The Leader of the Council addressed the Group regarding the Core Strategy/Local Plan progress.  He explained to the Group that the Council wanted to go for a housing target of 10,080 but that recently other authorities that have taken their Core Strategies to the Planning Inspectors for approval, have been denied because their housing figures were not high enough and did not have enough supporting evidence.  He informed the Group that housing is one of the Prime Minister’s priorities and that the implications for Maidstone are that we will need to re-consider our housing target upwards.  Kent County Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government (“DCLG”) have stated that the population trend means we would need to aim for an additional 16,000 home (this includes the original target of 10,080) for the period 2011-2031.  It is important that there is a strong evidence base to support this.

The Leader mentioned that a new Strategic Housing Land Allocation Assessment (“SHLAA”) was started just before Christmas and closes on 25 January 2013.  A number of sites have now been submitted, but the indications are there will not be enough to provide the housing need.  The results of the SHLAA will be available in 4-6 weeks.

He reminded the Group that the National Planning Policy Framework takes over in March 2013 and following consultation undertaken last year regarding development in the North West and South East of Maidstone, a report will come to Cabinet to recommend approving an interim Core Strategy and the allocation of strategic sites in these areas. 

The Leader then addressed the Committee regarding the Integrated Transport Strategy (“ITS”) saying that he knows it has not been a popular piece of work amongst Members of Maidstone Borough Council (“MBC”) and Kent County Council (“KCC”).  Cabinet will need to look at this later in the year.  The Leader encouraged Members to remain open-minded, he was aware it was going to be controversial, but we need these documents to all be in place by the end of this year.  This is the Leader’s number one priority.  A small group of KCC and MBC Members have been formed to look at the ITS in the hope of achieving a “coming together” on views.

The Leader then went on to address the distribution of the required housing.  He said there were two “schools of thought” emerging from Members; i) consider the South East urban extension again and the Leeds/Langley by-pass, or ii) a free standing village near Harrietsham or Lenham.  These ideas need to be worked through and a final decision made in the autumn. 

Members raised concerns regarding the possible increase in the housing target and felt it was important that Members were shown the evidence for this new figure, the constraints to development in the Borough, liaison with neighbouring authorities and a vision for the Borough.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING, TRANSPORT AND DEVELOPMENT:

1.  That full information on how the new housing target is arrived at be circulated to all Members.

2.  That Officers be urged to actively seek to evidence the constraints to development in this Borough, e.g. water supply, and infrastructure constraints.

3.  That Officers be encouraged to raise horizons in relation to discussion with neighbouring authorities on how we can help their regeneration.

4.  That a vision for the Borough spatial patterns, growth and regeneration sites and how we deliver that be made.