 1 of the Panel) meant that there would be competition between land required for housing and waste.  Harrow’s shortage of employment land was considered by the Panel to be a potential problem when trying to identify sites.  Officers advised that it was possible that some existing sites in the Sub-Region could be redeveloped by private developers who would need to apply for planning permission in the usual way.

The Panel thanked the representative from the Association of London Cleansing Officers (ALCO), who was in attendance at the meeting, for the comments from ALCO contained as an appendix to the officers report.  It was noted that ALCO’s comments had been included to inform the Panel’s debate, but would not be included in Harrow’s response to the Mayor for London.

Resolved to RECOMMEND: (to Cabinet)

That the specific issues for Harrow contained within the officer’s report, amended as appropriate in accordance with comments made by the Panel, together with the joint response prepared on behalf of the West London boroughs (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be forwarded to the Mayor for London in reply to the Draft London Plan Alterations – Planning for Waste; Planning for Minerals – Public Consultation.

[REASON: To provide the Mayor for London with the opportunity to feed the Council’s comments into the Examination in Public to be held on the draft Alterations.  Targets determined through this process would be statutory, and the Council would need to consider these in the preparation of the Local Development Framework].

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)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

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

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.

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 no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development).

(See Recommendation 1).

Report of the Group Manager (Planning and Development).

(See Recommendation 2).