Issue - meetings

The Panel will receive a verbal update on this item.

The Divisional Director–Development and the Group Manager-Policy & Environment updated the Panel.

The Group Manager explained that the Local Development Framework is a group of documents which provides the main policies within which planning decisions must be taken in Bath and North East Somerset.

He reported that consultation on the West of England Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) would begin on 9 November. The JSP is a high-level plan setting out goals for housing, employment etc. within the West of England area. He said that a presentation about the JSP could be made to the November meeting of the Panel, if it wished. Closely aligned with the JSP is the Review of the B&NES Core Strategy; both will be on the Cabinet agenda on 19 October. The Cabinet will consider the Pre-Commencement Document, which sets out the scope and timetable for the Review. This will not be a full-scale review.

He reported that B&NES was in the top 4% of local authorities for adopted or made Neighbourhood Plans.

The Council has started to receive income from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). A review will take place in November to consider what infrastructure is needed to bring forward the growth outlined in the Core Strategy. A policy will be prepared setting out the criteria on how the income from CIL should be spent.

There will be a review of the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Supplementary Planning Guidance. The Chair asked how the allocation between student accommodation and accommodation for key workers would be determined. The Group Manager replied that it was a matter of deciding whether there was greater demand for family homes or for student accommodation and of monitoring the impact of multiple occupation on the housing stock.

Councillor Beath congratulated the Planning Service on their success with Neighbourhood Plans. She also said that housing completions in B&NES over the last seven years had been very good. She suggested that the Panel should receive a report on HMOs.

Councillor Darey asked about the impact of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 on affordable housing targets. The Divisional Director replied that this would depend on Regulations issued under the Act, which were awaited.

Councillor Blackburn asked whether data was available on the occupiers of houses in multiple occupation. He was concerned that the availability of accommodation for professionals was being eroded by the growth in student accommodation. The Group Manager said that the planning system could not distinguish between the types of occupant of HMOs.

RESOLVED to note the updates.