Minutes:
Councillor Elson, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy, introduced the recommendations of the Executive in respect of the adoption of the Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) and the Proposals Map, subject to the Inspector’s Main Modifications and the Council’s Additional Modifications. The Members were advised that the Council had made a commitment in the Core Strategy to prepare the Site Allocations DPD to identify specific sites to enable the delivery of the Core Strategy, including a commitment to release Green Belt land between 2022 and 2027 to provide at least 550 new homes. In presenting the recommendations, the Portfolio Holder acknowledged that some residents would have concerns over some of the proposals within the DPD and referred to the extensive consultation that had been undertaken.
The Members of the Council debated the proposals, with particular concerns raised over the proposed release of Green Belt land for housing in West Byfleet. As noted in the recommendations, whilst the DPD presented a sustainable way forward for the development of the Borough taking into account housing requirements, elements of the Inspector’s Final Report were not what some Councillors and local residents would want. However, it was acknowledged that the failure to timely adopt the recommendations would result in a worse outcome for the Borough as a whole and that the Inspector had been clear in their modifications.
In light of the debate and in accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against the recommendations were recorded.
In favour: Councillors A Azad, T Aziz, A-M Barker, K Davis, S Dorsett, G Elson, W Forster, D Harlow, K Howard, D Hughes, S Hussain, C Kemp, A Kirby, R Leach, N Martin, R Mohammed, L Morales, C Rana, D Roberts and J Sanderson.
Total in favour: 20
Against: Councillor A Boote, M Bridgeman and J Brown.
Total against: 3
Present not voting: The Mayor, Councillor L Lyons, and Councillors E Nicholson and M I Raja.
Total present not voting: 3
The recommendations were therefore carried by 20 votes in favour to 3 votes against.
RESOLVED
That (i) the Local Development Framework (LDF) Working Group accepts that the Inspector’s Final Report is binding and that the Council has a binary choice to adopt the Inspector’s recommendations in full or not to adopt the DPD. Although in the main the DPD presents a sustainable way forward for the development of the borough taking into account housing requirements, elements of the Inspector’s Final Report are not what some Councillors and local residents would want. Notwithstanding this, it is clear that the failure to timely adopt the recommendations would result in a worse outcome for the borough as a whole. Taking into account the above and national planning policy, the Working Group recommends that the Inspector’s Final Report and the Main Modifications document be accepted by the Council in full;
(ii) subject to the Main Modifications recommended by the Inspector and the Council’s Additional Modifications, the Woking Site Allocations Development Plan Document and the Proposals Map be adopted in full for the purposes of development management and all other planning decisions;
(iii) the entire provisions of the Woking Site Allocations DPD (draft is in Appendix 4 to the report) and the Proposals Map (Appendix 3 to the report) should be given full weight for the purposes of development management and all other planning decisions;
(iv) delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to make sure that the Inspector’s Main Modifications and the Council’s Additional Modifications are fully incorporated into the Site Allocations DPD. A draft of the DPD is in Appendix 4 to the report;
(v) delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to oversee the preparation and publication of the post adoption Sustainability Appraisal Statement; and
(vi) delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning and Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to ensure that the adoption process as set out in Section 8 (next stages) of the report is strictly followed.