Winchester City Borough Council Local Plan Advisory Group Meeting

Apologies were noted as above.

None

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 27 September 2021 be approved and adopted.

There were no members of the public speaking at the meeting and contributions from members was taken on each agenda item.

Katie Morgans, Principal Landscape Architect introduced the report and provided the advisory group with a summary of the key aspects of the landscape character assessment (LCA) study and document. The summary updated the group with the approach taken by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) towards its LCA, an overview of an LCA, its purpose, how it could be used within the local plan framework, the notable changes made in this version and the process for consultation and its subsequent approval for it to be used as a supplementary planning document.

Members made comments and asked several questions concerning the presentation which included the following: details of the consultation undertaken with parish and town councils, the potential issues of alignment in parishes which fall on the boundary of Winchester City Council and the SDNPA, the consultation period timeframe and the practical steps taken to undertake the study and compile the report.

These questions were responded to by officers and the Chairperson accordingly. 

RESOLVED:  

1. That the presentation and update be noted  

2.  That officers consider the points made by members and in particular:

·       that parish and town councils be contacted following cabinet on 8 December regarding the upcoming consultation

that members be provided with a version of the document that shows the full detail within the maps

Adrian Fox, Strategic Planning Manager, provided the advisory group with a presentation that had previously been circulated to members regarding the “Responses to the Strategic Issues and Priorities consultation". The presentation was available on the council's website at this link. The presentation provided members with an update concerning the four topic areas of Sustainable Transport, Living Well, Low Carbon Infrastructure, Delivery and Success of the Local Plan.

Members made comments and asked several questions concerning the presentation which included the following; how to balance the rural development required and the lack of transport infrastructure, data regarding the use of park and ride, how the local plan and other council policies would help enable the concept of “the 15 minute city” , if standards relating to carbon neutrality improved in the future, how would the council ensure local plan policies could be written flexibly to enable developments to be built to these newer standards,  the inequality of access to open space across the district, understanding and incorporating the needs of those with reduced mobility, addressing the requirements of the Environment Act, the process regarding the designation of a green belt, sharing data on housing allocations with residents, how to deal with issues regarding nitrates within the local plan, gaps between settlements and improving biodiversity, enabling residents to grow their own food, the correct use of nitrate credits and that the council be explicit regarding the development strategy being progressed.

These questions were responded to by officers and the Chairperson accordingly. 

RESOLVED:  

1. That the presentation and update be noted  

2.  That officers consider the points made by members

Steve Opacic, Strategic Planning Projects Officer provided the advisory group with a presentation that had previously been circulated to members regarding the Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH). The presentation was available on the council's website at this link. The presentation provided members with an update concerning: the background to PfSH, the current workstreams, the latest update dated October 2021 and the progress regarding developing a revised joint strategy to meet the development needs to 2036 including the ‘shortfall’.

Members made comments and asked several questions concerning the presentation which included the following; the use and selection of large sites to meet the PfSH shortfall,  the process being adopted to evaluate these large sites, how to demonstrate your duty to co-operate, the perceived deficit in public and democratic engagement of PfSH, would the delivery of some PfSH studies (e.g. Strategic Development Opportunity Areas and Green  Belt Study) be delivered too late to be incorporated into WCC Local Plan and the publication of PfSH officer meeting minutes.

These questions were responded to by officers and the Chairperson accordingly. 

RESOLVED:  

1. That the presentation and update be noted  

2.  That officers consider the points made by members

It was confirmed that the next meeting of the advisory group would be on 13 December 2021. The agenda would consist of the remaining seven topics from the Strategic Issues and Priorities document.

Following a request, the chairperson agreed to discuss with officers whether a “top 10” list could be created that gave members a summary across all sections of the key issues raised from the consultation.