Agenda item

To progress the Part 2 Local Plan for East Northamptonshire to adoption in order to provide an up-to-date development plan for making planning decisions and to guide development proposals for the area.

That Council:-

a)    Supports the content of the Part 2 Local Plan, (as set out in Appendix A to the report) to provide for its adoption;

b)    Delegates authority to the Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Assistant Director for Growth and Regeneration, to:-

                      i.        make any minor alterations to the Plan, or its accompanying Policies Map, that relate to factual updates or typographical errors for the purposes of publishing the Plan to presentation standard; and;

                    ii.        prepare and publish the Local Plan Adoption Statement (Appendix B) and the Sustainability Appraisal Statement (Appendix C) and to fulfil any other duties, as required by Regulations 26 to 36 of the Town and Country (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

Reasons for Decision:-

·         The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the planning system should be genuinely plan-led. Succinct and up-to-date plans should provide a positive vision for the future of each area and a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic, social, and environmental priorities.

·         The Plan prepared by the Council was subject to thorough examination and has been modified as a result of the recommendations made by the Inspector, as set out in her report (Appendix D refers). The Council has previously consulted on a schedule of these Main Modifications (Appendix E) and has also made non-substantive modifications to the plan during the examination, which are set out at Appendix F to this report. Corresponding changes to the Policies Map are also set out in Appendix G.

·         Subsequent to the adoption of the East Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2, it will supersede all the saved policies from the 1996 Local Plan for East Northamptonshire, along with the extant policies from the 2011 Rural North, Oundle and Thrapston Local Plan.

Alternative Options Considered:-

·         The options considered were either to adopt the Local Plan incorporating the recommended modifications, or to resolve not to adopt the Plan.

·         Adoption of the Plan would provide full coverage for Part 2 Plan policies across the whole of North Northamptonshire. If the Plan was not adopted this would put at risk the delivery of key policies guiding future, sustainable development proposals across East Northamptonshire area.

Consideration was given to a report seeking to progress the Part 2 Local Plan for East Northamptonshire to adoption, in order to provide an up-to-date development plan for making planning decisions and to guide development proposals for the area. A copy of the report is filed with the agenda for the meeting, marked as ‘Item 9’.

The recommendations in the report were proposed by Councillor David Brackenbury and seconded by Cllr Gill Mercer.

The Plan was welcomed as an extremely important document in planning terms. It was noted that had been in development for some years and it was felt important to extend the Council’s thanks to all those who had contributed to its passage.

It was noted that the other areas of North Northamptonshire, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough already had their Part 2 plans adopted. Also, that work was now being undertaken to develop the North Northamptonshire strategic plan which would replace the current joint strategy that had been adopted some years previously.

Following conclusion of the debate, the motion was voted on, with 61 councillors in favour, 0 abstaining and 0 against.

Resolved:

That Council:-

a)    Supports the content of the Part 2 Local Plan, (as set out in Appendix A to the report) to provide for its adoption;

b)    Delegates authority to the Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Assistant Director for Growth and Regeneration, to:-

                      i.        make any minor alterations to the Plan, or its accompanying Policies Map, that relate to factual updates or typographical errors for the purposes of publishing the Plan to presentation standard; and;

                    ii.        prepare and publish the Local Plan Adoption Statement (Appendix B) and the Sustainability Appraisal Statement (Appendix C) and to fulfil any other duties, as required by Regulations 26 to 36 of the Town and Country (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

Reasons for Decision:-

·         The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the planning system should be genuinely plan-led. Succinct and up-to-date plans should provide a positive vision for the future of each area and a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic, social, and environmental priorities.

·         The Plan prepared by the Council was subject to thorough examination and has been modified as a result of the recommendations made by the Inspector, as set out in her report (Appendix D refers). The Council has previously consulted on a schedule of these Main Modifications (Appendix E) and has also made non-substantive modifications to the plan during the examination, which are set out at Appendix F to this report. Corresponding changes to the Policies Map are also set out in Appendix G.

·         Subsequent to the adoption of the East Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2, it will supersede all the saved policies from the 1996 Local Plan for East Northamptonshire, along with the extant policies from the 2011 Rural North, Oundle and Thrapston Local Plan.

Alternative Options Considered:-

·         The options considered were either to adopt the Local Plan incorporating the recommended modifications, or to resolve not to adopt the Plan.

·         Adoption of the Plan would provide full coverage for Part 2 Plan policies across the whole of North Northamptonshire. If the Plan was not adopted this would put at risk the delivery of key policies guiding future, sustainable development proposals across East Northamptonshire area.