Apologies were received from Councillors Travis Hesketh, Paul Rickett and Sid Dennis.    

It was noted that, in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, notice had been given that Councillor Neil Jones had been appointed to the Committee in place of Councillor Alex Hall and Councillor David Hall had been appointed to the Committee in place of Councillor Graham Cullen for this Meeting only.

At this point in the Meeting, Members were invited to declare any relevant interests.  None were received.   

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 01 February 2024.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 1^st February 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

Actions from the previous Meeting(s).

The actions were noted as complete or in hand.

Action No. 38 from the Meeting held on 1 February 2024.

The Planning Policy and Research Service Manager informed Members that instructions had been made to Legal Services Lincolnshire to secure legal advice as to the status of emerging evidence relating to settlement scoring and the settlement pattern and a response was expected in due course.

A Member queried if the legal advice expected had any weight on current applications.  In response, the Planning Policy and Research Service Manager confirmed this was correct.

No further questions were received.

To receive a report from the Planning Policy and Research Service Manager.

The Chairman welcomed Simon Milson, Planning Policy and Research Service Manager and the Development Management Lead, Andrew Booth to provide Members with an update on Energy Infrastructure Provision.

The Planning Policy and Research Service Manager presented Members with a report on Energy Infrastructure Provision which highlighted the policy context and the potential for all wards to be affected, pages 27 to 40 of the Agenda refer.

The key considerations related to the current national and local planning policy context were highlighted as follows:

• Nationally Strategic Infrastructure Projects (NSIP)
• The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
• The East Lindsey Local Plan (2018)
• Strategic Policy 27 – Renewable and Low Carbon Energy (SP27)
• Strategic Policy 28 – Infrastructure and S106 Obligations (SP28)

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member requested clarification whether the Local Plan required any changes and met with current requirements.  In response, the Planning Policy and Research Service Manager advised that it had been agreed at previous meetings to review all policies to varying degrees and the Local Plan was still currently aligned with what the NPPF was trying to achieve in relation to renewable energy.

• Referencing that the NPPF suggested that Local Planning Authorities could identify areas where they would prefer renewable energy to be located, a Member highlighted the issues with renewable energy projects continuing to consume extensive areas of land.  It was further queried if the Council needed to be more prepared to identify areas to constrain future developments.  

In response, the Planning Policy and Research Service Manager advised that it was within the Council’s remit to review and identify the suitability of areas for power generation through the review of the Local Plan.  It was further advised that the Wolds as an Area of Outstanding National Beauty and the areas of flood risk were two constraints that existed in East Lindsey.

• A Member commented that it was important to emphasise that electricity cables were provided underground rather than overhead. 

• A Member commented that the issue of flooding was a significant consideration and that a balance was needed between energy security and food security.

• Referencing examples of large-scale renewable energy projects in other areas of the country, the Chairman recognised that large areas of land were being taken out of food production through renewable energy land uses.  The Chairman sought assurances on the impacts on the landscape and the protection which policy could provide for the proposals for powerlines installed along the east side of Lincolnshire.  It was further queried if there was a view on the long-term potential for other uses of the land following the end of the project’s lifespan and whether the land transitioned to brownfield status.   

The Planning Policy and Research Service Manager advised that a ministerial statement had stated that the lowest quality of land was preferable for renewable energy in order to preserve the most important agricultural land and that as the majority of land in East Lindsey was higher graded this limited the selection of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

The date of the next Meeting was confirmed as Thursday 25 April 2024 commencing at 6.00pm.