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Submission Crawley Local Plan 2021 - 2037

Meeting: 25/11/2020 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Submission Crawley Local Plan 2021 - 2037 pdf icon PDF 405 KB

Planning and Economic Development Portfolio

 

To consider report PES/367 of the Head of Economy and Planning, which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 23 November 2020.

 

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

 

That Cabinet delegates the following to the Head of Economy and Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development (Generic Delegation 5 will be used to enact these recommendations), subject to recommendation 2.3 being agreed by Full Council:

 

a)            Factual amendments to the Local Plan necessary in accordance with national policy and updated evidence for the purposes of clarity.

 

b)            The approval of the supporting documents for the Local Plan and technical evidence base documents to support the Local Plan through Examination.

 

 

That Cabinet recommends to Full Council:

 

a)            Approve the submission draft Local Plan and Local Plan Map for a further Publication consultation (a statutory six-week period of public consultation).

 

b)            Approve the submission draft Local Plan for Submission to the Secretary of State for Examination by an independent Planning Inspector, subject to amendments deemed necessary following consultation and updated evidence for the purposes of clarity.

 

c)            Note that the final Local Plan will be brought back to Full Council following its independent examination for adoption.

 

d)            Approve the Local Plan Five Year Policy Assessment to confirm that each adopted Local Plan Policy retains full weight for Development Management decisions.

 

Reasons for the Recommendations

 

National Government guidance expects local planning authorities to produce up-to-date Local Plans for their areas, setting out the strategic priorities for the area over a 15-year timescale and showing how development needs will be met. The Crawley Borough Local Plan was adopted by Full Council on 16 December 2015. It covers the period 2015 – 2030 and provides the borough’s full planning policies for the purposes of development management decisions. A review of this Plan is therefore required, to ensure the borough maintains up to date planning policies.  A full Local Plan Review has been undertaken, as well as an interim assessment of the adopted Local Plan policies to provide a strong planning policy position for the borough in the immediate future, and over the next 16 years. 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development presented report PES/367of the Head of Economy and Planning which sought to recommend to Full Council to approve the submission of the draft Local Plan for a further publication consultation, and also to approve the submission of draft Local Plan for Submission to the Secretary of State for Examination by an independent Planning Inspector, (subject to minor amendments deemed necessary following consultation for the purposes of clarity) and the approval of the publication and submission of the supporting documents for the Local Plan.

 

The Cabinet were reminded that the Council had already been out for public consultation on the draft 2021-37 Local Plan, during January and March 2020. Following that further advice was sought on the draft document from the Planning Inspectorate. As a result the Inspector’s feedback and subsequent consultants’ reports the draft Local Plan had been updated as detailed in Section 5.9 of the report.

 

Councillor T Belben presented the O­verview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 23 November 2020, which included:

 

·         That explanation had been sought regarding the removal of S106 contribution requirements towards education, however it was explained instead that funding for education would now to be met through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

·         Concerns raised over the proposed allocation of the Gatwick Green employment area and whilst there was a need for employment provision within the borough, the location was questionable as the strategic gap between Crawley and Horley would be eroded. In response the Commission noted that the Local Plan was required to allocate a further 24 hectares of employment floor space and that Gatwick Green was the only suitable location within the Borough and it would also enable sufficient infrastructure, landscaping and open space, as part of the proposed new employment location.

 

Councillor Lamb also spoke on the report and thanked officers for their continuing hard work on producing such an important and complex document.

 

A recorded vote was taken on the recommendations in accordance with the Council’s Virtual Committee Procedure Rules.  The names of the Councillors voting for and against the recommendations, along with any abstentions, are recorded as set out below:

 

For the recommendations:

Councillors Irvine, Jhans, Lamb, Mullins, and P Smith. (5)

 

Against the recommendations:

None.

 

Abstentions:

None.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Cabinet delegates the following to the Head of Economy and Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development (Generic Delegation 5 will be used to enact these recommendations), subject to recommendation 2.3 being agreed by Full Council:

 

a)            Factual amendments to the Local Plan necessary in accordance with national policy and updated evidence for the purposes of clarity.

 

b)            The approval of the supporting documents for the Local Plan and technical evidence base documents to support the Local Plan through Examination.

 

 

That Cabinet recommends to Full Council to:

 

a)            Approve the submission draft Local Plan  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6


Meeting: 23/11/2020 - Overview and Scrutiny Commission (Item 4)

4 Submission Crawley Local Plan 2021 - 2037 pdf icon PDF 405 KB

To consider report PES/367 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

Minutes:

The Commission considered report PES/367 of the Head of Economy and Planning. The report sought to recommend to Full Council to approve the submission draft Local Plan for Publication consultation, to approve the submission draft Local Plan for Submission to the Secretary of State for Examination by an independent Planning Inspector, (subject to minor amendments deemed necessary following consultation for the purposes of clarity) and the approval of the publication and submission of the supporting documents for the Local Plan.

 

During the discussion with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Forward Planning Manager and the Policy Planning Manager the following comments were made:

 

·       Confirmation that the advice sought through the Planning Inspectorate advisory service had been carried out previously as part of the process with the current adopted Local Plan.  It allows areas of concern to be addressed prior to full inspection.

·       Explanation was provided regarding the removal of S106 contribution requirements towards education which was a new proposal in the previous draft Plan consulted on in January. Instead this would continue to be met through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to respond to Viability evidence. The viability study assesses the economic viability of development proposed across the area covered by the Crawley Local Plan and the ability of these developments to make contributions to infrastructure through S106 and CIL. The education authority would put forward their projects and obtain their contributions via the CIL rather than S106.

·       Concerns raised over the proposed allocation of the Gatwick Green employment area and whilst there was a need for employment provision within the borough, the location was questionable as the strategic gap between Crawley and Horley would be eroded.  In response it was noted that it was understandable that some residents may be uncomfortable with the proposal within the Crawley Local Plan, however it was recognised that there was a balance of conflicting priorities and the Crawley Local Plan covered the needs of the community in terms of employment as well as safeguarding green space.  The evidence showed that in order to support the creation of new jobs and support the local economy, Crawley needed approximately 24 hectares of employment floor space. The NPPF required the council to meet its development needs for employment purposes where possible.  Due to the safeguarding requirements for a potential future southern runway at Gatwick Airport, it was felt this was the only area capable of accommodating a strategic employment location.  However, the sensitive location had been recognised and the policy allocating the site had been carefully drafted, including many parameters the developer would need to address.  The allocated site was much larger than the anticipated built area of any development scheme, to ensure it can accommodate sufficient infrastructure, landscaping and  open space to provide an appropriate landscape buffer with the countryside and ensure the protection of the amenity of neighbouring properties.  The proposed allocation of the site is one of the main reasons the Regulation 19 consultation was being repeated to give residents and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4