Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Economy informing members of the outcome of the public consultation on the Design Guide, the amendments that have been made in response to comments received, and a request to adopt the Mid Devon Design Guide as a Supplementary Planning Document.

The Cabinet had before it a *  report of the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Economy informing members of the outcome of the public consultation on the Design Guide, the amendments that have been made in response to comments received, and a request to adopt the Mid Devon Design Guide as a Supplementary Planning Document.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the contents of the report stating that the purpose of the report was to inform members of the outcomes of the public consultation on the Design Guide, the amendments that had been made in response to the comments received, and to adopt the Mid Devon Design Guide as a Supplementary Planning Document.

The Mid Devon Design Guide had been prepared to provide detailed guidance on urban, village and rural design issues in Mid Devon. It would assist in raising design awareness and standards throughout the planning process and would be a material consideration for planning decision-making purposes.

From the outset, the overarching aim of the design guide was to better equip all parties in the planning process to identify contextual factors that influence design response and to enable them to prepare a coherent and evidenced response to those. Regular and meaningful engagement with stakeholders was therefore essential in shaping the guide.

He outlined the content of the design guide and the pocket guide that had been included which enabled Local Authority Officers, Members and applicants easy ‘table-top’ use of the Design Guide during design discussions.

In addition to the aforementioned stakeholder engagement exercises, the Design Guide was subject to an 8-week public consultation between 11 May and 6 Jul 2020. A total of 36 responses and 1 late representation was received. A summary of the main comments received; along with a response explaining how these had been addressed in the SPD.

Consideration was given to:

·         Much of the work with regard to the design guide had commenced prior to the Climate Change Declaration, although there were various considerations within the document

·         Standards for development and planning policy would be addressed within a Local Plan review

RESOLVED that: The Mid Devon Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (comprising Appendices 1-5 to this report), the Strategic Environmental Assessment Screening Report (Appendix 6) and the Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Report (Appendix 7) be approved for adoption.

(Proposed by Cllr R J Chesterton and seconded by Cllr R B Evans)

Reason for decision – the adoption of the Mid Devon Design Guide will help raise design standards in development proposals that are submitted to the Council for determination and will help guide planning decisions made on these.  The status as a Supplementary Planning Document gives greater weight to the document as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.