Agenda item

Adoption of Guildford borough Local Plan: Development Management Policies

Decision:

1. That subject to the adoption of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies, the Parking Standards for New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (at Appendix 6) be adopted.

2. That the Lead Councillor with portfolio responsibility for Planning Policy be authorised, in consultation with the Joint Strategic Director of Place, to make such minor alterations to improve the clarity of the Parking Standards for New Development SPD as they may deem necessary.

3. To note that Executive comments will be passed to the full Council meeting on 22 March 2023 via the Order Paper.

The Executive further

RECOMMEND (to Council):

(1) That the Local Plan: Development Management Policies (as set out in Appendix 4 to the report), which incorporates the Inspector’s Main Modifications (at Appendix 2 to the report) and the Council’s Minor Modifications (at Appendix 3 to the report), be adopted.

(2) That the Secretary of State be requested to exercise his powers to revoke the ‘residual’ policies of the 2003 Local Plan.

(3) That updates to the Guildford Borough Policies Map be adopted in line with the Local Plan: Development Management Policies including additions proposed at Appendix A of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies, as amended by the Inspector’s main modification 6.

(4) That the Lead Councillor with portfolio responsibility for Planning Policy be authorised, in consultation with the Joint Strategic Director of Place, to make such minor alterations to improve the clarity of the LPDMP as they may deem necessary.

Reason(s):

1. To enable the adoption of the Parking Standards for New Development SPD to provide further guidance regarding the implementation of LPDMP Policy ID11 [now Policy ID10]: Parking Standards for New Development.

2. To enable minor alterations to be made to the SPD should they be necessary prior to publication

3. To enable the adoption of the LPDMP in line with the Council’s Local Development Scheme and for the plan to become part of the Council’s development plan, carrying full weight in the determination of planning applications.

4. To enable the revocation of the ‘residual’ Local Plan 2003 policies that are not superseded by policies contained in the LPDMP.

5. To ensure that changes are brought about to the policies map in line with the adoption of the LPDMP.

6. To enable minor alterations to be made to the LPDMP should they be necessary prior to publication

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Minutes:

The Local Plan: Development Management Policies (hereafter referred to as ‘the LPDMP’) was the second part of Guildford’s Local Plan. If adopted by full Council on 22 March 2023 it would supersede the extant Local Plan 2003 policies and become part of the Council’s Development Plan. The LPDMP provided the more detailed policies to be used by Development Management in the determination of planning applications. The Lead Council for Finance and Planning Policy introduced the report.

The intention of the policies was to provide the Council with the tools to secure good development across the borough covering a wide range of environmental, design, heritage and infrastructure matters. The policies would provide robust testing through the application process to obtain sustainable and attractive development. The policies would provide guidance to applicants for what the Council would like to see coming forward or reasons for refusal if applications did not meet the standards. The existing policies were nearly 20 years old and no longer fit for purpose.

The Executive noted the extensive consultation undertaken for the Regulation 18 and 19 process during the previous two years. Much work had been undertaken by councillors and officers to reach the point of submission to the Government appointed Planning Inspectorate in the summer of 2022. A series of public hearings had been heard with the inspector arriving at a number of recommendations for the Council concerning both minor and main modifications. The main modifications were subject to further public consultation concluding in early February 2023. The inspectors final report was received at the end of February and was published and circulated to all councillors. The final report found the Council’s policies sound, subject to the main modifications being implemented.

The main modification for biodiversity net gain was highlighted to the Executive. The Council’s draft policy set out a requirement for 20% across all developments. However, even if adopted by the Council, this could not be implemented until the Government policy of 10% was adopted. It was anticipated that would be in November 2023.

The draft polices were described by the Deputy Leader of the Council as robust having been through strenuous testing by officers, councillors and the public consultation process. It was acknowledged that not every suggestion submitted could have been included in the final drafts but that all suggestions had been considered through the consultation processes. The policies were commended to the Executive to recommend to full Council.

The Executive was also asked to consider and adopt a new Parking Policy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Whilst Policy ID10 did consider parking standards, it was considered preferable to retain a separate SPD which could be easily updated and was consequently more flexible and responsive. This had been approved by the inspector who required no main modifications to ID10 and had agreed to the split of guidance and policy. The adoption of the SPD was a matter for the Executive but that adoption remained dependent upon the overall adoption of the LPDMP by full Council because of the link of the guidance to the policy.

The LPDMP and the SPD were welcomed by the Executive, including the split in guidance and policy with regard to parking. It was noted that the biodiversity 20% net gain had been included in the Council’s Climate Change SPD which had been previously adopted. Although this was guidance and not policy the Council had been able its signpost its preferences in this matter. It was reported that developers had taken notice and responded positively within planning applications.

The report would be considered by full Council on Wednesday 22 March 2023. The Executive,

RESOLVED:

1. That subject to the adoption of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies, the Parking Standards for New Development Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (at Appendix 6) be adopted.

3. To note that Executive comments will be passed to the full Council meeting on 22 March 2023 via the Order Paper.

Recommendation to Council:

(1) That the Local Plan: Development Management Policies (Appendix 4), which incorporates the Inspector’s Main Modifications (at Appendix 2 to this report) and the Council’s Minor Modifications (at Appendix 3 to this report), be adopted.

(2) That the Secretary of State be requested to exercise his powers to revoke the ‘residual’ policies of the 2003 Local Plan.

Reason(s):

2. To enable minor alterations to be made to the SPD should they be necessary prior to publication

4. To enable the revocation of the ‘residual’ Local Plan 2003 policies that are not superseded by policies contained in the LPDMP.

5. To ensure that changes are brought about to the policies map in line with the adoption of the LPDMP.

6. To enable minor alterations to be made to the LPDMP should they be necessary prior to publication.

Supporting documents: