Issue - meetings

Council led garden community proposal

Meeting: 18/09/2019 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 72)

72 Council Led Garden Community pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced the report on a Council-Led Garden Community.  The report followed on from consideration of a Garden Community at the Committee meeting on 22 May 2019.  The Director set out that it was important to note that the Council would have ‘two hats’ for the development – one as the planning authority and another as the master-developer for the site.

 

Officers had commissioned specialist advice on possible locations for the community and all areas had been explored.  The target location had not been the only one considered and the proposal was for the Council to act as a master-developer – to take a control in the land, develop proposals, and oversee the community.

 

The committee questioned whether additional homes above the 5,000 figure could be built on the site and it was noted that as master-developer the Council would look at what was deliverable on the site whilst setting a standard the Council would want to achieve.  The major consultees would be consulted and discussions would take place as with all developments of this size and nature, but with the Council leading on them.

 

It was felt that the Local Plan process should consider all options and it would be remiss to not put this proposal forward too without prejudicing the Council’s planning position.  Questions were raised about the timing of the decision and it was noted that the timing meant that the proposal could feed into the Local Plan process with more details on the location to be set out in a press statement once approved for submission.  The Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee would then be able to consider the proposal in full along with other sites.

 

RESOLVED:That

 

1.  The business case for a Council-Led Garden Community to the East of Lenham be noted;

 

2.  A Council-Led Garden Community to the East of Lenham be pursued with a view to acting as master-developer;

 

3.  The Council should issue a media statement concerning a Council-Led Garden Community which amongst other things, identifies the location; and

 

4.  The Council should explore potential partners for its role as master developer as set out in paragraph 2.9 of the Council-Led Garden Community report.