Cabinet
21 March 2011
Agenda Item No______8_______
RENAMING OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE AND REVISED ROLE, TITLE AND
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK WORKING PARTY –
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL
Summary:
Conclusions:
Recommendations:
That Cabinet recommends to full Council that with effect from May
2011 the Development Control Committee be renamed the
Development Management Committee and that the former Local
Development Framework Working Party be renamed the Planning
Policy and Built Heritage Working Party, that it should be politically
balanced but should include the Chair of the Development
Management Committee and the appropriate Planning and/or
Planning Policy Portfolio Holder(s), with terms of reference as set out
in the report.
Cabinet member(s):
Ward(s) affected:
Cllrs Gay, Stockton and Nelson
All
Contact Officer, telephone number,
and e-mail: Steve Oxenham,
01263 516135,
steve.oxenham@northnorfolk.gov.uk
1.
Development Control Committee
At the meeting of full Council on 23 February 2011 the Site Specific Proposals
Development Plan, the amended Proposals Map and the Single Policy Review in respect
of the Re-use of Rural Buildings as Dwellings were adopted. This marks a significant
stage in the preparation of the statutory Development Plan for the District. For the first
time in many years, significant areas of new housing and other development
opportunities are proposed and the emphasis on the priorities for the Planning Service is
shifting from the preparation of planning documents and the control of development to
the delivery of the development sought by the adopted documents and its management
in line with adopted strategy.
The creation of a Major Developments Team, with its priority on delivering high-quality
residential developments exemplifies this change in approach. Rather than waiting for
the market to bring forward proposals for development, the Team is engaging positively
Cabinet
21 March 2011
with landowners, developers and infrastructure providers in order to facilitate delivery of
the market and the affordable housing, commercial development and infrastructure that
the community needs.
In support of this work it is proposed to rename the Development Control Service
“Development Management” and it is proposed that the Development Control Committee
be redesignated “Development Management Committee” in order to reflect this change
of emphasis and new priorities for the Council. This change is in line with best practice
nationally and it is suggested that the new title be used with effect from the coming into
office of the new Council in May 2011.
It is not considered necessary for the terms of reference of the Development Control
Committee to change, but it is suggested that there are some matters which have
historically been addressed by the Committee which should be considered by Members
through a different route, as proposed below.
2.
Local Development Framework Working Party
The terms of reference of the former Local Plan Review Working Party were established
in September 2003. They included supervision of the conclusion of the work on
reviewing the adopted North Norfolk Local Plan; guiding the preparation of Local
Development Documents (both Development Plan and non-Development Plan
Documents) in accordance with the emerging legislation and related regulations and
Government policy and guidance. It was to be politically balanced, but to include the
Chairs of the West, East and Joint Development Control Committees.
In 2004 the Local Development Framework (LDF) Working Party was established and it
has overseen the preparation of the Core Strategy and Site Specific Proposals and
Single Issue Review Development Plan Documents through to adoption.
Looking to the future it is believed that further Member oversight and involvement will be
required in respect of the preparation of the key remaining elements of the LDF. These
comprise the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document and Site
Development Briefs and Master Plans, which are included in the Local Development
Scheme, the published programme of work agreed with the Government Office. It is
therefore suggested that a Working Party continue this work, but that a change be made
to include within its scope the work of the Conservation, Design and Landscape Team
on Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans, which have hitherto been
proposed and adopted by the Development Control Committees.
There are a number of reasons for proposing this change. Firstly there is a significant
element of policy development and public consultation inherent in the preparation of
these documents. There may be scope for bringing together some consultation
exercises between Site Specific Proposals work, some of which may well be
conservation-led, being within historic town centres, and Conservation Area Appraisals,
and possibly other neighbourhood planning initiatives.
Secondly, it is suggested that the Management Plans would benefit from Cabinet
scrutiny and endorsement, since for these plans to be delivered effectively corporate
resources and assets may need to be utilised.
Finally, the use of a Working Party to supervise this work would allow more time for
effective scrutiny of these important matters, rather than being left to the end of agendas
of already busy Development Control Committee meetings, where inevitably they have
had to be considered after planning applications for which members of the public have
been in attendance.
Cabinet
21 March 2011
To reflect these changes it is recommended that the Working Party be titled the
“Planning Policy and Built Heritage Working Party” and that its terms of reference be as
follows:
To supervise the preparation through to adoption of the Planning Obligations
Supplementary Planning Document and Development Briefs and Master Plans for sites
identified in the Site Specific Proposals DPD.
To supervise the preparation and adoption of Conservation Area Appraisals and
Management Plans and to consider any other policy-related issues in relation to the
Conservation, Design and Landscape Service.
To consider planning policy issues in relation to the Government’s Localism agenda,
including neighbourhood planning matters, and make appropriate recommendations to
Cabinet.
It is recommended that the membership of the Working Party should be politically
balanced but should include the Chair of the Development Management Committee and
the appropriate Planning and/or Planning Policy Portfolio Holder(s).