Issue - meetings

The Government had published a technical consultation which would run from 6 August 2020 to 1October 2020. The consultation proposed measures to improve the effectiveness of the current planning system (and was different from the fundamental reforms proposed in the Planning for the Future consultation which was the subject of a separate report on this agenda). This report proposed the Council’s formal responses to the technical consultation.

Referring to the ‘Delivering First Homes’ section (page 488), Councillor Allen believed the concept of First Housing to be outdated.  A good quality mix of all different shapes and sizes was required in terms of accommodation.

Councillor Allen did not support proposals for small to medium developments.

The Chairman stated that many young people still aspired to buy a property and therefore the provision of first housing was necessary.

The Assistant Director, Planning and Building Control stated that the responses given were based upon those previously submitted by the Council.

Councillor Huntington-Thresher alluded to the importance of self-builds but could see no mention of this within the consultation.  The Head of Planning Policy and Strategy confirmed that self-build was exempt from CIL.

In relation to Question 3 (para. 3.4, page 488), the Head of Planning Policy and Strategy said it made sense to make sure people could afford to buy in the area in which they worked.

RESOLVED that the proposed responses be agreed as the Council’s formal response to the Government’s August 2020 Planning Technical consultation.