Cabinet Members will answer questions from members on their Portfolios.
Minutes:
(i) Councillor J L Smith requested an update on the two building sites at Palmeston Park and Westexe.
Councillor Mrs C P Daw stated that she was very concerned about health and safety issues at Palmeston Park as well as drainage issues.
The Cabinet Member for Housing stated that he would provide an update during Members Business.
Note: Councillor Mrs C P Daw declared a personal interest as she was a resident at Palmeston Park.
(ii) Councillor Mrs N Woollatt stated that residents paying Council Tax had a legal right to pay over 12 months. She had observed that the instalment options were available on the website but many people were still not aware they could pay over this length of time. She asked whether this option could be more widely publicised?
The Cabinet Member for Finance stated that it could.
(iii) Councillor R Evans asked the following questions in relation to Junction 27 and the Local Plan:
a)
Given the inclusion of the allocation of land at J27
in the local plan, is it now possible for a developer to submit a
major planning application prior to an inspector ruling on the
soundness of the plan?
b) Would any such application put forward whilst the council is deemed not to have an up to date plan in place usurp the masterplanning process?
c)
If this is the case can this Council ensure that
this is considered and appropriate actions taken now to
ensure any major applications received whilst the plan is awaiting
inspection and comment are required to undergo the masterplanning exercise?
The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration responded to each question:
a) Yes, it is a decision for a land owner or promoter /developer whether to submit a planning application and when. This is irrespective of whether the development in question is allocated in a plan or not and irrespective of the timing of the Inspector’s decision on the plan.
b) At present there is no adopted site specific development plan policy for proposed development at J27. The policy in the Local Plan Review requiring a masterplanning exercise be carried out before the determination of any planning application is draft and subject to objection. It currently carries very little weight. Once the plan is submitted (anticipated end of March) there would then become an assumed policy framework, albeit one that hasn’t yet been tested by the inspector and in terms of this site is subject to objection. From this period on, the weight in planning terms strengthens as time goes on until such time as the plan is adopted, at which point it then becomes the explicit planning policy for Mid Devon.
Given the significance of the site, we would expect proposals to be consulted on before any application is received. Once the plan is adopted, the policy wording is fairly specific and tightly-worded to require a masterplan to be adopted as a supplementary planning document. This will require 2 stages of public consultation: the first on the scope and contents of the masterplan and the second on the draft masterplanning document itself. We are regarding consultation undertaken by the promoters to date and that currently being organised as pre-application consultationrather than going towards a formal masterplan supplementary planning document.
(c) Any application received will be considered by Planning Committee who will assess the merits of the scheme. The weight that can be given to the emerging draft policy including its masterplanning requirements will depend upon how far it is towards adoption. If the Council is minded to approve a planning application before plan adoption it would be referred to the Secretary of State as a departure and it is possible that it would be considered at the same time as the plan by the Inspector.
(iv) Councillor J M Downes asked why the top table had not answered the question about what was going to be done to restore the reputations of two councillors?
The Leader responded by stating that it was right and proper that there was a considered response. In the first instance he would discuss the matter with the Chief Executive, then the two councillors involved, after which the rest of the membership would be notified as well as the press.