Agenda item

To consider the following planning related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 18 March 2020:

·       Heathlands SPD

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Margaret Phipps, Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning.

The Cabinet report will be published on Tuesday 10 March 2020 and available to view at the following link: https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=3727&Ver=4

Heathlands SPD

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Portfolio Holder explained that the Supplementary Planning Document had been out to consultation in February and it was essential that the council maintained a planning framework for mitigating the impact of development on the Dorset Heathlands from within a 5km range and that the existing document was due to expire on 31 March 2020, which therefore meant that this document needed to be adopted and ready to come into force from 1 April 2020. She further explained that the document had been prepared jointly with Dorset Council and would be applicable for a five-year period.

The Document focussed on two main strategies, one in relation to SAMMs (Strategic Access Management and Monitoring) and the other in relation to HIPs (Heathland Infrastructure Projects). It was estimated that this document would assist the council in generating approximately £1.42M. The strategies would enable both councils to grant planning permissions for new homes within the 5km buffer, hence its importance.

The Portfolio Holder and Corporate Director for Regeneration and Economy responded to questions and comments from Board Members.

The Corporate Director explained that there would be a need to be flexible when looking at C2 use applications and each application would need to be taken on its merits. There had been no changes in regard to how this aspect would work from the existing document that was currently in force. There was a general awareness.

The Portfolio Holder responded to a comment in relation to enforcement issues. She explained that she was aware that these had been some enforcement issues in areas surrounding heathland and these needed to be addressed by the Planning Enforcement Team. Feedback received in relation to climate action plan stated that these amendments were minor in nature and improved the clarity of the SPD. Further comments made in relation to aspiring to extend the heathland would be taken on board, but it was not anticipated actually doing this would be an easy task.

The Portfolio Holder was asked a question about the reasoning for a cap on fees. It was explained that having a cap in place enabled developers to have a certainty as to what they would need to pay for issues to be mitigated.

The Portfolio Holder was asked a question about differing of opinions between experts and how this might affect outcomes. It was explained that whenever applications came forward, there was a list of statutory consultees that had to be consulted with and that Natural England was one of these, much weight was given to the Natural England point of view when determining a planning application

The Portfolio Holder was asked about the delayed response from Meyrick Estates. It was explained that the response had initially been sent to an email address that was no longer in use and by the time it came to light that this had happened, the consultation period had closed, but it was felt that as it had been sent on time, it should be included.

The Chairman thanked Members for their contributions to the discussion and had noted that there had potentially been twos recommendations put forward.

Cllr S Bartlett stated that he did not feel that the issues raised as part of the discussion were suitable to include as additional recommendations. He added that all planning applications needed to comply with SPDs and that the issues raised would be better dealt with in a local plan, particularly the issue related to amenity space. He concluded by stating that the document before members was a definitive planning document to used to make planning decisions and whilst he understood the spirit behind the issues that had been raised, this document was not the appropriate place for them to be included within.

The Portfolio Holder added that this was a joint document with Dorset Council and any amendments would need to be approved by them too.

The Chairman thanked Cllr S Bartlett and the Portfolio Holder for their comments and explained to the Board that she would take the comments forward to Cabinet to take on board.

RECOMMENDED that:

(a)            Cabinet recommends that Council adopts the Dorset Heathlands Planning Framework 2020-2025 Supplementary Planning Document; and

(b)           any minor changes to the consultation document are delegated to the Director of Growth and Infrastructure in liaison with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning. 

Voting: Unanimous