Agenda item

Report DRR18/009

Following submission of the Council’s Draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State in August 2017, a series of public Hearings were held in which representors were given the opportunity to make their concerns directly known to an independent inspector. 

To address some of the issues raised at those Hearings, Members were now requested to consider some main Modifications to the Draft Local Plan and to review the classification of Minor Modifications to establish whether any of these should be considered as Main Modifications.

The Chairman explained that this was one of the final phases for the Local Plan to be accepted.  The Chief Planner reported that in mid-2017, the Draft Local Plan was agreed for submission by DCC, the Executive and Full Council.  It was then submitted to the Secretary of State in August 2017 for examination by the Secretary of State’s Independent Inspector.  Hearings were held at the Civic Centre in December 2017.  Through the hearing sessions and subsequent advice received from the Inspector, further main modifications to the Plan (Appendix 1) had been identified which were needed to make the Plan sound.  Appendix 2 contained modifications proposed by the Council in 2017 which the Inspector had requested be reclassified as main modifications.  A six-week period of public consultation would be required on these modifications and the responses would be submitted to the Inspector.  Once the Inspector’s final report had been received the Council would have the option of accepting that report with its changes and modifications for soundness and adopting the final plan. 

Referring to the removal of wording in relation to Tree Protection Orders on page 164, para 5.3.2, Councillor Buttinger sought clarification of Policy 43 as her understanding of the existing Plan was that if a tree was situated within a Conservation Area, it would automatically be covered by a blanket TPO.  She was concerned that the protection of trees was being downgraded. The Chief Planner reported that all changes were agreed by Full Council in 2017 and nothing had altered since that time.  Trees in Conservation Areas had a basic level of protection and Policy 43 set out the criteria for protecting them in the event that someone wanted to fell them.

Councillor Buttinger queried the rationale behind the removal of the words ‘of native species’  from Draft Policy 73 as the inclusion of ‘native species and local provenance’ had been included in other Policies.  The Chief Planner advised that the inclusion of ‘native species and local provenance’ was to clarify what type of planting would be required in the event that new trees were to be planted under condition or through a planning obligation.  In the case of Draft Policy 73, the words had not been totally deleted but simply been moved for inclusion in the supporting text.

Referring to the first paragraph on page 152 (Provision of Affordable Housing) which stated ‘the Council will seek affordable housing on all housing developments capable of providing 11 residential units or more….’ Councillor Harmer asked if the Council were proactively looking for large developments in order to provide more housing.  The Chief Planner advised that Bromley’s housing provision was made up of a mixture of dwelling size but tended, in the main, to consist of smaller sites.  As long as the housing target for the Borough was reached and appropriate sites identified, the Council was not concerned with the size of sites.

Councillor Fawthrop asked if any feedback was forthcoming from the Inspector in regard to the introduction of a Basement Policy which was raised during Examination of the Plan.  The Chief Planner advised that although nothing specific could be added to the Plan at this late stage, the objectives sought for basements could be achieved through the expansion of supplementary policies.  In this case it would be advisable to prepare the document for introduction following adoption of the Draft Local Plan.  Councillor Fawthrop requested (and the Chief Planner agreed) that this be undertaken.

RESOLVED that the Executive be recommended to approve the suggested Main Modifications to the Draft Local Plan for consultation.

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As this was the last meeting of the Municipal Year, the Chairman thanked Members for their hard work and continued support.