Agenda item

Climate Emergency Review of the Local Plan for Lancaster District - Preparation of a Consultation Draft (Regulation 18)

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Dowding)

 

Report of Director for Economic Growth & Regeneration 

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Dowding)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Director for Economic Growth & Regeneration which set out progress on the preparation of the Climate Emergency Review of the Local Plan (CELPR) following its adoption by Council on the 29th July 2020. The report sought the endorsement of Cabinet for progress made to date in the process of reviewing the content of the Local Plan documents and approval for the publication of the draft documents for a period of consultation under Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

Option 1: Publish and consult on the draft policies contained in the CELPR.

Advantages: By publishing the draft revised CELPR documents for consultation under Regulation 18 the Council can make progress with its ambitious timetable for the Local Plan Review and help ensure that better outcomes from development for climate change mitigation and adaptation are achieved as promptly as plan preparation processes permit.

Disadvantages: None apparent.

Risks: None

Option 2: Do not publish and consult on the draft policies contained in the CELPR.

Advantages: None apparent.

Disadvantages: This option would be contrary to the Council’s published timetable for preparing the CELPR as set out in the published Local Development Scheme as approved by Council in July 2020 (and subsequently kept up to date). The Council will not make progress on the objective of helping to address the Climate Emergency Declaration promptly by promptly reviewing the adopted Local Plan. Resources, including significant officer time spent on the review to date would not have been usefully deployed.

Risks: This option would present several risks including:

- Delays in eventually adopting a revised plan means that development proposals will continue to be determined in the context of the existing adopted policies rather than in the context of policies that take better account of the challenge of climate Change.

 - Reputational damage to the Council from not following through with a consultation on a Draft Plan that it has made prior public commitment to undertake.

- Delay in advancing the process may mean that the externally procured evidence may become out of date and will need to be refreshed again; incurring further costs and delays.

 

Councillor Dowding proposed, seconded by Councillor Frea:-

 

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)     That the Council undertakes public consultation on the draft revised versions of the Local Plan documents; specifically, Part A: Strategic Policies & Land Allocations DPD and Part B: Development Management DPD; and,

 

(2)  That the Council publishes the background evidence and supporting material   which have informed the Local Plan Review process to date, including Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulation Assessment.

 

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Director for Economic Growth & Regeneration

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The purpose of the Climate Emergency Review of the Local Plan was to ensure greater alignment with the Council’s ambitions around Climate Change in recognition of the Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration of January 2019. The CELPR will assist with the delivery of many of the Council’s corporate priorities, including the creation of a more sustainable district, the provision of an inclusive and prosperous local economy and support for developing healthy and happy communities.

 

Supporting documents: