Issue - meetings

That draft policy H1(10) South of Sutton Road, Langley be approved for Regulation 18 public consultation in accordance with the policy wording set out in Appendix 3 of the Urgent Update dated 18 August 2015, to include an indicative figure of up to 800 units with amended  wording stating that the red and white striped area, shown on the Option A Site Plan in Appendix III of the report dated 18 August 2015, be used only as open green space if no plans come forward to use it for community infrastructure provision so that the area to the east of the public right of way is not built on.

The Chairman referred the Committee to the urgent update dated 18 August 2015 and, having disclosed an Other Significant Interest, left the meeting at 7.27pm whilst the item was discussed.

Councillor Springett took the Chair.

Councillors took five minutes to read the urgent update.

The Committee was reminded that this item had been brought back to them as a deferred item from the meeting on 23 July 2015 pending Officers reviewing the site boundaries and the addition of an anti-coalescence belt.

The Committee noted the representations tabled at the meeting as urgent updates including letters from Kent County Council (KCC), Langley Parish Council, a Langley resident and a developer and the Officer comments in response.

The Committee was reminded that Officers were trying to take this site back to Regulation 18 consultation when KCC, Southern Water, the Environment Agency etc. would be able to respond with any concerns.  Officers intended to bring the transport policies to the Committee at their meeting of 8 September 2015.

The urgent update also included details of the revised criteria 2 and 14 to specifically refer to surface water drainage mitigation and criteria 19 regarding bus priority measures on the A274.

The Committee considered two options for defining the site boundaries, together with site allocation policies for further consultation (Regulation 18) and discussed the merits of open space and community facilities against the importance of design quality.

The Committee heard the revised criteria had been worded to enable a design led scheme that will ensure appropriate transition between the urban area and the countryside.  It was also explained that the Local Plan policy options for the adopted Local Plan provided the necessary criteria for the provision of anti-coalescence.  Policy SP5 provided landscape protection outside of the criteria and it was therefore considered that a further policy on anti-coalescence would not strengthen the Council’s position.

The Committee discussed concerns that the area on the site map showing as reserved for community infrastructure would be used for housing if it was not used to build a school.  It was agreed this should be protected from any development other than Community Infrastructure development.

The density of the housing on the site was also raised as a concern by the Committee.

RESOLVED: That draft policy H1(10) South of Sutton Road, Langley be approved for Regulation 18 public consultation in accordance with the policy wording set out in Appendix 3 of the Urgent Update dated 18 August 2015, to include an indicative figure of up to 800 units with amended  wording stating that the red and white striped area, shown on the Option A Site Plan in Appendix III of the report dated 18 August 2015, be used only as open green space if no plans come forward to use it for community infrastructure provision so that the area to the east of the public right of way is not built on.

Voting:

For:  6  Against:  2  Abstain:  0