Issue - meetings

Issue for Decision

To consider the adoption of the Maidstone Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy as an essential component of the Local Plan evidence base.

Decision Made

1.  That the Maidstone Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy be adopted to include annotations signposting and cross referencing (at every point in the Strategy) to relevant supporting document.

2.  That the current version of the Delivery Framework be approved for implementation with the following addition to column three (entitled “Strategic Objectives”), of Key Theme ‘Providing community involvement and opportunities for education’ at  page 111/112:

·  That the Council will continue to proactively seek new funding and other resources to support new open spaces, and;

·  That the Council brings forward the appropriate means of control (including by-laws) within public open spaces and nature reserves.

The Project Manager, Local Plan, presented the report on the adoption of the Maidstone Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy as an essential component of the Local Plan evidence base.

Councillors heard that the Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy (G&BIS) was a high level document setting out the Council’s commitment to the preservation of the environment.  Appendix 1 of the report was the delivery framework setting out the parameters for the ten year open spaces plan, which was the delivery plan for Maidstone Borough Council.  In terms of further planning guidance, provided it was at an appropriate time, it was possible to develop supplementary planning guidance for more detailed issues.

It was agreed an item be included on the Committee’s work programme regarding the development of Supplementary Planning Documents as an interim measure for this municipal year.

It was agreed that signposting to relevant supporting documents would be included in the strategy.

It was confirmed that all parish councils were invited to attend the stakeholder workshops held in 2015.  All workshops had been well attended with approximately 25-30 representatives from parish councils at each one.

The Committee heard that the G&BIS superseded the Biodiversity Strategy dated 2014.

The Committee were informed that the action plan referred to on page 135 of the strategy was to follow.  It was explained that the Council’s role, as well as create the Local Plan, was one of coordinating the action plans of other organisations such as the Environment Agency and Sport England.  It was also confirmed that the outputs from the stakeholder workshops held in 2015 would feed in to the action plan.

It was agreed to recommend the addition of wording to the Delivery Framework, at column three of the section regarding ‘Providing community involvement and opportunities for education’ (bottom of page 112 of the strategy), regarding identifying funding sources for the Council’s provision of parks and open spaces, as well as the development of controls, including bylaws, for open space and nature reserves to combat anti-social behaviour.

It was noted that the possible implementation of rewilding initiatives be included in the Committee’s work programme.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Maidstone Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy be adopted to include signposting and cross referencing to relevant supplementary documents annotated at every point.

Voting:  For – 9  Against – 0  Abstentions - 0

2.  That the current version of the Delivery Framework be approved for implementation with the following additional words in column three, page 111/112, where it states ‘Providing community involvement and opportunities for education’:

·  That the Council proactively seeks new funding and other resources to support new open spaces, and;

·  That the Council brings appropriate means of control in public open spaces, including by-laws.

Voting:  For – 9  Against – 0   Abstentions – 0