Issue - meetings

To note Spelthorne Borough Council’s response to the Government’s open consultation on change to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the planning system.

Appendix 2 – To follow

Note: this report is being considered for approval by the Environment and Sustainability Committee at their meeting on 17 September 2024.

The Committee considered a report on the consultation response to the National Planning Policy Framework. The Senior Planning Officer advised that the Consultation Response had been approved by the Environment & Sustainability Committee on 17 September 2024 with three additional points:

-       An emphasis on protecting the green belt

-       An emphasis on supporting the climate change agenda

-       Clarification on Spelthorne’s amount of unusable green belt due to bodies of water such as reservoirs.

The Committee were advised that the consultation was open to everyone to comment on until 24 September 2024. IT was agreed that the Senior Planning Officer would send the link to any Councillor who wanted to comment.

The Committee resolved to note the report.

To consider approval of the submission of Spelthorne Borough Council’s response to the Government’s open consultation of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the planning system.

The Committee resolved to

1)    Approve the submission of Spelthorne Borough Council’s response to the Government’s open consultation of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the planning system;

2)    Give delegated authority to the Group Head Place Protection and Prosperity in consultation with the Chair of the Environment & Sustainability Committee to make any final amendments to the consultation response before it is submitted.

The Committee considered the Council’s response to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation. The Senior Planning Officer highlighted key proposed changes to the policy which included a new standard method for calculating housing need, demonstration of a five year housing land supply, approach to green belt release, and provision of affordable housing.

Councillor Rybinski proposed that wording be added to emphasise protection of the green belt and supporting the climate change agenda. This was seconded by Councillor Howkins. The Committee agreed by majority that the response be amended as suggested. The Committee noted that the reservoirs in the borough were calculated as highly performing green belt, and felt this added constraints to areas with large amounts of water. Councillor Williams proposed that further wording be added to request this be taken into account. This was seconded by Councillor Sexton and agreed by the Committee.

The Committee noted the suggestion for local authorities to assess for modernised economies and explored what this may mean. The Committee acknowledged the suggestion for local nature recovery strategies and confirmed that ecological surveys were undertaken, and if adopted, the Local Plan would require all development to provide at least 10% biodiversity net gain.

The Committee resolved to

1)    Approve the submission of Spelthorne Borough Council’s response to the Government’s open consultation of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the planning system;

2)    Give delegated authority to the Group Head Place Protection and Prosperity in consultation with the Chair of the Environment & Sustainability Committee to make any final amendments to the consultation response before it is submitted.