Agenda item

To consider a report by Councillor Win Mullen-James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, and the Principal Planning Officer (copy attached). The report seeks Council approval of the LDP Preferred Strategy.

A report entitled the Replacement Local Development Plan Preferred Strategy – Report of Consultation (previously circulated) was introduced by the Lead Member for the Local Development Plan (LDP), Councillor Win Mullen-James.

Councillor Mullen-James referred to the role of the Strategic Planning Group, which as lead member she chaired. Councillor Mullen-James reflected on the importance of the Group in engaging members of the Council in developing the replacement LDP.

The Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services (HPPPCS) advised that the Preferred Strategy sets out the vision, objectives, growth, spatial strategies, key policies and framework for the draft LDP and required Council approval before the LDP process could move onto the next stage of consultations. The HPPPCS highlighted:

·       The preferred Strategy was consulted on in 2019, but the Covid pandemic and changes in the evidence base had delayed reporting back until now. The key recommended amendments to the 2019 Vision included an increased prominence in aspects such as climate change, renewable energy, active travel and carbon neutrality.

·       The key recommended changes to the Growth Strategy was a reduction of new B-use employment land to be allocated in the county.

·       The key recommended amendment to the Spatial Strategy was the removal of the Bodelwyddan Key Strategic Site from the LDP due to concerns around the delivery and sustainability of the site.

·       It was also recommended that the target for the provision of affordable housing be increased, as a number of affordable homes had been built and there was scope for being more ambitious. Members would be consulted on the actual target to be used before going into the deposit LDP.

·       The Preferred Strategy Consultation being considered today had been recommended for approval by the Strategic Planning Group and by Cabinet, and the HPPPCS recommended the report today to Council.

Councillor Mark Young endorsed the aim of having the right homes in the right places and supported the overall approach being taken. In respect of the Health Impact Assessment, he highlighted the current difficulties residents faced in accessing health services and was concerned that new developments should not worsen the situation for health service provision. Councillor Young recommended that the Health Board attend the Member Area Group meetings. In respect of infrastructure for new developments, Councillor Young queried how sewage infrastructure that was not coping now, would fare when additional houses were added to the infrastructure.

The HPPPCS agreed that a holistic approach and early discussions with key partners to develop a strategy was required, and that greater focus on these issues would be needed once individual sites were being discussed.

The Strategic Planning and Housing Manager (SPHM) agreed that working together with partners who provided health and utility services was essential and was ongoing; and she confirmed that the Health Board would be attending a forthcoming Strategic Planning Group meeting. The SPHM was aware that there were a number of existing problems and improvements, and partnership working was needed in order to deliver the aspirations for the LDP.

In response to questions from Councillor Brian Jones the HPPPCS confirmed that the process ahead included further public consultation. The SPHM outlined that the next major stage would be the deposit stage, but there would be further consultation, for example for city, town and community councils. The SPHM reported that candidate sites had been reviewed by members at workshops and further contact would be made with landowners. She was not aware of any specific discussions with landowners regarding potential land swaps.

In respect of candidate sites, the SPHM agreed with Councillor Hilditch-Roberts and confirmed that efforts would be made to distinguish for the public, the difference between publication of candidate sites and the allocation of sites in the Deposit LDP and the granting of planning permission. The LDP team would ensure that local members were notified prior to the publication of the Deposit LDP.

Councillor David Williams raised doubts about whether discussions with the health board and utility providers, referred to earlier in the debate, could led to improvements, citing serious problems accessing health care and the discharge of sewage into watercourses as examples.

RESOLVED – That Council

(i)              confirms that it has read, understood and taken account of the Wellbeing Impact Assessment (Appendix 3) as part of its consideration;

(ii)             approves the Preferred Strategy as amended by this report;

(iii)           approves the Preferred Strategy as amended by this report to form the basis for developing the Deposit Replacement Local Development Plan for consultation.

(iv)           authorises the Lead Member for Local Development and Planning in consultation with the Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, to agree any minor amendments and corrections required to the Denbighshire Replacement Local Development Plan Preferred Strategy.