Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 70 (12 November 2019), the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing presented a report on the second stage of consultation, referred to as Regulation 19 consultation, on the Council’s draft Local Plan.

The draft Local Plan represented the Council’s proposed planning framework for the period up to 2037 which would cement Barking and Dagenham’s status as the “growth opportunity for London” and “green capital of the Capital” through the delivery of 50,000 new properties, 20,000 new jobs and 463 hectares of open space.  The Cabinet Member confirmed that the draft Local Plan was aligned to the Council’s new Corporate Strategy and Borough Manifesto and the London Mayor’s new draft London Plan, although it was noted that the latter had been challenge by the Government and may, therefore, require substantial change which could have a slight impact on the Council’s Local Plan.

Since the report in November 2019, the draft Local Plan had been strengthened in a number of areas including the creation of ‘place policies’ for the seven sub areas of the Borough to provide clearer development principles for each area.  The draft Local Plan also gave considerable focus to infrastructure requirements that would need to be factored into new development proposals and the aspirations for energy efficient developments using sustainable construction methods. 

The Cabinet Member referred to the consultation timetable which anticipated that the final Local Plan would be presented for approval by the Assembly in Autumn 2021 and changes to some of the planned consultation arrangements to take account of the COVID-19 situation.

Arising from the discussions, the Cabinet Member for Equalities and Diversity particularly welcomed the inclusion in the draft local Plan of two potential locations for traveller sites in the Borough to meet extra demand, while the Cabinet Member for Public Realm stressed the importance of fully assessing additional refuse collection and street cleaning requirements as part of major new developments.  On the latter point, the Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services commented on the importance of securing appropriate Section 106 contributions from developers to support local infrastructure needs. 

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the request for publication of the submission version of the Barking and Dagenham Local Plan 2037, along with supporting information include a Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment, evidence base studies and other supplementary information for eight-week statutory public consultation as per the proposed timetable;

(ii)  Agree that, following the Regulation 19 consultation, the plan should be submitted to the Secretary of State for an independent examination;

(iii)  Authorise the Director of Inclusive Growth, after consultation with the Council’s Leader and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing, to make any appropriate and proposed modifications to the submission version of the Local Plan and amendments to supporting documents prior to the commencement of the consultation period (Regulation 19);

(iv)  Authorise the Director of Inclusive Growth, after consultation with the Council’s Leader and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing, to make any appropriate and necessary  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25