Agenda item

Joint Spatial Plan

The Panel will receive a presentation regarding this item.

Minutes:

The Head of Planning gave a presentation to the Panel regarding this item, a copy of which can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book or as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

 

7 Policies

 

Seven high level & defined policies exist within the Plan.

 

1.  Housing Requirement

2.  Spatial Strategy

3.  Affordable Housing Target

4.  Employment

5.  Place-shaping Principles

6.  Strategic Infrastructure

7.  Strategic Development Locations

 

JSP Requirements

 

  105,500 new homes by 2036

  Space for 82,500+ new jobs

  24,500 affordable homes

  Policy 1 UA Housing Requirements;

  Bristol: 33,500

  North Somerset: 25,500

  South Gloucestershire: 32,500

  B&NES: 14,500

 

Components of housing supply

 

  Existing commitments: 61,500

  Strategic development locations: 17,100

  Urban living: 16,200

  Small windfalls: 6,862

  Non-strategic growth: 3,400

 

 Strategy for B&NES

 

Primary developments will take place in Whitchurch and North Keynsham.

 

In Whitchurch we will seek to optimise solar gain with roofs facing south so that buildings can generate as much power as possible from the sun with solar panels.

 

JSP – Public examination, likely main issues

 

  The spatial strategy is not the most appropriate one

  The Housing Requirement is too low (or too high)

  The infrastructure requirements are not viable / deliverable

  Green Belt release has not been sufficiently justified

  The affordable housing target is too low and the requirement of 35% is not viable 

  Insufficient provision has been made for employment growth and the strategy for allocating land is not clear

  The Plan is not legally compliant eg Duty to co-operate, the Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulations

 

Councillor Rob Appleyard asked if any work would be carried out to compensate the release of Green Belt sites.

 

The Head of Planning replied that it was to be 4/5 locations and that the sites themselves are small.

 

Councillor Appleyard asked how the evidence for land allocation would be shown.

 

The Head of Planning replied that it would need to be shown as deliverable, effective and able to promote growth.

 

Councillor Lisa O’Brien commented that she had some concerns over the developments planned for Whitchurch & Keynsham and said that adequate infrastructure must be in place prior to the housing being built.

 

The Head of Planning said that this point had been made by a number of Councillors and he felt sure it would be discussed in detail at the public examination.

 

The Chairman asked if there was any ability to sub-define the Government’s description of Affordable Housing.

 

The Head of Planning replied that the Strategic Housing Market Assessments (SHMA) has been carried out and that this is an issue that will look to be picked up within the Local Plan.

 

Councillor O’Brien asked if Curo have been involved in the development of the JSP.

 

The Head of Planning replied that the Council works closely with a number of housing providers and noted that some do act more as developers on occasions.

 

The Chairman thanked him for the presentation and for his years of service to the Council.