Lead Member – Mr Malcolm Price, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Commissioning (Central).

Exempt report of the Director of Commissioning is to follow.

Contact – George Candler – 01743 255036

(a)  That the Council lobbies the Minister to review his statement to take account of differing conditions nationally and locally.

(b)  That the Council notes the Ministerial statement and amendments to the National Planning Practice Guidance as a material consideration in determining a planning application.

(c)  That the Council continues to give full weight to Policy CS11 of the adopted Core Strategy and Type and Affordability of Housing SPD and continues to seek on site provision of affordable housing and/or developer contributions to the provision of affordable housing in relation to all sites.

            (Councillor Claire Wild left the room prior to the commencement of this item and took no part in the discussion and voting on the matter.)

81.1    The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Commissioning (Central) presented an exempt report by the Director of Commissioning – copy attached to the signed exempt minutes – on the implications of a recent Ministerial Statement to Parliament and changes to the national Planning Practice Guidance relating to section 106 developer contributions relating to affordable housing and other tariff style contributions.  Cabinet was asked to agree the Council’s position on the matter in order to guide the Development Management process and remove uncertainty which could impact on housing delivery.

81.2    In referring to the questions asked at the last Council meeting on the subject he also reported on the correspondence sent direct to him and commented that most persons had raised objections about the Council’s continued requirement for contributions for single self-build properties.  Three emails on the matter had also been received by the Principal Committee Officer which had been forwarded to Cabinet Members in accordance with the senders’ requests.

81.3    RESOLVED:

(a)  That the Council lobbies the Minister to review his statement to take account of differing conditions nationally and locally.

(b)  That the Council notes the Ministerial statement and amendments to the National Planning Practice Guidance as a material consideration in determining a planning application.

(c)  That the Council continues to give full weight to Policy CS11 of the adopted Core Strategy and Type and Affordability of Housing SPD and continues to seek on site provision of affordable housing and/or developer contributions to the provision of affordable housing in relation to all sites.

(The full version of Minutes 80 to 81 constitutes exempt information under category 3 of Paragraph 10.4 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules and have accordingly been with-held from publication.)