Meeting documents

1 THE ISSUE

1.1 The regeneration of Western Riverside is the most significant planning and regeneration project in the district. The provision of much of the district's residential development commitments until 2011are focused on Western Riverside along with the creation of employment opportunities and the provision of transport and community infrastructure. Its regeneration as a sustainable urban community built upon a regenerated brownfield site is an outstanding example of current government guidance and protects significant areas of the district's rural landscape from development

1.2 At its meeting on 5 March 2003 The Council Executive resolved to recommend to 20 March Council Meeting that Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance for Western Riverside be approved for a period of public consultation. Following Council approval, a formal period of consultation took place between 31 March and 12 May.

1.3 Over 450 consultation letters were sent to a wide range of organisations, interest groups, landowners, residents and individuals including more than 250 who received copies of the draft document. The SPG was also made available to download from the Council's website. Paper copies were obtainable from Council offices and libraries throughout the district. The Council received 76 individual representations which raised more than 450 issues. All responses were reviewed by officers

1.4 The consultation raised a number of key issues. These have been summarised with officers' recommended responses in Appendix 1 of this report. This schedule lists the key issues in the order of the revised SPG document. A full schedule of representations received is set out in Appendix 3.

1.5 A significant number of the issues raised relate to matters of detail. The SPG being considered sets out key principles to guide the regeneration of Western Riverside. Consultation responses relating to matters of detail have been recorded and will be referred to during preparation of more detailed guidance for the site.

1.6 There were also a number of comments which made suggestions for minor changes to the SPG. These have been assessed, but have not been individually responded to in this report to enable the focus to be on key issues.

1.7 The Revised Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) put forward for adoption as Appendix 2 of this report.

1.8 In addition to seeking the adoption of Western Riverside SPG, this report recommends a number of changes to the Bath and North East Somerset Local Plan, Deposit Draft 2002. Policy GDS.1 allocates Western Riverside for mixed use development and sets out a number of site specific development requirements (site B1). In response to representations on the Deposit Draft Local Plan a number of changes to the policy and the associated Reasoned Justification were approved by Council in March 2003 for inclusion in the Revised Deposit Draft. Consultation on the SPG has provided additional information which officers consider should be used in making further changes to the Plan. The recommended revisions to the plan will strengthen references to the core objective of comprehensive, optimum regeneration and delivery of the site, guided by an adopted Masterplan. The relevant amendments are set out in Appendix 4.

1.9 The SPG aims to guide and facilitate the sustainable comprehensive regeneration and delivery of the site. To assist the early progression of these core objectives the SPG has been brought forward as a priority. In order to allow a continued rapid delivery of this key guidance it is recommended that the Executive Council seek the delegated authority of the Council for the Executive Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transport to approve minor changes to the text of the approved document following their decision to further improve the strength, clarity or grammar of the document prior to formal publication..

2 RECOMMENDATION

2.1 That the Council Executive:

(1) Recommends to Full Council that the Supplementary Planning Guidance for Western Riverside is approved as Supplementary Planning Guidance to Policy GDS1 of the Bath and North East Somerset (Deposit Draft) Local Plan.

(2) Recommends to Full Council that the changes to the Bath and North East Somerset (Deposit Draft) Local Plan as set out in Appendix 4 of this report are agreed and that any necessary consequential changes to the responses to representations on the Local Plan approved by Council in March 2003 be made.

(3) Recommends to Full Council that delegated authority is given to the Executive Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation to agree further minor amendments to the Western Riverside Supplementary Planning Guidance as directed by Council or to improve drafting or clarity.

3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

3.1 There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

4 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

4.1 In February 2000 the Council's Strategy Committee resolved to endorse the framework and to adopt the Vision Statement and Key Principles arising from it as the basis on which to prepare planning policies and guidance. In taking forward this resolution, the Council's Western Riverside Project Team prepared and consulted upon a Regeneration Framework Report (RFR) in December 2001. Parts A and B of the RFR and associated documents form the information base upon which the proposed Draft Planning Guidance has been prepared.

4.2 At its meeting on 20 March 2003, The Council resolved to instruct officers to conduct a period of public consultation on the Draft Western Riverside Supplementary Planning Guidance (March 2003). Consultation was conducted between 31 March and 12 May 2003.

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This version was printed 30-Jun-03 12:42