Agenda item

Site Allocation Development Plan Document (DPD) WBC18-020

Minutes:

In view of the interest expressed in the report, the Mayor agreed to move the following item forward on the agenda.

The Council had before it the recommendations of the Local Development Framework Working Group following the public consultation exercise in respect of substituting the six sites safeguarded in the draft Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) with land to the east of Martyrs Lane.  The sites proposed to be substituted were in Mayford, Pyrford and Byfleet.

The Working Group had accepted the Officers’ recommendation not to safeguard the land east of Martyrs Lane.  The Group had also accepted the recommendation not to allocate Ten Acre Farm as a Travellers’ site, and had supported the Officers’ revised proposal for meeting the accommodation needs of Travellers.  However, regarding the safeguarding of the six sites and on the DPD as a whole, the Working Group had resolved to make the following key conclusions:

·           There were exceptional circumstances which justified revising the Green Belt boundary in the locations set out within the draft Site Allocations DPD so as to meet the need for homes, infrastructure and Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANGs) from 2022 to 2027;

·           Exceptional circumstances did not exist so as to justify the release of the proposals in Pyrford and Mayford from the Green because the use of those sites for residential development would conflict with both local and national planning policies;

·           To ensure the enduring permanence of the Green Belt boundary, the Working Group was satisfied that exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated to justify the release of the two sites in Byfleet from the Green Belt and for their safeguarding to meet development needs into the next plan period.

In the main, the Working Group had recommended that only the two Green Belt sites in Byfleet should be released from the Green Belt and be safeguarded to meet future development needs between 2027 and 2040.

The proposals before the Council were introduced by Councillor Ashley Bowes, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy.  Councillor Bowes moved and Councillor Bittleston seconded an amendment to the recommendation (ii) of the report as follows:

 

“(ii)    Save as for proposal sites GB9 (Land north east of Saunders Lane), GB10 (Land to the north west of Saunders Lane) and GB11 (Land rear of 79-95 Lovelace Drive) which are not to be released from the Green Belt in order to be safeguarded for future development needs or otherwise, and save that as for proposal site GB7 (Nursery Land adjacent to Egley Road), development is to be focused to the south end of the site, leaving the north end, beyond the playing fields of the Hoe Valley Free School and coloured green on the attached plan, as open space not to be developed, the draft Site Allocations DPD (Appendix 5) and the accompanying revised Sustainability Appraisal report and the Habitats Regulations Assessment (copies are in the Members’ Lounge) be supported for the purposes of Regulation 19 consultation to give the public an opportunity to make formal representation.”

The Members of the Council were given the opportunity to debate the amendment and some concern was expressed over the late notice of the changes.  A number of points were raised by the Members and Councillor Bowes responded to each of the points made, outlining in full the reasons for the amendment.  In accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against the amendment were recorded.

In favour:                      Councillors H Addison, M Ali, S Ashall, A Azad, T Aziz, D Bittleston, J Bond, A Bowes, G Chrystie, G Cundy, K Davis, I Eastwood, D Harlow, K Howard, Mrs B Hunwicks, S Hussain, C Kemp, L Lyons, N Martin, R Mohammed, M I Raja, C Rana, and M Whitehand.

                                      Total in favour - 23

Against:                         Councillor L Morales

                                      Total against - 1

Present not voting:        Councillors A-M Barker, A Boote, M Bridgeman and D Hughes.

                                      Total - 4

The amendment therefore formed part of the substantive recommendations before the Council which were then debated.

Councillor Morales proposed and Councillor Hughes seconded an amendment to the proposals for the residential development associated with Woking Football Club as follows:

“Site Allocation Reference UA45 – Woking Football Club Site – be amended from providing a development yield of 992 net additional dwellings to providing a development yield of 40 net additional dwellings.”  Councillor Morales spoke in support of the amendment.

Councillor Bowes advised that the figure referred to did not appear in the policy document, and had only been included in the reasoned justification.  On this basis, the Portfolio Holder had no objection, subject to Councillor Morales accepting a change to her amendment, to reference to the figure of 992 net additional dwellings being removed from the document.  Councillor Morales confirmed that the amendment could be revised following Councillor Bowes’ suggestion, proposing the removal of all references to 992 net additional dwellings at the site.  The amendment therefore read:

“Reference to a development yield of 992 net additional dwellings at the Woking Football Site (Allocation Reference UA45) be removed from the reason justification document.” 

The revised amendment was welcomed by the Council and was agreed nem con.  The amendment therefore formed part of the substantive recommendations before the Council.

The recommendations before the Council were debated in full with Members discussing elements including the Green Belt, provision for travellers, air quality and the use of brown field sites for housing.

Councillor Ali proposed and Councillor Aziz seconded an amendment to UA33 – Walton Road Youth Centre, Walton Road, Woking as follows:

“Bullet point 3 of UA33 – Walton Road Youth Centre, Walton Road, Woking within the policy document be amended to refer to a Youth Centre on the site, rather than a general community facility, and thereby to read: Re-provision of the existing youth centre in an improved form to ensure the development complies with Core Strategy policy.”

Concern was expressed that the amendment would limit the possibilities for the site and Councillor Morales suggested a change to the amendment to refer to a community facility suitable for use by a youth group.  Councillor Ali accepted the suggestion and the Council was therefore asked to consider the amendment as follows:

“Bullet point 3 of UA33 – Walton Road Youth Centre, Walton Road, Woking within the policy document be amended to read: Re-provision of the existing youth centre in an improved form as a community facility suitable for use by a youth group to ensure the development complies with Core Strategy policy.”

The revised amendment was welcomed by the Council and was agreed nem con.  The amendment therefore formed part of the substantive recommendations before the Council.

Before the substantive recommendations before the Council were put to a vote, Councillor Bowes responded to the points raised during the debate, including air and water quality, traveller sites and the Green Belt review, before covering key points in respect of meeting the needs for homes in the Borough.

In accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against the recommendations, as amended, were recorded.

In favour:                      Councillors H Addison, M Ali, S Ashall, A Azad, T Aziz, D Bittleston, A Bowes, G Chrystie, G Cundy, K Davis, D Harlow, Mrs B Hunwicks, S Hussain, C Kemp, N Martin, R Mohammed, M I Raja, C Rana, and M Whitehand.

                                      Total in favour - 19

Against:                         Councillors A-M Barker, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman, K Howard, D Hughes and L Lyons.

                                      Total against - 7

Present not voting:        Councillors I Eastwood and L Morales.

                                      Total - 2

The recommendations were therefore carried by 19 votes in favour to 7 votes against.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the various responses to the consultation on the possibility of substituting the land east of Martyrs Lane for the six sites in Pyrford, Mayford and Byfleet identified for safeguarding in the draft Site Allocations DPD together with Officers’ response and recommendations be noted.  The Officers’ response with recommendations are in the Members’ Lounge for inspection;

          (ii)   save as for proposal sites GB9 (Land north east of Saunders Lane), GB10 (Land to the north west of Saunders Lane) and GB11 (Land rear of 79-95 Lovelace Drive) which are not to be released from the Green Belt in order to be safeguarded for future development needs or otherwise, and save that as for proposal site GB7 (Nursery Land adjacent to Egley Road), development is to be focused to the south end of the site, leaving the north end, beyond the playing fields of the Hoe Valley Free School and coloured green on the attached plan, as open space not to be developed, the draft Site Allocations DPD (Appendix 5) and the accompanying revised Sustainability Appraisal report and the Habitats Regulations Assessment (copies are in the Members’ Lounge) be supported for the purposes of Regulation 19 consultation to give the public an opportunity to make formal representation;

          (iii) authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning to approve any minor changes to the DPD and its supporting Sustainability Appraisal report, including the presentation of the documents and any updates on the status of the proposed sites before they are published for Regulation 19 consultation;

          (iv) authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning to oversee the preparation and approval of the following accompanying Submission Documents which will be sent to the Secretary of State for Examination – the Consultation Statement, the Duty to Cooperate Statement and Equality Impact Assessment Statement;

          (v)   authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning to approve any minor changes to the DPD and its supporting documents to reflect any further changes to national planning policy;

          (vi)  reference to a development yield of 992 net additional dwellings at the Woking Football Site (Allocation Reference UA45) be removed from the reason justification document; and

          (vii)           bullet point 3 of UA33 – Walton Road Youth Centre, Walton Road, Woking within the policy document be amended to read: Re-provision of the existing youth centre in an improved form as a community facility suitable for use by a youth group to ensure the development complies with Core Strategy policy.

Supporting documents: