Maidstone Borough Council

Regeneration and Economic Development

Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Core Strategy Update

Report of: Performance & Scrutiny Officer

1.      Introduction

1.1        The Core Strategy Local Plan is the key document within the local planning policy framework. It provides a framework for the development of the borough over a 20 year period from 2006 to 2026, and it contains a number of spatial policies that explain how much development will be provided over the plan period, where this will be located and (equally important) where it will be resisted. The Core Strategy also contains a number of core policies that focus on delivering the strategy and sets criteria against which development management applications can be determined, as well as allocating sites for development.

 2.     Recommendation

2.1        That the Committee consider the verbal update from the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Development on the progress made on the Core Strategy and the revised meeting dates for considering the Strategy.

3       Maidstone’s Core Strategy

3.1    Public consultation on the Core Strategy was initially undertaken in September/October 2011.  Cabinet subsequently resolved to include strategic site allocations for housing and employment in the Core Strategy (as opposed to identifying general locations for development).  So a further public consultation on development allocations commenced in August 2012 and closed on 1 October 2012.  On 21 November 2012 Cabinet agreed to delay the Core Strategy programme to allow further work to be completed on the housing and employment targets for the borough.

3.2    Further reports on the Core Strategy Local Plan will be presented to Cabinet on 13 March 2013, together with a revised Local Development Scheme.

5.      Impact on Corporate Objectives

5.1     The Committee will consider reports that deliver against the     following Council priority:

·         ‘For Maidstone to have a growing economy.’

5.2     The Strategic Plan sets the Council’s key objectives for the medium   term and has a range of objectives which support the delivery of         the Council’s priorities.  Actions to deliver these key objectives may      therefore include work that the Committee will consider over the       next year.