To consider adoption of the updated Local Development Scheme for the Local Plan.

A report was presented to enable consideration of the adoption by Council of the updated Local Development Scheme (LDS) for the Local Plan.

The Council was required to produce an updated Local Development Scheme at appropriate times. The Local Development Scheme set out various things, including what documents formed the Development Plan, details of any Neighbourhood Plans, and a timeline of key stages.  As the review was now gathering pace this report introduced the updated East Lindsey Local Development Scheme.  The updated LDS would also contain the list of the policies to be reviewed and an updated timeline for the review.

In introducing the report, Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning made reference to the legislation that required the Council to update the LDS as appropriate. Members were informed that the current LDS was out-of-date and needed replacing with the amended version to ensure the Local Plan review process could continue smoothly. 

The recommendations were duly proposed and seconded.

• During debate reference was made to Appendix A, Table of policies to be reviewed, page 279 of the Agenda refers.  Councillor Tony Howard asked it be noted that he was frustrated to see that no significant changes were to be made to Policy SP12 ‘Gypsies, Travellers and Showpeople.’ Councillor Howard advised Members that a report was presented to Planning Policy Committee on Gypsy/Traveller Needs Assessment (GTNA) (Minute No. 22 from the Meeting held on 10 November 2022 refers) which based on surveys, had identified that there was no need for gypsy and traveller households in East Lindsey that met the Planning Definition, however strongly disagreed with this.  It was acknowledged that the process of reviewing the Local Plan was a massive exercise undertaken over a long period of time but stressed that changes needed to be made now for the long-term.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Planning advised Members that an extensive debate on this item was had by Committee Members.  The GTNA was undertaken by independent consultants and they had concluded that there was no need to allocate additional sites and was reassured that the evidence base was sound.

• Councillor Makinson-Sanders stated that during the work of the caravan scrutiny panel, there was dissatisfaction shown by panel members that many villages had been taken over by caravan sites and this was damaging the quality of life of local residents.  It was further highlighted that the Assistant Director, Planning and Infrastructure had advised that the district plan would not be looked at for a number of years, therefore the panel members considered that this was something that should be looked at without delay.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Planning advised Members that although the process was slow, he was pleased that the review including the monitoring and refreshing background evidence of the adopted policies had started early.  Furthermore, he was happy to pick up the comments made in relation to SP15 and SP19 highlighted by Councillor Makinson-Sanders and looked forward to seeing the caravan scrutiny panel’s recommendations to see what could be taken forward for the future.

As a point of clarification, Councillor Phyll Smith highlighted that during the extensive debate at Planning Policy Committee over the evidence in the GTNA, he was unsure whether the action to go back to the external consultants to query the methodology behind the survey work had been completed.  The Portfolio Holder for Planning responded that he was happy to have a conversation with Councillor Smith outside of the meeting.

RESOLVED

1.   That the Local Development Scheme be adopted as part of the Local Plan by the Council as the Local Planning Authority;

2.   That delegation be granted by the Council as Local Planning Authority to the Planning Policy and Research Service Manager in consultation with the Assistant Director – Planning and Chairman of Planning Policy Committee, the ability to make adjustments to the LDS timeline as necessary to reflect the programme of work, with any significant amendments being reported to the Planning Policy Committee/Council for noting.