Issue - meetings

A report is attached, there will also be a presentation at the meeting.

The Deputy Head of Planning Policy and Highway Development Control & Transport Policy Manager introduced this item to the Panel and gave a presentation. A summary is set out below.

Role of the Local Plan Partial Update

Spatial Development Strategy (SDS): 2022 – 2042

New Local Plan: 2022 – 2038

•  New Planning Policy Framework to deliver the SDS

•  New spatial Strategy

•  New Plan period

•  New targets e.g. the housing requirement, employment land, renewable energy and ecology

•  Planning Reform

Local Plan Partial Update - To 2029 (adopt 2022)

•  The Climate emergency (eg facilitate renewable energy regeneration, retrofitting, parking standards, 

•  The nature emergency (Biodiversity Net Gain)

•  Address the shortfall in Housing Land Supply

•  The green recovery (including Milsom Quarter and protecting employment land)

•  Houses in multiple occupation

•  University campuses and student accommodation

•  Remove P&R sites from Green Belt

•  Green Belt Villages

•  NB the scope and extent of changes of a partial update are limited

Key SPDs Timetable

·  Draft SPDs – consult alongside LPPU in August/September

·  Sustainable Construction & Retrofitting SPD – adopt autumn/winter

·  Transport SPD – adopt alongside LPPU

LPPU: Options Consultation feedback

•  Around 2,350 comments (1,800 standard/petition style comments on Bath Rec or Whitchurch)

•  Key relevant issues raised included:

•  Support for zero carbon development policy and reducing carbon via retrofitting

•  Flexibility needed in policies

•  Impact on viability/affordable housing delivery

•  Biodiversity Net Gain – maximise

•  Sustainable transport modes should be considered first, but don’t be inflexible for rural areas

The Climate Emergency

LPPU will include policy changes addressing the 3 climate emergency priority areas for action:

·  Energy efficiency improvements to buildings

·  Local renewable energy generation

·  Sustainable Transport - increased shift towards walking, cycling and mass transit

Sustainable Transport

Update existing policies to:

•  Strengthen focus on sustainable travel

•  Ensure development transport choices are required to place sustainable modes first

•  Increased linkages between transport, health, equality and inclusivity

•  Embed Liveable Neighbourhoods measures and principles

•  Ensure active travel benefits of Green Infrastructure are delivered

•  Require ULEV charging infrastructure provided in new development

P&R sites in the Green Belt

Removal of the Park & Rides sites from the Green Belt (if exceptional circumstances to change the Green Belt are accepted by the Inspector) and broadening their role to become transport interchanges with solar canopies.

The Ecological Emergency

•  Updating adopted nature conservation policies so that they even better protect irreplaceable habitats and facilitate nature recovery

•  Bringing forward a new policy (in advance of the national requirement) for developers to deliver at least 10 % Biodiversity Net Gain as part of development

Supplementary Planning Documents

•  Transport SPD:

•  Parking

•  Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles

•  Walking & Cycling Infrastructure Design

•  Travel Plans

•  Sustainable Construction & Retrofitting SPD

Parking standards

•  Residential (Origin) Parking changed to Maximum Standards

•  Achieve low car developments where conditions exist to do so, i.e. excellent accessibility, car clubs, Controlled Parking Zones

•  Avoid over-provision,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22