Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Angela Goodwin and Nigel Kearse.

In accordance with procedure rule 23(j), Councillor Colin Cross attended as a substitute on behalf of Councillor Angela Goodwin.

Councillors David Bilbé, Geoff Davis, Graham Ellwood, Matt Furniss, Angela Gunning, Mike Hurdle, Michael Illman, Susan Parker, David Reeve, Caroline Reeves, Iseult Roche, Tony Rooth and Paul Spooner were also in attendance.

In accordance with the revised local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

There were no disclosures of interest declared.

Some of the documents, particularly Appendix 2 Site allocations are large files.  Small files which will be quicker to download are available on the Local Plan webpage: http://www.guildford.gov.uk/newlocalplan/proposedsubmission

The Chairman explained that the Board would only be considering comments that related to parts of the plan or evidence base that had changed since the last consultation.  The Board also noted the amendments as detailed on the supplementary late sheets as follows:

Policy A26 Blackwell Farm

The first page of policy A26 was omitted from the original agenda and the duplication of policy A28 at page 217 should therefore be ignored.

Policy P5 – Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area

Policy P5 had been omitted from the agenda but now included as part of the supplementary late sheets.

The Planning Policy Manager and Principal Policy Planner gave a presentation on the proposed submission Local Plan including:

·         A six-week consultation period was undertaken for Regulation 19 Proposed submission Local Plan: strategy and sites (“Reg 19 Local Plan”) in June/July 2016.

·         32,500 representations were received from 6000 individuals and or independent bodies.  20,000 comments had been submitted previously from 7000 individuals and or independent bodies.

·         To provide context on the number of consultation responses Guildford Borough Council received, Elmbridge Borough Council had received 4000 comments, Runnymede Borough Council 750 comments and Waverley Borough Council 4000 comments.

·         The key messages were consistent with the last consultation, including updates to the evidence base and changes to policies.

·         It was explained that the housing figure target had been reduced by 1400 homes over a 19 year period.  The reduction in the number of homes had been achieved by removing the least sustainable sites.  For example, a material change of circumstances had occurred whereby a more sustainable site for a secondary school had been identified at the Blackwell Farm site and therefore the justification for such a school at Normandy and Flexford no longer existed. 

·         Land to the east of the Paddocks, Flexford had previously been designated as a site for 50 homes.  The site had been re-surveyed and based upon the evidence, designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). 

·         Owing to representations received, Burnt Common, Send had been designated as industrial land, previously proposed at Garlick’s Arch.  The site was adjacent to an existing industrial use and was in a less sensitive location to accommodate the proposed use at this site.  

·         The development expected during the plan period had enabled a reduction in the housing delivery buffer by 10%.

·         The forthcoming consultation was in addition to the Reg 19 Local Plan (2016) consultation.  All comments made to the previous consultation, alongside the comments from this summer’s consultation, would be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

·         The methodology applied to the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) was likely to change owing to pending government policy revisions.  The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) had nevertheless advised Guildford Borough Council to proceed with the development of their Local Plan.

·         The recommendations of the Board would be considered by the Special Meeting of Executive on 16 May at 10am followed by the Extraordinary Meeting of Council on 16 May at 7:30pm.  If approved for consultation,  ...  view the full minutes text for item BEI71