Issue - meetings

The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced the report as an update on the progress of the Council-Led Garden Community known as Heathlands, since April 2020.

It was noted that the Local Planning Authority (LPA) had advised that the Heathlands proposal was one of four garden communities that would be considered in further detail; with additional information submitted to the LPA for those purposes. This included a draft second stage landscape led master plan and a safeguarded area for a potential motorway junction. Three further land parcels had been brought forward by an independent developer as shown in the table within the report. The financial model noted by the Committee in September 2019 had been updated in draft and included within the submission and would be presented to the Committee in July 2020. A technical briefing for the Committee would take place on 20 July 2020.

The Director of Regeneration and Place confirmed that Homes England would continue to share the promotional cost of the project with the potential for an investment role to be undertaken. It was confirmed that this was the only area in the borough for which Homes England had made this offer.

A meeting had been arranged for the 26 June 2020 with the Parish council and Save Our Heathlands Group in order that future community engagement and public consultation could be discussed. Any ideas resulting from the meeting would be brought to the Committee for consideration. It was noted that the potential for the proposal to feature in the next stage of the local plan review depended on sustained progress over the summer.

Councillors Tom and Janetta Sams addressed the Committee as Visiting Members to ask that support for the project be withdrawn. Specific reference was made to the Council’s ability to deliver services due to the financial impacts of Covid-19 alongside the financial cost of the proposal. Additional points raised included the effects on climate change through increased motor vehicle usage, lack of local employment opportunities and the need for greater transparency to allow greater community engagement.

It was noted that part of the debate held would be of greater relevance to the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee rather than this Committee. Several Members expressed the wish to be provided with more detail in the future updates provided to the Committee in order that greater transparency would be achieved.

During the debate it was noted that Garden Communities elsewhere had not been as successful as originally hoped. It was felt that the offer made by Homes England as noted would provide assurance that the Heathlands proposal, should progress continue, would be successful.

In response to questions the Director of Regeneration and Place confirmed that a meeting would occur between the Council and Homes England to discuss the proposal of shared promotional costs. It was confirmed that the requirements of the memorandum as previously agreed would be met through a report to the Committee.

RESOLVED: That the content of the report be noted.