The Project Manager (Planning Policy) introduced the report which set out the changes to the timetable for the Local Plan Review consultations to address members’ requests, as part of the drafting for the Regulation 18 document of the Local Plan.

The Chair invited Members to make comments, which included:

·      Concerned that the Kent County Councillor elections in May 2025 could affect the timetable due to the pre-election period;

·      concerned that extra meetings would need to be scheduled and requested that officers look at the timetable of meetings to ensure the decisions could be made in time before purdah period commenced;

·      considered this the better option as it allowed the Council to spend more time on an important document;

·      the Swale Highway model, on page 55 of the report, needed to be considered in more detail;

·      the landscape character assessment, on page 56 of the report, needed to be looked at in more detail and requested that more information be circulated to Members;

·      the design of past developments had been awful at times so it was important to get the design code in the local plan accurate;

·      considered any further delays to the process would impact the Council’s already lacking a 5-year housing land supply; and

·      asked officers if it was possible to consult on the Design Code alongside the regulation 18 document.

The Planning Manager (Policy) responded explaining that the Design Code work was estimated to be approximately £140,000 and was very resource intensive, and for budgetary and resource reasons was programmed to follow the Local Plan work. She added that design coding was a very prescribed process and the policies within the current plan were robust and required officers to carry out the process of working on the design coding. With regard to the highways model work and landscaping models she added that the work was going to be carried out at a later stage and be bespoke to certain areas of the borough. 

The Vice-Chair proposed the following amendment: that the design code and landscape character work be brought forward as far as possible, alongside the Local Plan consultations. This was seconded by Councillor Mike Baldock. On being put to the vote it was agreed by Members.

The Chair invited Members to make further comments, which included:

·      What was the process for obtaining site proposals for future development?;

·      were housing agencies and charities asked if they had any vacant land suitable for development?; and

·      when already existing land allocation owners were being asked for possible suitable development, were officers asking if the owners would consider greater densification at the same time?

The Planning Manager (Policy) said that officers were having meetings about the site allocation questions and that one of the questions they would ask regarding the new and current allocations, was if they would consider greater densification.

Councillor Mike Baldock proposed the recommendations as set out in the report as amended. This was seconded by Councillor Richard Palmer.

Recommended:

(1)   That the amended revised timetable for Regulation 18 draft Plan consultation in quarter 2 of 2025 and a Regulation 19 pre-submission plan consultation in quarter 4 of 2025 be recommended to the Policy and Resources Committee.

(2)   That the Local Development Scheme shown at Appendix I of the report be recommended to the Policy and Resources Committee.

(3)   That the design code and landscape character work be brough forward as far as possible, alongside the Local Plan consultations.