It was moved by Councillor Garland, seconded by Councillor Paine, that the recommendation of the Cabinet relating to the revocation of the moratorium on the release of greenfield housing sites allocated in the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 be approved.

RESOLVED:  That the moratorium on the release of greenfield housing sites allocated in the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 be revoked because the reasons for the moratorium no longer apply.

1.  That a working target of 14,800 dwellings for the Maidstone Borough Local Plan period 2011 to 2031 be approved until such time as the work identifying the borough’s housing land supply and the identification of environmental constraints is completed;

2.  That Council be recommended that the moratorium on the release of greenfield housing sites allocated in the Maidstone Borough Wide Local Plan 2000 be revoked because the reasons for the moratorium no longer apply;

3.  That, subject to the following amendment, the key public consultation issues relating to the policies that are the subject of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment be noted and the recommended changes to policies set out in the schedule attached as Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment be agreed:-

“Policy CS7, paragraph 6.25 final sentence delete “from 12% to 22.5% of all trips made”.”

4.  That, subject to the following amendments, amended policies CS5 to CS13  and SS1, SS1a, SS1b, SS1c, SS2, SS2a, SS2b, SS2c and SS4 (attached at Appendix B to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment) be approved for public consultation at the preparation stage of the local plan process (regulation 18) to enable a full sustainability appraisal to be undertaken for all policies and site allocations ahead of the Publication stage of the local plan process (regulation 19):-

a)  Policy SS1, paragraph 3.11 second sentence: after “nearby” add “open”.

b)  Policy SS1, paragraph 3.11 Add new final sentence: “In particular this will apply to the necessary provision of formal play space for children, which the council will expect to be provided in appropriate locations, the details of which will be agreed in the development briefs.”

c)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.12 add to end of paragraph: “The Bridge Nursery site as used historically goes beyond the borough boundary into Tonbridge and Malling, occupying all of the land bounded by the Maidstone East railway line, the A20 London Road, the edge of the existing Allington residential area (at Lamberhurst Way, Blackmanstone Way and Fordwich Close) and the wooded area immediately north of Halstead Walk.”

d)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.13 first sentence: after “2000” add “for housing and open space”. Second sentence: after “will” add “now be developed primarily for housing and”.

e)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.14 first sentence: replace “allocated” with “identified”.

f)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.16 first sentence: after “expects the” add “land beyond the borough boundary in”. Delete “portion of this site”. After “maintaining” add “the”. After “railway line” add “within Maidstone Borough”.

g)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.18 final sentence: replace “language” with “approach”.

h)  Policy SS1a(5)(i) replace “section of the site within” with “land beyond the borough boundary (as described in 3.12) in”.

i)  Policy SS1b, paragraph 3.29 add as second and third sentence: “This land is comprised of 5.8 hectares designated in the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 as public open space (policy ENV24 (xiii)) and 15.4  ...  view the full decision text for item 149

DECISION MADE:

1.  That a working target of 14,800 dwellings for the Maidstone Borough Local Plan period 2011 to 2031 be approved until such time as the work identifying the borough’s housing land supply and the identification of environmental constraints is completed;

2.  That Council be recommended that the moratorium on the release of greenfield housing sites allocated in the Maidstone Borough Wide Local Plan 2000 be revoked because the reasons for the moratorium no longer apply;

3.  That, subject to the following amendment, the key public consultation issues relating to the policies that are the subject of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment be noted and the recommended changes to policies set out in the schedule attached as Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment be agreed:-

“Policy CS7, paragraph 6.25 final sentence delete “from 12% to 22.5% of all trips made”.”

4.  That, subject to the following amendments, amended policies CS5 to CS13  and SS1, SS1a, SS1b, SS1c, SS2, SS2a, SS2b, SS2c and SS4 (attached at Appendix B to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and Environment) be approved for public consultation at the preparation stage of the local plan process (regulation 18) to enable a full sustainability appraisal to be undertaken for all policies and site allocations ahead of the Publication stage of the local plan process (regulation 19):-

a)  Policy SS1, paragraph 3.11 second sentence: after “nearby” add “open”.

b)  Policy SS1, paragraph 3.11 Add new final sentence: “In particular this will apply to the necessary provision of formal play space for children, which the council will expect to be provided in appropriate locations, the details of which will be agreed in the development briefs.”

c)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.12 add to end of paragraph: “The Bridge Nursery site as used historically goes beyond the borough boundary into Tonbridge and Malling, occupying all of the land bounded by the Maidstone East railway line, the A20 London Road, the edge of the existing Allington residential area (at Lamberhurst Way, Blackmanstone Way and Fordwich Close) and the wooded area immediately north of Halstead Walk.”

d)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.13 first sentence: after “2000” add “for housing and open space”. Second sentence: after “will” add “now be developed primarily for housing and”.

e)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.14 first sentence: replace “allocated” with “identified”.

f)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.16 first sentence: after “expects the” add “land beyond the borough boundary in”. Delete “portion of this site”. After “maintaining” add “the”. After “railway line” add “within Maidstone Borough”.

g)  Policy SS1a, paragraph 3.18 final sentence: replace “language” with “approach”.

h)  Policy SS1a(5)(i) replace “section of the site within” with “land beyond the borough boundary (as described in 3.12) in”.

i)  Policy SS1b, paragraph 3.29 add as second and third sentence: “This land is comprised of 5.8 hectares designated in the Maidstone Borough-Wide Local Plan 2000 as public open space (policy ENV24 (xiii)) and 15.4 hectares north  ...  view the full minutes text for item 149

The Group considered the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment concerning the Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2011-2031.  Specific consideration was given to:-

·  The initial draft results of updated consultants’ reports that identified the Borough’s housing and employment needs, and the setting of a working housing target.

·  The key issues arising from the public consultations in relation to the policies covered by the report, the Officers’ responses to these issues and amended Local Plan policies; the adoption of strategic site allocation policies for development management decisions; and the retention of junction 8 of the M20 motorway as a strategic development location until the work on employment demand and supply is completed.

·  Proposed changes to the affordable housing requirement for new development as a result of viability work and updated targets for Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation as a result of the rolling forward of the Local Plan period.

·  The infrastructure priorities for development, secured through planning conditions and legal agreements.

The Officers circulated an update report setting out proposed changes to the amended Maidstone Borough Local Plan policies set out in Appendix B to the report (copy attached as Appendix A to these Minutes).

The Group gave detailed consideration to the recommendations set out in the report.

With regard to recommendation (ii), and in response to comments by Members, the Head of Planning undertook to make available to the Cabinet the five year housing land supply position for a target of 11,080 dwellings should strategic sites be adopted.

With regard to recommendation (iii), and in response to comments by Members, the Head of Planning circulated a breakdown (by policy) of the number of people who had responded to the public consultations in relation to the policies which were the subject of the report, and undertook to make this information available to the Cabinet together with further details of the representations made.  However, in so doing, the Head of Planning sounded a note of caution as to the weight to be attached to representations where no reasons had been given.  In relation to policy SS1, issue 1 of the consultation statement, and in response to comments by Members, the Head of Planning undertook to amend the statement to make reference to quality of life issues and the impact on the wider community.

With regard to recommendations (iv) and (v), and in response to concerns expressed by Members, the Head of Planning undertook to make available to the Cabinet a more accurate plan showing clearly the areas allocated to medical facilities, retail redevelopment and structural landscaping at Newnham Park (policy SS4).

With regard to policy CS10 (Affordable Housing), the Head of Planning advised the Group that due to viability concerns and administrative issues, he wished to amend his recommendation (vii) to increase the threshold at which affordable housing is required from one unit to ten units.

During the discussion, and in response to questions by Members, the Officers explained the process for identifying the improvements to local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44