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Local Development Scheme

Meeting: 22/09/2020 - Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee (Item 206)

206 Local Development Scheme 2020-2022 (September 2020 edition) and Maidstone Statement of Community Involvement September 2020 pdf icon PDF 178 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Prior to the introduction of the report Ms Claudine Russell addressed the Committee.

 

The Planning Policy Officer introduced the report and referenced the urgent update that had been published in relation to the item. The report resulted from the Committee’s decision on the 8 September 2020 to update the Local Development Scheme (LDS) to include a streamlined Regulation 18b consultation to take place in December 202 and a Regulation 19 consultation to take place no later than June 2021. The updated LDS was shown in Appendix 1 of the report. The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) had to be updated to allow a reduced Regulation 18b consultation period and was shown in Appendix 2 of the report.

 

The Interim Local Plan Review Director reconfirmed that there was no definitive date for the new standard methodology’s implementation and referenced the four options presented to Members at the previous meeting of the Committee.

 

The Committee discussed the option previously chosen with several Members having expressed a preference to move straight to Regulation 19. The risk and impact of the Local Plan being deemed unsound by the Inspector during the submission process was mentioned, with reference made to several other Local Authorities that had experienced failure during their Local Plan Review process. The Committee showed support for a consultation period longer than 3 weeks if possible.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1.  Full Council be recommended to approve the Local Development Scheme 2020-2022 (September 2020 edition);

 

2.  Full Council be recommended to approve the Maidstone Statement of Community Involvement (September 2020);

 

a.  The Statement of Community Involvement Covid-19 Temporary Addendum (May 2020) adopted by the Committee on 9 June 2020 forms an Addendum to the Statement of Community Involvement (September 2020), be agreed;

 

b.  The Head of Planning and Development be granted delegated powers to reverse the changes within the Maidstone Statement of Community Involvement Covid-19 Temporary Addendum (May 2020) adopted by the Committee on 9 June 2020 as soon as Covid-19 restrictions allow, and whilst this Addendum remains in place, the Council will endeavour to provide paper copies of consultation documents referred to in the Statement of Community Involvement (September 2020) to any resident when requested.

 

3.  The Head of Planning and Development be given delegated powers to make minor editorial and presentational adjustments to the Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement prior to publication; and

 

4.  As further details of the proposed changes to the planning system emerge, these will be reported to the Committee with any options/recommendations.

 

Councillor Garten requested that his vote against the first resolution be noted.