Agenda and minutes

Minutes of meeting held on 29^th September 2020 (previously circulated).

The minutes of 29^th September 2020 were agreed as a true record, and would be signed by the Chair at a later date.

There were no items of urgent business.

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration.

Fiona Jayne Clark, Planning Officer – Housing and Communities, presented a report submitted by the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration informing the Committee of the Raising Accessibility Standards for New Homes consultation, for which responses had to be submitted by 1st December 2020.

The Committee were taken through the five options the Government were seeking views upon in the consultation, and the draft response to it by the Council (circulated prior to the meeting). Two additional comments to the response to Question 4 (Appendix 1) of the report were tabled, adding as follows (in italics):

(i)            “ NDSS must therefore be retained, and preferably also made mandatory within both the Building Regulations and planning system. ”

(ii)           “ The Councils own evidence highlights an aging population and a need for accessible and adaptable homes to meet the needs of a wide range of people. The following number of properties currently require accessibility improvements in Lancaster District:

•     17 require full adaption;

•     27 require a wet room;

•     6 require either level access or a shower.

It should be noted that these figures provide a snapshot in time. “

The Committee appreciated the work that had been put into responding to the consultation, and it was proposed that the Officer recommendations including the additional comments to Question 4 (Appendix 1) as above be accepted.

Resolved:

That the draft response to the consultation, at Appendix 1 of the Report including the additional comments to Question 4 (Appendix 1) as above, is submitted as a formal response from Lancaster City Council.

Report of the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration.

Maurice Brophy, Service Manager - Planning & Housing Strategy, presented a report submitted by the Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration informing the Committee of the Government’s consultation on the Planning White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’, for which responses had to be submitted by 29^th October 2020.

The Committee were taken through the 84 page White Paper, in which the Government had sought to identify the current problems with the planning system, outline their vision of the future, and seek views on their proposals, along with the draft response to the 26 questions of the consultation by the Council (circulated prior to the meeting).

Discussion included issues of the weight that might be given by the Government to responses received; the scale of the changes proposed and the ambition of replacing over 60 years of accrued planning legislation; which areas had not been addressed by the consultation (such as land ownership and control); the potential risk to local authorities of borrowing on the basis of anticipated receipts from infrastructure delivery; and the future role of Neighbourhood Plans as drawn up by Parish and Town Councils.

The Committee recognised the work that had gone into the consultation response, and it was proposed that the Officer recommendations be accepted.

Resolved:

(1)          That the draft response to this consultation, as attached to Appendix 1 of the report, is submitted as the formal response of Lancaster City Council.

(2)          That officers keep Members updated on the progress of the White Paper and keep under review the implications of the reforms on the decision-making and plan-making roles of the Council. Updates will be provided through the Local Plan Review Group (LPRG) and Council’s Planning Committee on this matter.