Minutes of Steering Group Meeting, Kidmore End Parish NDP Steering Group
22nd January 2019 at 7.30pm, Gallowstree Common Pavilion
1. Declaration of interest
No declaration of interest declared.
2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
The final version of the minutes of the last meeting was approved.
3. SODC Emerging Local Plan 2011 – 2034
The SODC draft Emerging Local Plan went to the scrutiny meeting on 13th December, then the cabinet meeting on 18th December. A member of the Steering Group went to the cabinet meeting where a number of interested parties spoke. On 20th December SODC councillors voted in favour of this version of the Emerging Local Plan and so we are now in a six week period of public consultation before the plan goes to the Secretary of State for appointment of an examiner with the full approval process due to last until at least November. During the consultation period there is an opportunity for individuals from the community to comment on the legality and soundness of the emerging plan. The forms are on the SODC website.
A couple of members of the KE Parish Council and NDP Steering Group recently attended a SODC briefing meeting where they went through the emerging local plan and in particular the planned sites. Most of the focus is around Oxford in order to meet the shortfall and growth plans.
The KE Parish Council have reviewed the elements of the emerging plan most pertinent to the Parish. The Parish is required to submit an official response to SODC. A list of comments is being compiled by representatives from the parish council to question and seek clarification on details such as how target housing numbers have been calculated as well as proposed densities of housing, as well as matters relating to the AONB, the third bridge, air quality, etc. The full list of comments will be circulated to the NDP Steering Group once the list is finalised and has been submitted to SODC.
As noted in the previous minutes, the most significant change in the latest emerging local plan for Kidmore End Parish is that the requirement of a 5 – 10% housing growth target for smaller villages has been removed.
4. Call for Sites update:
The NDP Steering Group has met with SODC to discuss the progress we have made on the call for sites process. The facilitation report and call for sites initial assessment was provided to SODC for comment. These comments have not yet been recorded in writing or circulated.
It was agreed that the minutes of the meeting with SODC would be distributed to the Steering Group.
Next step for the NDP Steering Group:
The next step for the Steering Group is to make a decision on housing allocation. According to the latest Emerging Local Plan, Kidmore End as a smaller village is no longer required to achieve the previously communicated target of 5 – 10% growth.
However, SODC have advised that if there is an evidenced need for more housing in our Parish, the NDP is able to allocate at least one site and this would support the positive planning principles as highlighted in the housing policies in the NPPF. Including an allocation in the NDP would give a three year land supply protection for a period of two years from the date the NDP is adopted and would help to protect the Parish from speculative development. SODC currently have a five year land supply and based on meeting various targets will be protected by a 3 year land supply under the Oxfordshire Growth Deal until March 2021.
The Steering Group reviewed the outputs from the community household survey, which indicated some appetite within the community for small scale development in Kidmore End and other villages.
According to information on housing development in the parish since 2011 (the start of the plan period), Kidmore End Village has only grown by one house compared to the other villages in the Parish which have had significantly more growth. Kidmore End under the latest version of the SODC Emerging Local Plan will be the only ‘smaller village in the NDP Area. Gallowstree Common is being reclassified to ‘Other’ Village designation and has seen growth of 13 houses. Tokers Green (Other Village) has seen growth of 6 dwellings. Cane End is being reclassified to unclassified (open countryside) and has seen growth of 13 houses. Chalkhouse Green has had no growth and remains unclassified (open countryside). Kidmore End village due to its limited growth may be vulnerable to speculative development even though it is in the AONB.
There has been an assessment of potential sites by Aecom within the Parish. and only one ‘green’ site has been identified. Any site that is to be considered for development also needs to be assessed by Oxfordshire highways and for Environmental/Landscape and Heritage issues for the next stage of assessment.
The Steering Group was asked about whether we want to vote on whether or not to allocate a small site in the NDP. At this stage the question is whether to include an allocation in principle, and not which site might be suitable for allocation
6 members recorded a Yes to the vote, 2 members decided to consider the options overnight. 5 members were absent.
Action:
Steering Group members to indicate to the Call for Sites sub group which way they would like to vote. Within 24 hours one Steering Group Member voted Yes and one No therefore the overall vote was 7 in favour of allocation and 1 not in favour. The decision has therefore been taken in principle to allocate a small site in the NDP based on the information available.
6. Policy update
The policy technical package has been awarded but as yet no conversations have taken place.
If the Steering Group decides to allocate one or more sites within the NDP, each site will need a specific site policy.
Action:
The Call for Sites and Policy sub groups to meet to discuss the detail around the Facilitation Report and the Call for SItes Assessment to provide input on policy (as an outcome of the Call for Sites process) in preparation for the initial meeting regarding the policy support package.
7. AOB
No AOB.
8. Date of next meeting
This is to be agreed once more information has been made available.