1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1     This report relates to the separate reference on this agenda from the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee following the decision made at its meeting on 23 September 2015 relating to Landscapes of Local Value and Policy SP5 of the draft Maidstone Borough Local Plan.

1.2     The decision was made following formal referral by the required number of Councillors of the decision relating to Landscapes of Local Value made at  the meeting of the Strategic Planning, Sustainability & Transportation Committee held on 8 September 2015

1.3     It outlines the steps that have been undertaken since that referral decision.

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1     At the meeting of this Committee on 8 September 2015, Councillors resolved to amend the supporting text and policy criteria of policy SP5 in as far as they related to Landscapes of Local Value, in the process designating parts of the Greensand Ridge and the Medway, Len and Loose river valleys. In taking that decision, they resolved not to include any part of the Low Weald as a Landscape of Local Value.  

2.2     That decision was subsequently referred to the Policy & Resources Committee by the required number of Councillors. The referral was considered as an urgent item of business at the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee on Wednesday 23 September 2015.

2.3     The decision of the Policy and Resources Committee, which was to include part of the Low Weald (the area currently designated as a Special Landscape Area in the current Maidstone Borough-wide Local Plan 2000) as a Landscape of Local Value, is set out elsewhere on this agenda as a formal reference to this Committee.

2.4     Following that decision, the supporting text and policy criteria for draft Policy SP5 were amended in accordance with the Policy & Resources Committee’s decision and incorporated into the documentation for the Regulation 18 Consultation taking place commencing on 2 October 2015 and which closes at 5pm on 30 October 2015.    

3.        REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

3.1     The decision of the Policy & Resources Committee to include part of the Low Weald (the area currently defined as a Special Landscape Area in the Maidstone Borough-wide Local Plan 2000) as a Landscape of Local Value has been incorporated into the revised supporting text and policy criteria of draft policy SP5 of the draft Maidstone Borough Local Plan. 

3.2     The revised text and policy criteria form part of the Regulation 18 Consultation exercise that is taking place between 2 October 2015 and 5pm on 30 October 2015.

4.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

4.1     A further Regulation 18 Consultation on selected policies in the draft Maidstone Borough Local Plan, which includes the revised policy SP5 and its supporting text, commences on Friday 2 October and closes at 5pm on Friday 30 October 2015. 

4.2     Any representations received as a result of the consultation will be considered and reported to this Committee in due course.

5.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS