Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the proposed Interim Medway Housing Design Standards, which aimed to provide guidance to developers, landowners and their advisors on the layout and space standards expected in the design of new housing and the conversion of existing properties. It was noted that compliance would be a consideration when assessing planning applications and would apply to all planning applications for dwellings. A copy of the interim standards was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

The interim standards had been the subject of an extensive consultation process between November and December 2010 and also discussed at the Medway Major Developers forum in June 2011. The report gave details and analyzed the issues raised during the consultation process, which related to issues of principle, implementation and detail.

It was noted that the Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered this report on 4 October 2011 as part of the public consultation process. The report set out details of their comments and concerns as they related to the flexibility in applying the interim standards. The Committee had agreed to recommend the planning guidance to Cabinet for approval suggesting the removal of the option for flexibility to be negotiated with developers. It was noted that since the Overview and Scrutiny Committee minor revisions had been made to the document to emphasise that the flexibility built into the interim standards could only be applied within strictly defined parameters.

It was noted that a Diversity Impact Assessment screening form had been completed and was attached as Appendix 2 to the report. This showed that people with physical disabilities and the elderly were key groups that stood to benefit from interim standards and the resultant flexible and adaptable housing. The benefits were universal and no one group would have greater access to the benefits of these policies than others.

Reasons:

The Interim Medway Housing Design Standards, which had been the subject of an extensive consultation process, would provide planning guidance to developers, landowners and their advisors on the layout and space standards that would be expected in the design of new housing and in the conversion of existing properties.