Issue - meetings

Received and noted this report presented by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration.

Responding to questions the Cabinet Member advised that:

1.  Regarding bullet points 4 and 6 of paragraph 1.2 of the Cabinet Report:

Policy BR1 -  "exceptional circumstances"(where the Environmental Building Standards in Policy BR1may not be appropriate) would be reported to and challenged by the Development Control Board;

Policy BR6 – this paragraph should be taken as read.  Should any planning applications be received from the operator at Marks Warren Farm, in depth discussion would take place between officers and the operator prior to it being reported to the Development Control Board.  Ward members would be notified accordingly.

2.  Chadwell Heath Station was within the London Borough of Redbridge.  TfL review bus routes regularly and officers in the Regeneration department would be asked to write to TfL on this.  Crossrail would not be operational until 2017/2018. 

The Development Plan Document has been circulated to all Members under separate cover (Supplementary 1)

Further to Minute 5 (20 May 2008), the Cabinet Member for Regeneration presented a report on the outcome of the consultation on the Borough-wide Development Policies Development Plan Document (DPD) which is focused on the delivery of the Core Strategy adopted by the Assembly on 21 July 2010.

The DPD sets out the criteria against which future planning applications for the development and use of land and buildings would be considered and includes policies which, for example, set internal space standards for new homes, resist the loss of family houses, protect the borough’s heritage and ensure the right balance of retail and non retail uses in the borough’s town centres. 

The Cabinet Member advised that the proposals have been subject to three statutory stages of consultation followed by a hearing by an independent Planning Inspector.  The Inspector has confirmed that the policies are sound and legally compliant and has recommended a number of changes which do not raise any issues of principle for the Council and are considered to strengthen the document.

Agreed, in order to support the delivery of all of the Community Priorities, to:

(i)  Support the material changes to the draft Borough-wide Development Policies DPD proposed by the independent Planning Inspector, as outlined in paragraph 1.2 of the report; and

(ii)  Recommend the Assembly to adopt the Borough-wide Development Policies DPD as appended to the report.