Notes of Steering Group Meeting, Kidmore End Parish NDP Steering Group
16th October 2018 at 7.30pm, Gallowstree Common Pavilion
1. Declaration of interest
The Steering Group signed the code of Conduct and Declaration of Interest.
Action:
Follow up with those not present to ask them to sign. scan and shred and email the electronic version to clerk of council for filing.
2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
The final version of the minutes of the last meeting were approved.
3. Update on Budget
No change.
4. Grant application to Locality
There is a backlog for the grant allocation for the Evidence Base and Policy so we still have no news.
The Steering Group discussed the possibility of applying for the Characterisation package and a package looking at design.
Action: Chase again.
5. Call for Sites update
a. Call for Sites extended to 17th September 2018 – resulted in 5 more sites being added to the Call for Sites Register – 2 in Kidmore End, 1 in Gallowstree Common and two in open countryside near Chalkhouse Green.
b. Total Sites for assessment at the end of the Call for Sites period and prior to the Facilitation Meeting with SODC was 8 from the October 2017 SHELAA and 12 from the Call for Sites process however it should be noted that one site was put forward on both and therefore the total number of sites at this stage was 19.
c. As previously documented the Call for Sites support package from Aecom was put on hold on the 1st August 2018 to enable a Facilitation Package to be implemented to resolve issues with SODC including:- the basis for the housing target, housing target, agree housing numbers already built or approved by planning and what counts towards the number e.g. windfall and infill and to discuss the basis for the SHELAA evaluations from October 2017.
d. The Facilitation Meeting with SODC could not be held until the 3rd October 2018 and therefore the AECOM consultant advised that he should move forward with an initial draft Call for Sites assessment based on the input we had received from SODC previously but taking into account the NPPF, the Local Plan 2012 and the SODC Emerging Local Plan.. However, the input from SODC at the Facilitation Meeting resulted in a number of significant changes therefore the report is currently being prepared by Aecom for consultation with the sub group.
e. The next action is for the Call for Sites sub group to review the draft report when it is available, provide comments to the Aecom consultant and then a final report will be prepared which will need to be signed off by Locality.
f. Following this a meeting will be held with the Steering Group to present and discuss the findings and make any recommendations/decisions pertaining to the report.
Facilitation
1. The Facilitation Meeting was held at The Pavillion, Gallowstree Common at 2.30 on 3rd October 2018. The Call for Sites sub group were all present and the Chair of the Steering Group, the AECOM consultant (who led the meeting) and members of staff from SODC planning and Policy Group.
2. Minutes were taken at the meeting and were reviewed subsequently by the Aecom consultant for accuracy and by the members of the sub group. These have now been sent to SODC for comment/agreement and will subsequently be sent to the Aecom Consultant to review.
3. The following issues and outcomes were covered at the meeting:-
a. the October 2017 SHELAA –
Response: – SODC are currently revisiting the SHELAA – this will be shared when the emerging LP goes to consultation – SODC confirmed that the revised SHELAA would be compliant with guidance contained in the revised NPPF and PPG published in 2018.
b. Concerns regarding the evaluation of the SHELAA sites, within the NDP area, have been sent by the Aecom consultant to SODC for review.
c. Confirmed that KE should look at all sites regardless of size and not just the sites within KE village.
d. Advised by SODC to include an assessment of both Reading Golf Club and Palmers Riding Stable as other SHELAA sites are being evaluated by the NDP.
The total number of sites for assessment has increased to 21.
e. The emerging local plan supports and encourages site allocations.
f. Radial Plan of Kidmore End Village now discounted.
g. The housing target is based on the 2011 census of the whole Parish – not just KE village. 516 houses – a minimum of 5% of this is 26 dwellings. The target applies to the Parish as a whole, not individual settlements/villages. All dwellings approved and built or still to be built since 2011 across the Parish count towards the target. However, SODC have advised that SODC are considering providing a target number for smaller villages. Awaiting an update from Ricardo Rios of SODC.
h. To date within the NDP area there have been 27 dwellings completed with another 4 consented but not built. These figures have been provided by Mr Penfold (Clerk to the Parish Council) and are being confirmed with SODC.
i. SODC encouraged a positive planning approach. Policy H8 of the Emerging Local Plan publication version sets 5% as the minimum figure. The supporting text clarifies the indicative growth level (5% to 10%) subject to constraints and capacity considerations. The revised NPPF encourages NDPs to meet the indicative requirements set by the Local Planning Authority. In the absence of constraints and/or capacity issues SODC would expect 10% growth.
Further discussion with SODC required once we have input on whether they intend to provide a target number for Kidmore End Village.
j. Confirmed that we can apportion development throughout the Parish but this should be based on Level of Facilities (hierarchy), Completions at the time, Latest Evidence and Local Need. The local plan will be looking at settlement hierarchy. Kidmore End Village is the only village classified as a smaller village in the SODC Emerging Local Plan currently.
k. Confirmed plan period of 2011 – 2033 to align with the SODC emerging local plan. Update from SODC – Emerging Local Plan Period may extend into 2034.
l. Work with both the SODC Local Plan and Emerging Local Plan.
m. Cannot prohibit infill. There is a policy in the emerging Local Plan regarding infill for villages designated as Smaller (Kidmore End) or Other (Gallowstree Common and Tokers Green).
n. Future windfall will count towards the target even if not allocated.
o. If we do not allocate a site we will not be protected by the 3-year land supply as detailed in the ministerial statement of December 2016. We are currently checking to see if this is in the new NPPF guidelines.
p. The Oxfordshire Growth Deal gives the whole of Oxfordshire a 3-year housing land supply test. The district council is expected to meet key deadlines set as part of the Growth Deal Agreement. The first is the submission of the Local Plan by March 2019.
q. Look at potential of designation of Local Green Space e.g.:- amenity facilities, community facilities.
4. Facilitation report to be provided by Aecom Consultant once the minutes of the Facilitation Meeting have been agreed by all parties. This will then be sent to Locality for sign off.
5. Outstanding issue of what constitutes Open Countryside and Urban extension.
6. Landscape study/Sensitivity study
The Landscape Sensitivity study was circulated to everyone on the list provided at the last minutes apart from representatives from Reading who will be receiving a copy week commencing 23rd October.
Actions: To circulate to representatives from RBC.
7. Strategy / Policy update:
The draft of the housing policy 2 will be started by the Steering group in the coming weeks. The draft policies created to date will be shared with the Steering Group for initial feedback, however, advanced drafts will not be created until the Facilitation report is provided by Aecom.
Actions: To draft Housing Policy 2.
9. Planning update:
The Elms appeal is on 13th November at the SODC offices.
Highdown Avenue planning application has been refused by SODC.
The decision on the Gladman Appeal is due to be made in November.
10. Update on project plan:
Action: To be updated
11. Update on writing up the NDP document:
Action: Steering group members to let member of group working on document which version of word they are working in
12. Reading Golf Club:
Since the last Steering Group meeting Reading Golf Club voted to sell the whole course.
13. Date of next meeting:
The next meeting will be the Call for Sites meeting in November/December. This will be agreed once we have had both the Facilitation Report and the Call for Sites Report from Aecom.