Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Head of Planning Economy and Regeneration requesting the Cabinet to note the outcomes of the recent stage 1 public consultation on two documents: 1) a Vision & Concept for the Culm Garden Village; and 2) an East Cullompton Masterplan SPD Issues, Opportunities & Concepts in respect of Phase 1 of the Culm Garden Village.

The Cabinet had before it a report* of the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration requesting the Cabinet to note the outcomes of the recent stage 1 public consultation on two documents: 1) a Vision & Concept for the Culm Garden Village; and 2) an East Cullompton Masterplan SPD Issues, Opportunities & Concepts in respect of Phase 1 of the Culm Garden Village.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration outlined the contents of the report stating that a public consultation process had taken place on the two documents identified above; he outlined the timing of the public consultation, the number of events that had taken place and the number of people who had attended the events.  A total of 423 responses had been received, 314 for the vision document and 109 for the Masterplan SPD as well as responses from the statutory and other consultees listed in the report.  The report before members summarised the consultation responses and the key themes arising from the consultation.

The Area Planning Officer responded to questions posed in public question time: with regard to concerns about the number of responses, these were not based on the number of people responding but on the number of responses, therefore each suggestion was noted not just one per person.  Further work would take place on the consultation responses and a further report would be put before the Cabinet as the scheme progressed.  With regard to the responses being published, these would be published on the website in the near future.

Consideration was given to:

·         The work that had gone into the report

·         How the  comments had been recorded

·         The need to link the Garden Village with Cullompton and Willand via cycleways

·         The railway station project

·         The provision of sports pitches and the need for a sports pitch policy/strategy and engagement with the cricket and football clubs in Cullompton

·         The need for sufficient and practical parking within the scheme

·         The idea of using underground waste systems within the project

·         The contribution requested by the NHS and how that would be considered

·         The location of a new school for the development

·         The need for a walkway/cycle route over the M5, the railway line and the river to link new Cullompton to the old Cullompton.

RESOLVED that the report be NOTED.

(Proposed by Cllr D J Knowles and seconded by Cllr Mrs N Woollatt)

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