Issue - meetings

The Placemaking Plan will be the spatial expression of the Council’s objectives. Before the preparation of a draft Plan, the Council must  engage publically on the reasonable alternative options.  Therefore an options document has been prepared for public consultation to inform the draft Placemaking Plan scheduled for publication in 2015.

The Group Manager for Policy & Environment introduced this item to the Panel. He explained that the purpose of the Placemaking Plan is to complement the strategic framework in the Core Strategy by setting out detailed development principles for identified development sites and other policies for managing development across Bath and North East Somerset.

He stated that the Placemaking Plan is at the options stage and therefore provides the opportunity for the Council to test different options with local communities, stakeholders and the development industry without a formal commitment to a policy. He said that the Options document therefore sets out policy approaches for consultation although in some cases a preferred option is expressed. This will enable the demonstration at examination that the alternatives options have been considered in the process of identifying the “most appropriate strategy”.

He said that the Council has been progressing the Enterprise Area Masterplan which includes a spatial vision and sets out development aspirations for various sites along the river corridor.  He added that the Placemaking Plan Options consultation enables the opportunity to formally test this evidence through the statutory plan-making process, alongside reasonable alternatives.

He informed the Panel that preparation of the options document entailed the involvement of other Services, partnership working with Town and Parish councils, input from key stakeholders and advice from the LDF Steering Group. He said that sites could still be suggested to form part of the Plan.

He notified the Panel that this current consultation would conclude on 30^th January 2015 and that officers would welcome their comments either individually or as a group.

The Chair suggested that the Panel sets up a small working group to collate their views.

Councillor Liz Richardson asked if new sites were now proposed how they would be consulted upon.

The Group Manager for Policy & Environment replied that formal consultation of the Plan still needs to take place and so any new sites would be picked up at this stage. He added that he would be surprised if any did, but that the Council needed to be prepared.

Councillor Douglas Nicol commented that he felt that housing density should be as high as possible so as to lessen the impact on the Green Belt. He added that any new developments within the City of Bath should not come with a car parking facility and that residents parking should be minimised.

The Group Manager for Policy & Environment replied that site requirements are being defined and that he would welcome any views on this process.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked if the division of housing and retail in certain areas was flexible. She also asked if Georgian windows could be replaced by more environmentally friendly ones and if shop frontages on the London Road could be addressed following a change of use.

He replied that amongst the various plans there was some flexibility in the mix of housing and retail. He added that the matter of windows came under a separate Retrofitting SPD that the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66

Cabinet to consider the Placemaking Plan options document for public consultation

Councillor Eleanor Jackson in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 5 and on the Council's website] welcomed the progress made and acknowledged the attention shown to those who had responded during the public consultation period; but observed that some surplus sites had still not been disposed of and she felt that too little attention had been given to issues of drainage and flooding in Radstock.  She appealed to Cabinet to improve the rail, broadband and road infrastructures.

Councillor Ben Stevens asked whether Councillor Jackson was more satisfied having read the Economic Strategy, which spoke of improving the economy of the rural areas.  Councillor Jackson agreed that, as far as it went, it was good enough but she wanted to see more.

Colin Currie (Radstock Action Group) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 6 and on the Council's website] expressed concern at the omission of the railway from the Placemaking Plan and appealed to the Cabinet to give equal weight to industry as to housing.

Councillor Charles Gerrish in an ad hoc statement welcomed the document but made several observations and suggested amendments which may be seen in his notes [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 11 and on the Council's website]

Peter Duppa-Miller in an ad hoc statement offered to take a copy of the Plan for display at Combe Hay Public Library.

Councillor Tim Ball in proposing the item, acknowledged the points raised by Councillor Eleanor Jackson.  He emphasised that the proposal was to move to a public consultation period and asked people to respond to the consultation.  He asked Councillor Gerrish to provide him with a copy of his notes, so that the points he had made could be incorporated into the document.

Councillor David Dixon seconded the proposal and said that 58% of people supported the provision of social housing.  He felt that the Placemaking Plan was a central function of local government.

Councillor Paul Crossley reminded the meeting that the document presented options; it was not fixed in stone.  The Cabinet was determined to deliver on housing and jobs.  He commended Councillor Tim Ball and the officers on the quality of the first draft of the document and observed that final delivery would be the responsibility of the Council which would be elected in May 2015.

Councillor Tim Ball in summing up emphasised that he was eager to improve social housing provision.

On a motion from Councillor Tim Ball, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To AGREE the B&NES Placemaking Plan Options document for public consultation;

(2) To AGREE the proposed consultation strategy; and

(3) To DELEGATE responsibility to the Divisional Director for Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning to make minor textual amendments to the consultation documents prior to publication.