1.  That the amalgamation of the Core Strategy Local Plan and the Development Delivery Local Plan, to be called the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (“MBLP”), be approved;

2.  That the plan period for the Maidstone Borough Local Plan be 2011 to 2031; and

3.  That, subject to the following amendment, the Local Development Scheme 2013-2015 (as set out at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment) be adopted and that the Scheme comes into effect from the date of adoption:-

“That the final sentence of paragraph 3.6 of the Scheme be amended to read “The Council will undertake an additional stage of public consultation on the MBLP for the new all policies and land allocations (called “participation” or regulation 18) in 2013, as set out in the LDS, before proceeding to formal public consultation stage (called “publication” or regulation 19) in 2014 on the entire Local Plan.” 

DECISION MADE:

1.  That the amalgamation of the Core Strategy Local Plan and the Development Delivery Local Plan, to be called the Maidstone Borough Local Plan (“MBLP”), be approved;

2.  That the plan period for the Maidstone Borough Local Plan be 2011 to 2031; and

3.  That, subject to the following amendment, the Local Development Scheme 2013-2015 (as set out at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment) be adopted and that the Scheme comes into effect from the date of adoption:-

“That the final sentence of paragraph 3.6 of the Scheme be amended to read “The Council will undertake an additional stage of public consultation on the MBLP for the new all policies and land allocations (called “participation” or regulation 18) in 2013, as set out in the LDS, before proceeding to formal public consultation stage (called “publication” or regulation 19) in 2014 on the entire Local Plan.” 

To view full details of this decision, please click here:-

http://meetings.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=671

The Group considered the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment concerning the revision of the Local Development Scheme 2013-2015 to take account of the Cabinet’s decision to delay the Core Strategy programme to enable the Officers to undertake further work on the evidence base.  It was noted that the revision afforded the opportunity to merge the Core Strategy and Development Delivery documents into one document, bringing forward the adoption date of Development Delivery without causing further delay to the Core Strategy timetable.

The Group supported the recommendations set out in the report, accepting that there were no advantages to continuing with the production of two local plans for the Core Strategy and Development Delivery rather than a single Maidstone Borough Local Plan, and that the retention of the current plan period to 2026 would most likely lead to the need for an early review of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan following examination.

RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to the CABINET:

1.  That the amalgamation of the Core Strategy Local Plan and the Development Delivery Local Plan, to be called the Maidstone Borough Local Plan, be approved.

2.  That the plan period for the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2011 to 2031 be approved.

3.  That the Local Development Scheme 2013-2015, attached at Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment, be adopted to come into effect from the date of adoption.