Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided an update on the preparation of the Medway Local Plan, including a revision to the Local Development Scheme set out at Appendix A to the report. This document had been updated to reflect a revised timetable and programme for the preparation of the Local Plan owing to the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) bid process. It was noted that the Plan period needed to be extended beyond 2035 to ensure that the Plan looked forward at least fifteen years on adoption. It was proposed to project the Plan period to 2037, and housing requirements and evidence base work would be updated accordingly.

The report stated that the Planning Service had worked on a number of reports and evidence base documents to support the preparation of the Plan, and to inform the direction taken on the emerging development strategy and policies. This included the Chatham, Gillingham and Strood Town Centre Masterplans and Delivery Strategies, set out at Appendices B-D to the report within Supplementary Agenda No.1. It was proposed that these documents be published for consultation, so that comments could be considered in the content of the draft Plan. The outcomes of the consultation would be recorded and presented to the Cabinet with the supporting documents for the draft Local Plan, together with further advice on the status of the guidance for the town centres.

The report also presented the first Housing Delivery Test Action Plan, set out at Appendix E to the report. This was a new requirement from government in areas where housebuilding had not reached the identified levels of housing needed. The Council was required to publish this Action Plan by 18 August 2019.

The final strand of the report concerned neighbourhood planning activities in Medway, and specifically considered the proposal to designate a Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum at Chatham (Arches) for the purpose of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan. Information on the proposal, including the definition of the area to be covered by the neighbourhood plan and membership of the forum was set out at Appendix F to the report.

The consultation on the proposed Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum at Chatham (Arches) concluded on the 2 August 2019. With reference paragraphs 2.19 and 6.2 to the report, the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Growth and Regulation confirmed that no comments had been received and therefore proposed a revision to the recommendation set out at paragraph 9.1.4 to the report which requested the Cabinet to approve the designation.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been carried on the proposed Local Development Scheme and was attached as Appendix G to the report.