Agenda item

Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040

To consider report PES/459 of the Head of Economy and Planning.

Minutes:

The Commission considered report PES/459 of the Head of Economy and Planning and supporting documents.

The Crawley Local Plan Review was undertaken to ensure the borough's Local Plan remains up to date. The new Crawley Borough Local Plan was prepared based on the outcomes of monitoring the implementation of the 2015 adopted Local Plan, feedback from previous stages of formal public consultations and updating the supporting technical evidence base. Following Full Council, held on 22 February 2023, which approved the Draft Local Plan for Publication and Submission, formal public consultation took place between May and June 2023. The draft Local Plan was Submitted to the Secretary of State for its independent Examination on 31 July 2023. Two Inspectors were appointed to carry out the Examination of the Plan. Examination Hearing Sessions were carried out in two parts, held during November 2023 and January 2024. Following the discussions at the Hearings, the Inspectors issued a post-hearing letter, dated 31 January 2024. The council published Main Modifications to the Local Plan, arising from the Inspectors’ letter, for a formal six-week public consultation between February and March 2024. The council received the Inspectors’ final Report into the of the Crawley Borough Local Plan on 6 September 2024. This confirmed the Local Plan has been found to be legally compliant and sound, subject to required Main Modifications set out in the Report. The Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 has been prepared alongside a number of statutory supporting documents (including a Local Plan Map, a Sustainability Appraisal, a Habitats Regulations Assessment and a Consultation Statement) and a substantial technical evidence base. 

 

The reports requested Cabinet to recommend to Full Council to approve the Crawley Borough Local Plan 2023-2040 (and supporting documents) for its adoption, in accordance with the recommendations, and subject to the Main Modifications necessary for soundness, set out in the Inspectors’ Final Report.

 

Throughout the discussion with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Head of Economy and Planning, Forward Planning Manager and the Planning Policy Manager, Councillors made the following comments:

·         Recognition of the positive comments within the Planning Inspectors’ report, particularly with reference to the questionable longevity of safeguarded land for the possible Gatwick southern runway due to the potential developable land, together with the further acknowledgement of the town’s space constraints for new build housing of all tenures and need for neighbouring local authorities to exercise the ‘duty to co-operate’ to assist with the town’s housing need.

·         Clarification sought and obtained on the Gatwick Green allocation.  It was confirmed that the Gatwick Green was allocated by securing its exclusion from safeguarding and concurrently allocated for another purpose (economic use).  The area of land allocated to Gatwick Green was no longer safeguarded.  

·         Support for the work undertaken to combat the constraints of water neutrality and the retrofitting work being undertaken. It was noted this issue had also impacted neighbouring authorities.

·         Acknowledgement that waste water was now part of the critical infrastructure, and a potential constraint for future development.  The new Local Plan required developers to address infrastructure at an early stage. 

·         Recognition that infrastructure and transport were key, and the new Crawley Local Plan would ensure the town’s future development and infrastructure needs could be delivered to support the sustainable growth of the borough, within its accepted physical constraints, and whilst continuing to protect its important built and natural environmental assets. 

·         Confirmation provided regarding the ‘backdating’ of the Local Plan, together with the advice and evidence requested throughout the Planning Inspectorate process in terms of post adoption and evidence. National Planning Policy Requirements state a Local Plan must last at least 15 years post adoption, and the Local Plan was originally submitted July 2023 with anticipated adoption 2024. However the Planning Inspectors requested background data and evidence to be addressed for preceding years, resulting in a Local Plan 2023-2040.

·         Clarification sought and obtained on the anticipated housing need, along with the minimum number of dwellings, in comparison with neighbouring authorities.  It was noted that a supply-led housing requirement of a minimum of 5,330 dwellings was supported with the unmet housing need recognised as 7,505 dwellings. There was recognition of the acute affordable housing need in the borough, supporting the 40% requirement (25% town centre) for affordable housing contribution on all housing sites, which included smaller sites.

·         The Commission commended the work of the Planning Team on the compilation of the Local Plan.

RESOLVED

That the Commission noted the report and requested that the views expressed during the debate, were fed back to the Cabinet through the Commission’s Comment sheet.

 

Supporting documents: