Agenda item

To consider the report of Chief Officer (Regeneration and Planning).

Councillors please note: The appendices to this report are in excess of 400 pages and copies have not been printed with the agenda as a matter of course. If you would like a full paper copy for the meeting, please ask Democratic Services to send one out to you.

Copies of the full sets of papers, including the Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Habitats Regulations Assessment for the Morecambe Area Action Plan, are available for Councillors to read in the Members’ Rooms at Morecambe and Lancaster Town Halls and also in Democratic Services. An electronic version can be accessed via the agenda for this meeting accessible through the usual link on the Council Website:-

http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/a-to-z/m/meetings-minutes-agendas/

Council considered the formal publication and submission to the Secretary of State of two Local Plan documents for the Lancaster District: the Development Management Development Plan Document (DPD) and Morecambe Area Action Plan (MAAP) DPD. The accompanying report explained that further work was being undertaken on the Land Allocations DPD before it would be ready for Council to consider for publication and submission.

The Chief Officer (Regeneration and Planning) responded to a question about the report before Councillor Hanson proposed the recommendations in the report, seconded by Councillor Blamire:-

“(1)         That two Local Plan documents (the Development Management Development Plan Document (DPD) [Planning Policies] and Morecambe Area Action Plan (MAAP) Development Plan Document) be formally published, and that a six-week period of consultation be arranged, during which representations on the soundness and legality of the documents may be made.

(2)                     That, following the formal publication and closure of the period for representations, the DPDs, supporting information and representations received be submitted to the Secretary of State.” 

Councillor Hamilton-Cox  proposed an amendment:

“That the Local Plan does not proceed to publication until the Land Allocations document and guidance on sustainable construction is complete; that the core strategy is retained but that any detailed changes be brought to full Council, and that the Development Management DPD be amended to fit with the Core Strategy.”

Debate on the amendment followed. Councillors then voted and the amendment was clearly lost.

Councillor Jackson proposed an addendum to the original motion, seconded by Councillor Kay:-

“That officers be asked to draft material that will look sympathetically at proposals coming forward for a major visitor attraction in Morecambe.”

Councillors Hanson and Blamire accepted this as a friendly amendment to the motion and a vote was taken, which was clearly carried.

Resolved:

(1)                    That two Local Plan documents (the Development Management Development Plan Document (DPD) [Planning Policies] and Morecambe Area Action Plan (MAAP) Development Plan Document) be formally published, and that a six-week period of consultation be arranged, during which representations on the soundness and legality of the documents may be made.

(2)                    That, following the formal publication and closure of the period for representations, the DPDs, supporting information and representations received be submitted to the Secretary of State. 

(3)                    That officers be asked to draft material that will look sympathetically at proposals coming forward for a major visitor attraction in Morecambe.