Agenda and minutes

03 July 2023

It was moved by Councillor Gareth Gee, Seconded by Councillor David Hughes and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Plan Sub-Committee held on 3 July 2023 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

To enable members of the public to ask questions, express views or present petitions, IF NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN, (by telephone, in writing or by email) BY NO LATER THAN 12 NOON OF THE WORKING DAY PRECEDING THE MEETING. As per Procedural Rule 14.4 at any one meeting no person may submit more than 3 questions and no more than 1 such question may be asked on behalf of one organisation.

There was no public participation.

Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any interests they may have in subsequent agenda items in accordance with the District Council’s Code of Conduct. Those interests are matters that relate to money or that which can be valued in money, affecting the Member, their partner, extended family and close friends. Interests that become apparent at a later stage in the proceedings may be declared at the time.

There were no declarations of interest.

This report seeks approval of a revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) for the period covering 2023-2026 to be published on the Council’s website.

The Senior Planning Policy Officer introduced a report seeking approval of the revised Development Scheme (LDS) for the period covering 2023-2026.  The National Planning Policy Framework requires that the planning system should be plan led, with an up-to-date plan providing a positive vision for the future of the area that sets out a framework for addressing housing needs, economic, social and environmental priorities.  Plan makers have until 30June 2025 to submit plans under the existing framework. After recent discussions with Members three potential options set out in section 2.4 of the report were considered for consultation and preparations of the Local Plan. 

OPTION 2 represented the most appropriate approach for preparation of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan. This recognised and balanced the desire to undertake early and constructive public consultation on the key housing and spatial strategy issues for the Local Plan alongside the requirement to advance plan preparation and meet the deadline to submit the Plan for examination to the Secretary of State by the 30 June 2025 deadline.

This option would entail completion of the ‘housing’ evidence base elements of the Local Plan and a targeted ‘issues and option’ style consultation.  This would include options to meet the housing requirement for the plan area, such as the housing target, evidence on site availability, distribution strategy and settlement hierarchy.  Consultation would be carried out in spring 2024, following which the wider evidence base would be finalised and the statutory stages of consultation at Regulation 18 (Preparation of the Local Plan) and 19 (Publication of the Local Plan) would be undertaken.  This option would see the Plan submitted for examination in June 2025.

It was moved by Councillor Matthew Buckler, Seconded by Councillor Lucy Peacock and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.

This report advises Members that the Government is placing much more importance on the quality of the design and appearance of new development. It also reminds Members that one of the key areas identified as part of the review of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan was a need for the strengthening of policies relating to design.

The report seeks Members approval for the appointment of consultants to undertake a review of the design policies in the Local Plan and to provide advice to the District Council on the most suitable approach to the introduction of a Derbyshire Dales Design Code. Approval is sought from Members for a specification for this works (See Appendix 1); such that appropriately qualified and experienced consultants can be appointed to undertake this commission.

The Senior Planning Policy Officer introduced a report advising Members that the Government is placing much more importance on the quality of the design and appearance of new development and reminding Members one of the key areas identified as part of the review of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan was a need for the strengthening of policies relating to design.  The report sought Members approval for the appointment of appropriately qualified and experienced consultants to undertake a review of the design policies in the Local Plan and to provide advice to the District Council on the most suitable approach to the introduction of a Derbyshire Dales Design Code.  The contents of a detailed specification and brief for consultancy services was set out in Item 6, Appendix 1 of the agendafor Members consideration and approval.

The review of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan identified the design policy element required revision to ensure it is compliant with the National Planning Policy Framework. Furthermore, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will make it mandatory for all local planning authorities to produce a Design Code for its area. These codes will have full weight in making decisions on development, either through forming part of local plans or being prepared as a supplementary plan. A Design Code will include measures to seek to mitigate and adapt to the effects of Climate Change and be subject to a Climate Change Impact Assessment, Landscape Character and Design, Heritage and Conservation areas.

The Design Policy Review, as per the specification will provide options and recommendations as to how policies in the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan should be revised to address the requirement to prepare a Design Code and necessary policy revisions within the Plan. These options will be presented to future meetings of the Local Plan Sub Committee to determine the appropriate policy approach to design that could be adopted in the revised Derbyshire Dales Local Plan.

The commissioning of consultants to undertake a Design Policy review for the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan will require additional financial resources the estimated cost being £30,000.  A request for a Supplementary Revenue Budget for the Derbyshire Dales Design Policy Review commission is due to be considered at the meeting of Council on 28th September 2023.  If approved, the expenditure will be financed from the Local Plan Reserve.

It was moved by Councillor Matthew Buckler, Seconded by Councillor Gareth Gee and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the Brief for Consultancy Services on the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan – Design Policy Review as set out in Appendix 1 be approved and circulated to consultants to obtain quotations.

2.    That consultants be commissioned, in accordance with the District Council’s procurement procedures, to prepare advice to the District Council as Local Planning Authority on the design policies and proposals of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan, including Design Codes as part of the ongoing review of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan.

3.    That the results of the commission be reported to future meetings of the Local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 135/23

The Government commenced a consultation on proposed changes to the arrangements for the preparation of Local Plans on 25^th July 2023. It is seeking views on these proposals by 18^th October 2023. This report provides details of those proposed changes and recommends a response to the Government.

The Policy Manager introduced a report on the Government’s 12-week public consultation launched on 25July 2023 on proposed changes that it would like to introduce as a means of improving the preparation of Local Plans. The Government are seeking a response to the public consultation by 18 October 2023. The report provided details of the proposed changes and recommended a response to the Government. 

Members were asked to note the contents of the consultation and after consideration send any additional comments for inclusion in the submission to the Policy Manager by 13 October 2023  The report also sought approval to delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Policy to make the final submission the Secretary of State on behalf of Derbyshire Dales.

The Government suggest that local plans will need to contain a locally distinct vision which will anchor the plan, provide strategic direction for the underpinning policies and set out measurable outcomes for the plan period.

In line with the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill it is proposed that the Government would prepare a suite of National Development Management policies. Local Plans would include locally generated development management policies that should be underpinned by appropriate justification and wherever possible enable delivery of the Plan’s vision.

A timeframe of 30 months is proposed to prepare and adopt a plan.  To ensure that the plan making process remains on timetable the Government is proposing to require local planning authorities to prepare their timetable consistently and to report against the same milestones, with the Local Development Scheme not being required. It proposes that plan making be governed by a series of three Gateways. These would involve the local planning authorities process being assessed by independent specialist support, including the Planning Inspectorate. They are envisaged to be advisory checks, except the final gateway which would be a binding stop/go check which would allow, or otherwise, a plan to proceed to examination.

At the same as wanting to speed up the plan preparation process the Government is also wanting to increase the amount of engagement that takes place during the plan making process. It suggests four themes:

·               Greater role for digital plan making

·               Planning and monitoring the engagement approach

·               Focus on early participation

·               Standardised approach to consultation.

The Government has indicated that the legislation to introduce these changes will be in place by Autumn 2024.  The District Council will need to ensure that to progress the completion of the review of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan that the updated plan is submitted to the Secretary of State by 30^th June 2025, failure to meet this will require the District Council to prepare a new Local Plan under the auspices of the new regime.

7.30 pm Councillor Roger Shelley left the meeting.

It was moved by Councillor Martin Burfoot, Seconded by Councillor Gareth Gee and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the contents of the consultation be noted.

2.    That the recommended Officers’ response to the consultation questions as set out in Appendix 2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 136/23