Contact your Parish Council


POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

10 FEBRUARY 2021

 

COUNCIL-LED GARDEN COMMUNITY UPDATE

 

Final Decision-Maker

Policy & Resources Committee

Lead Head of Service

William Cornall, Director of Regeneration & Place

Lead Officer and Report Author

William Cornall, Director of Regeneration & Place

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All, but in particular Harrietsham & Lenham and Headcorn Wards. Lenham Parish Council and Boughton Malherbe Parish Council are affected.

 

Executive Summary

 

The proposal was last considered by this Committee on 20th January 2020. The purpose of this report is to provide an update in respect of the progress made since then in pursuing a council-led garden community, near Lenham Heath (Heathlands). As in the case of previous reports to this Committee, the contents of this report relate to the Council's position as a potential property owner/developer and not as Local Planning Authority (LPA).

 

Purpose of Report

 

For information.

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

1.   To note the contents of this report.

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Policy and Resources Committee

10th February 2021


                                                                                     


COUNCIL-LED GARDEN COMMUNITY UPDATE

 

1.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The four Strategic Plan objectives are:

·         Embracing Growth and Enabling

·         Infrastructure

·         Safe, Clean and Green

·         Homes and Communities

·         A Thriving Place

Accepting the recommendations will materially improve the Council’s ability to achieve all the corporate priorities.

 

Director of Regeneration & Place

Cross Cutting Objectives

The four cross-cutting objectives are:

 

·         Heritage is Respected

·         Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced

·         Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved

·         Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected

 

The report recommendations support the

achievement of all the cross cutting

objectives.

 

Through delivering much needed homes to

include 40% affordable housing of which 70% would be for affordable rent. The emerging masterplan is landscape led with up to 50% of the total proposed as green space. Led by the ambitions set out in the Strategic Plan the Council can ensure that the design principles of development where it is the master planner reflect the commitment to reduce health inequalities amongst other things.

 

Director of Regeneration & Place

Risk Management

See section 5.

Director of Regeneration & Place

Financial

Investment in the Garden Community forms part of the Council’s five-year capital programme and budgetary provision exists for the expenditure described in the report and the plans outlined here.

 

Section 151 Officer & Finance Team

Staffing

We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.

Director of Regeneration & Place

Legal

There are no legal implications arising from this report as it is for information only.

Team Leader (Planning)

Privacy and Data Protection

No impact identified

Policy and Information Team

Equalities

An Equalities Impact Assessment will be completed if the proposal forms part of the draft spatial strategy of the Local Plan Review.

 

Equalities and Corporate Policy

Public Health

 

 

We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals.

Public Health Officer

Crime and Disorder

The recommendation will not have a negative impact on Crime and Disorder.

Head of Service or Manager

Procurement

N/A.

Head of Service & Section 151 Officer

Biodiversity

The revised masterplan brief seeks a biodiversity net gain within the proposed redline.

Head of Policy Communications & Governance

 

2.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1        The Council is pursuing this project as it is consistent with its Strategic Plan priority of “embracing growth and enabling infrastructure” and the desired outcomes within it:

 

·         The Council leads master planning and invests in new places which are well designed.

·         Key employment sites are delivered.

·         Housing need is met including affordable housing.

·         Sufficient infrastructure is planned to meet the demands of growth.

 

2.2        This report will provide an update on the progress made since the last report to this Committee and addresses the following areas:

 

·         Promotion of Heathlands through the Local Plan Review (LPR)

·         Homes England (HE) partnership update

·         Principal Landowners

 

2.3        Promotion of Heathlands through the LPR. The contents of the stage 3 submission to the LPA to be made at the end of March 2021 has tentatively been agreed (with the LPA), to cover the following headings:

 

 

 

2.4        The Council is working closely with HE and is on track to make the submission by the due date.

 

2.5        Homes England (HE) Partnership update. Heads of Terms have now been agreed with HE for the collaboration agreement, which is now being drafted and is intended to be brought forward for consideration by this committee in March 2020.

 

2.6        Principal Landowners. Constructive dialogue continues with the principal landowners and / or their representatives, with the discussion focussed upon the proposed terms put forward by HE.

 

2.7        It is probable that the overall redline will be refined within the stage 3 masterplan, so as to take onboard direction from the LPA, with a reduced number of landownerships within it. Regardless, the revised masterplan will once again safeguard existing homes in the locality inclusive of the provision of green buffers around them.

 

2.8        In previous reports, this Committee has been made aware that there are some (circa 18) landowners within the current redline who object to the  current proposal. Officers are attempting to engage with the objecting landowners to understand their individual concerns and the extent to which these can be addressed.  The third stage masterplan will refer to any remaining objections, and reasonable endeavours will be made to keep these to a minimum.

 

 

 

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1     The report is for noting.

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     N/A.

 

 

5.       RISK

5.1    When this proposal was presented to this Committee in September 2019, the likely risks were set out as follows:

 

    At risk consultancy expenditure.

    A period of uncertainty for the community affected.

    Possible negative perceptions of a broader role for the Council in the context of acting as master developer.

    Maintaining cohesion amongst the landowner group.

 

5.2    These risks have to some degree crystallised and largely remain. However, the level of cohesion amongst what is a now a smaller core landowner group, is now strong.

 

5.3    Further risks that have since been added and remain are:

 

    Terms cannot be agreed with the principal landowners.

    Challenge from individuals or organisations that oppose the principle and/or the specific details of the Council’s council-led garden community.

6.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

6.1    Nothing further to report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

7.1     The next steps will be to:

 

·         Advance the commercial negotiations with the principal landowners.

·         Enter into the collaboration agreement with HE subject to approval by this Committee in March 2021.

·         Continue to engage with the LPA to refine and evolve the Heathlands concept.

·         Make the third stage submission to the LPA by 31st March 2021.

 

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

       None.

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

        None.