Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence.

2.

To consider the extent, if any, to which the public and press are to be excluded from the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no items on the agenda.

3.

Declarations of Interest, if any.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

4.

Minutes of the meeting held on the 23rd November 2022 pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd November 2022, be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Vice-Chair.

5.

Public Statements - [A period not exceeding 20 minutes for statements from up to 5 members of the public on matters within the Committees remit, proposing action(s) which may be considered or contribute towards the future development of the Committees Work Programme].

Minutes:

There were no public statements.

6.

Local Plan Update pdf icon PDF 970 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel received a presentation to accompany the report circulated with the agenda.  The main issues addressed included:

 

Nationally described space standards NDSS – It was explained that required standards were set out in technical planning guidance and officers had undertaken research taking into account the benefits and viability, to evidence and build minimum space standards for the Borough.  The Panel noted that they were optional, but the Local Authority could chose to add such policies within it’s Local Plan. 

 

It was noted that generally, properties built in the UK were smaller than other European countries.  The Panel acknowledged that when such policies were set by the Local Authority volume house builders then tended to provide plans within the NDSS policy standards.

 

The Panel was made aware that there had been some unintended consequences across the country from changes to permitted development such as office block conversions into flats, but not all the flats had windows and many such schemes were being built far below NDSS.  Therefore the Government had been alerted to the issue to ensure that such developments adhered to the correct standards.

 

Homes and Communities – a member questioned current obstacles presented in relating to the annual number of new homes required to be built, for example, due to the lack of trades and materials.  It was explained that during the pandemic a pragmatic approach was required, for example if there wasn’t a certain colour of bricks due to a shortage then a different colour would be chosen.  It was noted that once planning applications had been approved then the Local Planning Authority would not have much involvement with the actual build.  It was reported that some large house builders were starting to manufacture their own materials, including bricks. 

 

Planning appeal performance – it was noted that the number of planning appeals dismissed were in a positive position.  However, they were being monitored and if, for example, policies were found not to be working as intended and appeals upheld were increasing, then they could be addressed as part of the Local Plan review process, depending on its scope.

 

National Planning reforms – It was outlined the following could change within the national planning policy from spring 2023, but some of the reforms would not impact on the Local Authority as much as others in the foreseeable future due to the Local Plan already being recently put in place:

 

·         the controversial summer 2020 white Paper  Zoning Approach, which had attracted many comments and attention but no longer being taken through the proposals outlined;

·         the proposed changes to 5 year land supply - if the local plan was kept up to date then the local authority would not have to demonstrate a rolling 5 year land supply year on year.  Some of the detail around the standard methodology being a starting point for local plans to then determine what the housing requirement should actually be, was being moved from the National Planning Guidance into the National Planning Policy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Overview and Scrutiny Work Plan and Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions pdf icon PDF 155 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Senior Governance Officer presented the information and reminded the Panel that if they had any issues for the 2023/24 work plan, to email them to the Chair and Senior Governance Officers.

 

RESOLVED:  That the discussion, be noted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNED:                                            _______________________

 

 

DATED:                                             _______________________