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The Chairman welcomed Councillor David Ritchie, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, to the Meeting and invited him to provide his portfolio update.
Councillor Ritchie started by acknowledging the support he received in his role from Councillor Cooper, Assistant Cabinet Member, the Head of Planning & Coastal Management and his team, and those within the team at Coastal Partnership East. Councillor Ritchie provided a presentation as a strategic overview of the work of the Planning and Coastal Management Service at East Suffolk Council. The purpose of the Council’s planning service being to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and the delivery of the spatial objectives of the Council’s Strategic Plan, including advising on Council-led developments. The presentation stated that sustainable development was about positive growth – making economic, environmental and social progress for this and future generations and especially considering the challenges of Climate Change. For the Coastal Management part of his portfolio, Councillor Ritchie said the Council acted as a Coast Protection Authority supporting coastal communities for a sustainable future. The presentation outlined the work of the Planning Policy and Delivery Team over the next year to 18 months, all supported by the Local Plan Working Group, as well as the work on Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans. Councillor Ricthie outlined the delivery focus of the Team:
- Housing Land Supply Assessment (5 year)
- Housing Action Plan – to accelerate deliver
- Maintaining self-build and brownfield land registers to support delivery and regeneration, providing opportunities and choice
- Preparation of development briefs and master plans for site allocations – To provide guidance to developers
- Actions from the Housing Enabling Strategy
- Affordable Housing – Supplementary Planning Document
- Major Sites applications through to permission and delivery on the ground
- Infrastructure
- Supporting regeneration projects
- Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) collection and spend allocation
The presentation continued to outline the strategic aims of Development Management to assist the provision of high quality development delivering the aims and objectives of the NPPF and Local Plan. Also, of resisting inappropriate development robustly, again to uphold the aims of the Local Plan. The enforcement of building control and a specialist function including Design and Conservation, Landscape and Ecology which provide advice on development proposals and for the Council on its own projects.
Lastly, Councillor Ritchie outlined the role and work of Coastal Partnership East:
- A team of 19 officers working across the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk
- 79km of the fasting eroding coast in Europe
- Management of 56km of sea defences and other structures to protect c300,000 homes at risk of flood and coastal erosion
In conclusion, Councillor Ritchie said he was proud of the truly excellent Officers working at all levels within the organisation.
The Chairman invited questions from the Committee.
The Vice Chairman thanked Councillor Ritchie for his presentation. He asked how Councillor Ritchie anticipated the planning service meeting the Council's objectives in respect of the climate emergency it had declared in July 2019. Councillor Ritchie replied that the planning service had well-developed strategic documents against which planning decisions were made, these included high environmental standards within government parameters, including energy efficient houses, both existing and new., but equally there was a wish not to inhibit the building of new homes by setting the standards beyond reach. Councillor Ritchie referred to work in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for the Environment in this regard and the ambition to encourage and persuade developers to employ environmental standards which were higher than the statutory required ones. Councillor Ritchie referred to the changes to the coastline as a result of climate change, rising sea levels, erosion etc. and the need to dynamically manage the hard defences, such as those at Lake Lothing, adaptations to the coastline, such as those at Kessingland and, where positive change was not possible, to work with and help the local community to relocate. The Vice Chairman asked about the pressure on the planning system; Councillor Ritchie referred to the national requirement for set numbers of houses to be built each year and how this created pressures on the planning process.
Another member of the Committee referred to coastal erosion as a result of scouring tides and asked how well protected Sizewell was in this regard. Councillor Ritchie replied that there were a number of issues associated with the project and this was one. He referred to the consultation process and the work being done by the Council's Energy Team to fully analyse the information which had been provided by EDF. A further member of the Committee asked where the funding for the coastal protection would come from. Councillor Ritchie said that, previously, the Environment Agency had funded some coastal projects 100% and some had not received any funding. Now, it did not fully fund a project unless it protected a significant number of houses. He continued to state that generally more funding was available, through grants, the Local Enterprise Partnership and from local businesses.
A further member of the Committee asked what impact the Covid-19 pandemic had had on the direction of planning because of a major lifestyle shift, changes to working practices, the increased importance on gardens and outdoor spaces etc. Councillor Ritchie said that quick adjustments had been necessary. He added that people had been driving less, walking and cycling more and this had had a positive impact on the environment; he added that it would be important to explore sustainable transport options and opportunities.
Another member of the Committee asked if the registers of self builds and brown fill land were available publically. Councillor Ritchie said he would provide an answer on this outside of the meeting.
The Chairman of the Committee asked if the planning referral system was creating the appropriate number of applications to come before the two main Planning Committees or if the criteria needed to be adjusted. He asked if short Planning Committees with one or two applications was good use of members time, if the principles of governance and 'justice' were being seen to be done by having the consideration of a full committee's decision. Councillor Ritchie replied that the Planning Committees should, of course, meet when necessary. He added that the statistics on this matter would be presented to the Strategic Planning Committee very shortly when it would consider the Referral Panel. Councillor Ritchie said that Town and Parish Councils could attend the Referral Panel meetings and added that, perhaps, additional training for Town and Parish Councils might help them better understand how to include material considerations in objections. In addition, Councillor Ritchie said more input by Ward Members on applications would aid the Referral Panel to decide if the matter needed to be decided by the Planning Committees.
In response to a question by a member of the Committee on the number of appeals annually and how these were reviewed by the Council, Councillor Ritchie said a report on the outcome of any appeals was presented to each meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee and this included a 'lessons learnt' section.
There being no further questions, the Chairman thanked Councillor Ritchie for his full and thorough update on his portfolio.