Issue - meetings

Received and noted this report introduced by Councillor McCarthy, Cabinet Member for Regeneration.

In response to Councillor Carpenter’s concern that the Independent Inspector had recommended the deletion of the affordable housing policy, Councillor Smith stated that the Council’s policy is to support council housing, to move people out of tower blocks and into houses and to ensure that the Council’s Local Development Framework supports the difficulties faced by residents at this time.  

Agreed to adopt the Barking and Dagenham Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document.

The Core Strategy document has been circulated under separate cover to all Councillors and is available on the Council’s website

Further to Minute 5 (20 May 2008), received a report from the Corporate Director of Finance and Commercial Services on the proposed adoption of the Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy which sets the vision for the future planning of the borough up to 2025. 

The document has been subject to examination in public and the independent Inspector has confirmed that the Core Strategy is legally compliant and has endorsed the key proposals within the document, with the exception of the proposed affordable housing policy target of 50%.  Officers confirmed that this does not necessarily undermine the Council’s aspirations for affordable housing and essentially may give greater flexibility over the next 15 years.  Others issues that arose during the discussions included:-

• The importance of achieving the 40% target for family housing in new developments;
• The implications for the Council’s regeneration and development proposals in view of the current uncertainty surrounding the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to the Borough;
• The need to reflect the closer relationship between community and religious facilities.  In this respect, Members were reminded of the Select Committee report that was adopted by the Assembly on 10 December 2008 and the Planning Advice Notice published in June 2007.

Agreed, to assist in the delivery of all the Council’s Community Priorities, to recommend the Assembly to adopt the Barking and Dagenham Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document.