Issue - meetings

Non-Spatial Policies DPD

Meeting: 21/09/2021 - Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee (Item 61)

61 Maidstone Design and Sustainability Development Plan Document pdf icon PDF 164 KB

Minutes:

The Interim Local Plan Review Director introduced the report and referenced the £140,000 in additional funding provided by the Policy and Resources Committee to develop non-spatial policies.

 

A Design and Sustainability Development Plan Document (DPD) was proposed, to reflect and address the issues previously raised by Councillors which included the importance of design quality, sustainability and biodiversity. Areas that would be least affected by any changes to planning, building or environmental regulations at national level would be chosen to maximise the DPD’s longevity.

 

Due to the significant volume of work currently being undertaken by the Strategic Planning team, and the requirements of a DPD to fulfil all the normal evidence base, consultation and examination conditions of a Local Plan Review, together with the importance of achieving value for money, the DPD would be commissioned out, most likely to a multi-disciplinary consultancy. A two-stage tender process was proposed to provide flexibility within the project’s scope, however the public consultations required would be managed directly by the Council and would be presented to the Committee for approval at a later date. It was hoped that the DPD would be adopted in 2024.

 

In response to questions, the Interim Local Plan Review Director and the Head of Planning and Development stressed the importance of providing a strong evidence base for any proposed policies that would guide development principles across the Borough. The Committee supported the proposed DPD and felt that all Councillors should be able to contribute to its scope and development through a series of Member workshops.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1.  Officers procure and contract for the preparation of a Design and Sustainability Development Plan Document to be adopted as part of the Development Plan; and

 

2.  An all-Member briefing be arranged before the consultant’s appointment; followed by a series of briefings as the process progresses.