Decision - City Plan, Part 1 - Document for Consultation

266.1    The Chair introduced the report which sought approval of the draft City Plan Part 1, which was part of Brighton & Hove’s Local Development Framework.  He noted that there had been changes to the housing targets hence the need for the report, and that it gave an opportunity to identify aspects that could be taken forward e.g. One Planet Living.  The city was in the middle of a housing crisis and there was a need to be able to build more new homes and review options for park & ride with smaller sites.

266.2    Councillor Mitchell stated that this was at an early stage and she was broadly in agreement with the proposals and a more flexible approach.  She noted that there were questions in regard to plans for Toads Hole Valley and whether park & ride would be available.  She also noted that whilst housing targets were being increased there appeared to be no plans for school sites or health facilities.  She stated that there was a need for two new secondary schools and sixth form provision and she hoped that there would be a formal consultation process on any plans.

266.3    Councillor G. Theobald stated that he had always argued for option A and that the higher figures for housing provision were not viable.  He also felt that the potential of Shoreham Harbour should be investigated and maximised.  He was concerned about any development proposals for Toads Hole Valley and the provision of schools and suggested that future developments would result in a need for a park & ride option to serve the city.

266.4    The Chair noted the comments and stated that they would be taken on board as matters progressed.  He noted that the National Planning Policy required the council to meet the needs in full and that the Planning Inspector would determine whether this was the case.  The draft plan reflected the aims of the council to provide a strong and prosperous city.  He stated that Toads Hole Valley was a private open space and the owners were willing to work with the council and therefore it was appropriate to consider any development opportunities.  He also believed that the higher figure of 11,300 homes was achievable and could be justified to the Inspector.  In regard to park & ride he suggested that the opposition groups should identify potential sites and how they could be funded, in the meantime the proposals put forward were realistic and pragmatic.  He noted that there would be an eight-week consultation period from the 28^th May to the 20^th July and that a final version of the Plan brought to the Council in December.  He then put the recommendations to the vote.

266.5    RESOLVED:

(1)         That the nature of representations made to the City Plan Policy Options Paper undertaken October - December 2011and the officer responses to address these representations (summarised in Appendix 2 with a full schedule attached to the Statement of Consultation placed in the Members’ Rooms) be noted;

(2)         That the recommendation to publish the Draft City Plan Part 1 and supporting annexes (the Implementation and Monitoring Plan, Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Housing Implementation Strategy), the Sustainability Appraisal, the Schedule of  Proposal Map Changes, Supporting Evidence Document and Statement of Consultation for an eight week period of stakeholder and public consultation between 28 May and 20 July 2012, subject to any minor grammatical or editorial alterations that may be made by the Strategic Director, Place be approved; and

(3)         That the following studies:  Affordable Housing Viability Study Update (April 2012),Housing Requirements Study – Supplementary Papers (Brighton & Hove)(March 2012),Viability Testing – Strategic Sites (2011),  Appropriate Assessment and Sequential and Exceptions Test (2012) as supporting evidence for the City Plan and further Local Development Documents be approved.