Agenda item

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 forms the basis of a submission to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities by the deadline of 18^th October 2023.

3.    That any additional comments from Members following consideration of this report be sent to the Policy Manager for inclusion in the submission to the Secretary of State by no later than 13^th October 2023.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Policy to make the final submission to the Secretary of State on behalf of the District Council.

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.