The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is 8 July 2019.
Minutes:
Question from Councillor Andy Jones
A key policy of the Boscombe & Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan is to protect key heritage assets from demolition. This has been made significantly more difficult by the dreadful piece of legislation called permitted development which allows this to happen without the submission of a planning application. Could the Cabinet Member advise whether this Council, as with others, would consider introducing an Article 4 Direction to prevent this happening and if not, why? Could the Cabinet Member further advise when the referendum will take place to ratify the Neighbourhood Plan following its postponement in May?
Response by Councillor Margaret Phipps (Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning)
Article 4 Direction Question
It is recognised by the Council that non designated heritage assets are under pressure for development and that this matter has been raised previously by the local community in Boscombe and Pokesdown. Article 4 directions may be used to require planning permission for the demolition of a non-designated heritage asset such as a building outside of a conservation area, by removing the demolition rights.
The local community’s extensive commitment and effort in preparing the Boscombe & Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan has highlighted that the loss of local heritage assets is very important to them. The identified local heritage assets however, even once the neighbourhood plan is formally adopted by the Council, would still not be protected from demolition under current national permitted development legislation. The only route open to prevent the loss of these buildings would be through an Article 4 Direction. It should be noted that compensation may have to be paid should permitted development rights be taken away unless the Local Planning Authority publicises their intention to make an Article 4 Direction at least one year ahead of it taking effect.
Consequently, although there would be considerable time and staff resource needed by the local planning authority to bring an Article 4 Direction into effect, it does seem reasonable to explore this matter further and I have therefore asked officers to explore the implications of introducing such a mechanism.
Neighbourhood Plan Question
I am pleased to report that he final version of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan Examiner’s Report is expected this week. The Planning Department have recently received a draft of the Examiner’s Report for fact checking and that has been shared with the Neighbourhood Forum.
Once the final examiners report is received the Council then has to decide on the action to take in response to each recommendation and a report will be taken to Cabinet on 11th September. The Council is then required to organise the Referendum. The Local Planning Authority have been in contact with Electoral Services and it is anticipated that a Referendum could be held in late October, but at this time the Council is unable to confirm a precise date.
Supplementary Question from Councillor Andy Jones
With regards to the cost of the referendum, will it be picked up by the Council rather than the Neighbourhood Forum?
Response by Councillor Margaret Phipps (Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning)
Councillor Phipps thanked Councillor Jones for his supplementary question and advised that a response would be provided to him following the meeting.