Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone

Contact: Tessa Mallett  01622 602524

Items
No. Item

74.

The Committee to consider whether all items on the agenda should be webcast

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That all items on the agenda be webcast.

 

75.

Apologies

Minutes:

It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Munford.

 

Councillor de Wiggondene had notified the Chairman he was running late.

 

76.

Notification of Substitute Members

Minutes:

The following substitute member was noted:

 

Councillor Gooch for Councillor Munford.

 

77.

Notification of Visiting Members

Minutes:

Councillors Greer and Naghi were in attendance for items 7, 8 and 9.

 

Councillor Burton was in attendance as Cabinet Member for items 7, 8 and 9.

 

78.

Disclosures by Members and Officers

Minutes:

There were no disclosures by members or officers.

 

79.

To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

 

 

 

 

80.

Presentation of the issues to be considered under items 8 and 9

Presentations by Sarah Anderton, Principal Planning Officer and John Foster, Economic Development Manager.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman opened the meeting and explained it was a co-located simultaneous meeting with the Economic and Commercial Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee (ECD OSC).  The meeting took this format because of the overlap of the terms of reference/agenda items. The Chairman went on to explain the structure of the meeting:

 

·  The main part of the meeting were Chaired by Councillor Springett;

·  Each committee followed their own agenda for items 1 to 6, Chaired by their own Chairman;

·  Both committees heard the same presentations for item 7 and had a joint question and answer session;

·  Each committee agreed their own recommendations for items 8 and 9;

·  Separate sets of minutes were produced for each committee;

·  When voting on recommendations each committee did so separately by standing and raising their hand.

 

The Chairman welcomed Sarah Anderton, Principal Planning Officer, Spatial Planning to the meeting to present her report, Local Plan: Approach to Employment Land.

 

Ms Anderton explained the Qualitative Employment Site Assessment had recently been completed as part of the evidence base for the emerging Local Plan.  The assessment built on the first stream of work regarding capacity for growth with respect to the quality of employment land (was it fit for the identified needs), not just quantity.  The assessment focussed on office, industrial and warehousing space.

 

Ms Anderton emphasised the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), (which sets the overarching national planning policy) stated authorities should look at the needs of the borough in terms of space, type, location and quality and should look to meet the needs through the local plan.

 

Ms Anderton introduced Martyn Saunders, Associate from GVA who carried out the assessment.  She went on to explain the methodology used.

 

It was noted on site surveys of all 46 existing employment sites (for example 20/20 business park, Eclipse Park) had been carried out.  Of the 46 sites, 28 had been assessed as fit for purpose and recommended to be protected and kept in employment use for the term of the Local Plan (2011-2031). 

 

The existing supply of employment land included new sites built or granted planning permission since 2011 (the base date of the Local Plan) as well as usable vacant premises.  This figure was set against the identified need for employment land for the period of the Local Plan to establish the balance required (illustrated in the table on page 6 of the agenda).

 

Mr Saunders advised the committees that the assessment highlighted the borough had a qualitative lack of supply of employment land in terms of large mixed use sites that were well connected to the highway network.

 

Mr Saunders informed the committee the Local Plan that went out to consultation from March until May 2014 included a list of employment sites.  These sites did not meet the qualitative gap identified in the latest assessment.  This selection of sites also did not meet the quantitative need for additional office floorspace.

 

The challenge, for the Local Plan, going forward was to consider the need and respond  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

81.

Long Meeting

Minutes:

Prior to 10:30pm, during consideration of Local Plan; approach to employment land, the Committee considered whether to adjourn the meeting at 10:30pm or continue until 11:00pm if necessary.

 

RESOLVED: That the meeting continue until 11:00pm, if necessary.

 

82.

Local Plan: approach to employment land pdf icon PDF 41 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That:

1)  The Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development be recommended to develop a planning policy to mitigate damage and to ensure appropriate constraints for any employment land allocation at Junction 8 of the M20. This policy should be considered by the Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2015.

2)  If the thresholds contained in the policy in recommendation 1 are met, the Planning, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee would, in principle, support development for employment land at Junction 8.

3)  The Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development be recommended to acknowledge the importance of retaining the employment sites outside of the town centre detailed in Appendix B of the report (list of existing industrial sites/estates for inclusion in Policy DM18).

83.

Draft Economic Development Strategy pdf icon PDF 41 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That subject to point XII regarding the Draft Economic Development Strategy, under minute 80, being considered by the Cabinet Member for Economic and Commercial Development, the Committee recommend the Draft Economic Development Strategy be approved by Cabinet for consultation.

 

Councillor Chittenden requested that his dissent be noted in relation to this recommendation.

 

84.

Duration of meeting

Minutes:

18:30 to 22:55