Agenda item

Interviews with Councillor Garland, Leader of the Council and Councillor Paine, Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development.    

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Christopher Garland, Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Paine, Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development and Rob Jarman, Head of Planning to the meeting. Councillor Paine gave the Committee an update on the Core Strategy programme the main points of which were:

·  The Strategy needed revision following the publication of new population growth figures;

·  It was estimated that approximately 4,000 additional homes would need to be delivered;

·  Cabinet had taken the decision to postpone the Core Strategy in order to clarify the evidence base following criticism of other local authority’s strategies by the inspector and this delay could be up to 18 months; and

·  The call for employment sites was due to close on 1^st February 2013, after which there would be a sifting process.

The Committee queried the effect of increasing the housing figures on the employment figures and was informed that following the process of sifting sites the land research would be updated and consultation on revised figures would take place. Mr Jarman clarified that there was a number of options around the employment figures including expanding and improving existing sites.

The Committee asked about the duty to cooperate and what was being done to enhance the relationships with neighbouring districts. The Committee raised concern about the proximity to the district boundary of Tonbridge and Malling’s planned housing development. Cllr Paine informed the Committee that he was in communication with Councillors from several of the neighbouring districts and had a meeting planned with Tonbridge and Malling Councillors. Mr Jarman added that the Council was looking into a joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) with Tonbridge & Malling and Ashford districts and other joint studies were being investigated. In relation to the housing just outside Maidstone’s boundary in Tonbridge and Malling members were informed that it was possible that Maidstone could give away a chunk of its housing provision however  they would lose the funding with it.

Members were informed that an obstacle to doing the Core Strategy in partnership was that all the authorities were at different stages in the Core Strategy process and reminded the Committee that the duty was to cooperate and not to agree. The importance of a five year housing supply was also highlighted and it was noted that Maidstone had not allocated land for over 13 years.

The Committee asked about the progress of the Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS), concerned about the impact of the additional housing required on the boroughs roads. They heard that the Joint Transportation Board had rejected a number of the proposals but had failed to provide any alternatives. The ITS was to be revisited and therefore delayed until the end of summer post the decision in March on allocating housing sites and post Kent County Council elections. Once this decision has been made the housing shortfall will be looked into and various options including dispersal, urban extension and new village will be explored.

The Committee considered that the housing figures seemed the most variable and in order to meet the housing need the Council would need to be strategic and that in turn transport policy should also be flexible in order to cope with major change. Councillor Garland identified that funding was a constraint and therefore the focus should be on  changing behaviour.

The Committee thanked Councillors Garland and Paine and Mr Jarman for the update.

Resolved that The progress update on the Core Strategy be noted and that the Committee’s watching brief continue on the programme.