Agenda item

Questions to the Leader of the Council

Mrs Cheryl Taylor-Maggio asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

I understand that the Council's housing land supply as of 1 April 2013 (without any windfall allowance included) is a shortfall of 370 dwellings.  Please explain what possible justification the Council could have for the release of a massive 1650 dwellings on greenfield sites as a policy response to such a relatively modest shortfall.

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mrs Taylor-Maggio asked the following supplementary question of the Leader of the Council:

Can the Council please confirm it will not issue any planning permissions on greenfield sites (including 110 dwellings at The Map Depot Site, Marden and 600 dwellings at Langley Park, Boughton Monchelsea/Langley Parishes), until the investigation by Overview and Scrutiny has been concluded and the Council has reviewed its policy on the premature release of strategic greenfield sites as a result?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr Paul McCreery asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

Is the Council aware that it is the only District Council in Kent which both does not have a five year housing land supply and does not incorporate a windfall allowance in the calculation, as allowed for in government policy in NPPF, para 48?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr McCreery asked the following supplementary question of the Leader of the Council:

Is the Leader of the Council aware that in paragraph 5.3.7 of the report to the meeting of the Planning Committee tomorrow relating to application MA/13/0682 for a single greenfield dwelling at Knaves Acre, Headcorn, the land supply total is given as 3.9 years whereas the up to date figure agreed last night at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was 4.2 years?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

In accordance with paragraph 12.7 of the Council Procedure Rules, the Mayor asked the following question of the Leader of the Council on behalf of Mrs Lorna McCreery who was unable to attend the meeting due to ill health:

Is the Leader aware that the latest new draft National Planning Guidance on the planning portal states that ‘Plan makers should not need to rely on windfall allowances in years 6-15’ and is the Leader aware that this is the direct opposite of the advice contained in the March 13 report to Cabinet which stated ‘…… national guidance allows the inclusion of a windfall 1 site allowance for the latter years of the plan period.’ and will the Leader advise what action he proposes to take as a result of this misdirection?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr Doug Smith asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

Can the Leader of the Council point out to me a document in which the Council has taken cognisance of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Amendment (England) Order 2013 which permits the change of use from Office (B1) to Residential Use (C3) without planning permission and its potential contribution to housing supply until 30 May 2016?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

Mr Smith asked the following supplementary question of the Leader of the Council:

The Planning Committee, at its meeting held on 16 May 2013, gave delegated powers to the Head of Planning and Development to grant planning permission for the conversion of Concorde House, London Road, an office building, to 73 residential dwellings.  This was prior to the legislation I just referred to.  Has this development been included in the five year land supply?

The Leader of the Council responded to the question.

Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Opposition, and Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, then responded to the question.

To listen to the responses to these questions, please follow this link:

http://webcasts.umcdn.com/mbc078/interface

Note:  A question from Mr Mike FitzGerald was included in the composite list of questions due to a misunderstanding.  Mr FitzGerald was not present at the meeting.