Agenda item

The Assistant Director for Strategic Planning & Regulatory Services to submit a report which sets out the key conclusions reached and the Main Modifications recommended in the Melton Local Plan Examination Inspector’s Report, and outlines how the latter differ from the plan that Council agreed be submitted for Examination. It also recommends to Council that the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications be agreed and that the Local Plan is adopted. The report also outlines the associated documents that need to be agreed alongside adoption of the Local Plan, the implications for decision making arising from Local Plan adoption and the outstanding processes that need to be completed for adoption.

 

Appendix 2 to this report is to follow.

Members had before them a detailed report prepared by the Assistant Director of Strategic Planning & Regulatory Services which set out the key conclusions reached and the Main Modifications in the Melton Local Plan Examination Inspector’s Report, and outlined how the latter differed from the Plan that Council submitted for Examination.  It also recommended to Council that the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications be agreed and that the Local Plan be adopted.  The report outlined the associated documents that needed to be agreed alongside adoption of the Local Plan, the implications for decision making arising from the Local Plan adoption and the outstanding processes that needed to be completed for adoption.

 

Councillor Sheldon presented the report acknowledging the earlier remarks of the Mayor that this had been a very long process and the report before Members was a very welcome one.  Councillor Sheldon paid tribute to the Assistant Director of Strategic Planning & Regulatory Services who was the only original officer from the start of the Plan process and commended the tireless work of the Assistant Director and his team over the years, as well as all the time and effort of the Members who had been involved and contributed.  He accepted that the Plan would not find universal agreement but it had been passed by the Inspector as being fit for purpose.  It represented a plan for growth on which the future of the Borough could be built; the Planning Committee now finally had a document to support its decision making.  Councillor Sheldon accordingly moved the recommendations contained in the Order Paper.

 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Illingworth and in doing so urged all Members to support it, irrespective of whether the document in its entirety rested comfortably with them or their residents.  The Plan represented the mandate to shape the Borough and he stressed how significant the approval of the Plan by the Inspector was; to put this into context only a mere 22 modifications had been recommended by the Inspector whereas some authorities had had several hundred modifications imposed on their Plans.  Councillor Illingworth urged Members not to underestimate how big an endorsement this was of the Local Plan by the Inspector.  For example, in terms of housing allocations sites, only one site had been added and one removed.  Looking back at all the sites and the early contention, this demonstrated that Neighbourhood Plans and our Local Plan were almost entirely without exception in accord.

 

Councillor Illingworth wished to place on record his acknowledgement of the massive effort put in by everyone involved in the process over a number of years; he wished to recognise the wisdom, the knowledge, and the leadership of the Local Plan Working Group, chaired initially by Councillor Wright and then latterly by Councillor Mrs Chandler.

 

As the motion was opened to debate, several Members gave their views on the Local Plan as now presented for adoption.  Whilst certain aspects led to a more nuanced view of the Plan by some, it was generally agreed that it was a sound document which would allow the Council to encourage and manage development.  A point was made that when the Plan was due to be revised, it may then see the inclusion of a new village.  A Member expressed support for some of the modifications, although a boundary to the south had not been moved, the Inspector had put the background to the mitigation of the development at that location and this was welcomed.  The Inspector had concentrated on the historic environment and sought to protect important views worthy of retention and enhancement as supported by Historic England.  The specific policies which the Inspector had outlined in the Modifications were quite site specific and the hope was expressed that these would be adhered to as applications came forward.

 

As Chair of the Local Plan Working Group, Councillor Glancy then addressed the Council, during which she

 

(a)       welcomed the culmination of a long journey preparing the Plan for growth;

 

(b)       referred to her attendance at a number of the Examination sessions where she had listened to the various arguments for and against the Plan.  On balance she was of the view that the Main Modifications recommended by the Inspector enhanced the Plan and did not affect the fundamental direction and spatial strategy of the Plan;

 

(c)        welcomed the reference to the high quality and sensitive design to mitigate the setting impact of the development on St Mary and St Lazarus Hospital Scheduled Monument plus contributions to the improvements in the public understanding of its value;

 

(d)       noted the Inspector’s reluctance to specify a minimum buffer zone around the Melton Country Park stating that Policy SS5 recognised the importance of protecting the park.  Through the master planning process and design codes, the Council could ensure developers complied to avoid any adverse impact on the County Park;

 

(e)       welcomed the Inspector’s input into the site specific policies with regard to Housing Site Allocations where she considered them to be deficient, together with the Main Modifications recommended to more clearly define the Plan.  The enhancements relating to the town centre were also welcomed;

 

(f)        concluded by thanking Councillor Mrs Chandler for chairing the Local Plan Working Group up until her election as Mayor, and also thanked the hard work of Officers and Members.  However, she cautioned that the hard work would really start now to ensure that the Council could achieve its objectives.  She urged all Members to support the formal adoption of the Plan.

 

Drawing the debate to a close, the Mayor emphatically endorsed all the commendations given to the Officers and Members, stating that it had truly been a team effort.  The use of Reference Groups had been a key feature in getting to this point.  The Mayor then called for a vote on the recommendations en bloc.  Following a vote, the motion was carried unanimously.

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: that

 

(1)       the steps and processes that have been undertaken since submission to prepare the Melton Local Plan for adoption, in accordance with all regulatory and other requirements be noted;

 

(2)       the Council welcomes and agrees the contents of the Local Plan Examination Inspector’s Report (Appendix 1) and, specifically, agrees to accept all the recommended Main Modifications appended to the Inspector’s Report (Appendix 1a);

 

(3)       the adoption version of the Melton Local Plan (including its appendices), as set out at Appendix 2 of the report be agreed;

 

(4)       the Melton Local Plan 2011-2036 be adopted as part of the development plan for the Borough;

 

(5)       a revised Policies Map (Appendix 3) that reflects the policies and proposals of the adopted Melton Local Plan 2011-2036 and recently made Neighbourhood Plans be adopted;

 

(6)       the Council’s response to the representations made on the suggested Additional Modifications and Policies Map changes, as set out in Appendix 4a and 4b respectively be agreed ;

 

(7)       the Assistant Director for Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services be granted delegated authority to publish the adoption statement, the sustainability appraisal report and its accompanying SA Post Adoption statement and fulfil any other duties required under Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England)  Regulations 2012;

 

(8)       the Assistant Director for Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services be granted delegated authority to correct any minor or typographical errors that are identified in the adoption version of the Melton Local Plan or its accompanying Policies Map, which do not significantly change the overall content or purpose of the documents, after this Council meeting.