Decision details

This report seeks agreement of the pre-submission Placemaking Plan for public consultation and submission for examination.  This was approved at Cabinet and then Council on 23^rd March 2016.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet:

1)  Approved the Pre-submission Draft Placemaking Plan for public consultation from 16^th December 2015 to 3^rd February 2016,

2)  Approved the Draft Placemaking Plan for Development Management purposes,

3)  Delegated authority to the Divisional Director for Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, to make minor changes to the Draft Placemaking to correct errors and inconsistences to the Plan prior to publication,

4)  Recommended to Full Council that it resolves to submit the Draft Placemaking Plan, along with representations received through the public consultation, to the secretary of state for examination, and

5)  Agreed the public consultation arrangements as printed in the report.

The UK Planning system is a Plan-led system. This means that planning applications for development must be determined in accordance with Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework requires that each Local Authority should produce a Local Plan for its area and the importance of having it up to date. The Placemaking Plan will be Part 2 of that for the Council’s area.

Publication of a Draft Placemaking Plan and submission for independent examination are statutory requirements of a DPD as required by the 2004 Act and the Regulations.  The Council does not have discretion to depart from this process.

In deciding its preferred spatial strategy, the Council has assessed the reasonable options. It has chosen the most appropriate strategy in light of the evidence, as guided by the sustainability appraisal.