Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning updating Members regarding progress on the JCS after the Council meetings held in October 2016 and seeking approval of the amended proposed Main Modifications to the June 2014 Pre-Submission JCS for the purposes of undertaking formal public consultation into Post Submission Proposed Main Modifications to the JCS.

58.1    Council considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning which sought approval of proposed main modifications to the June 2014 Pre-Submission Joint Core Strategy (JCS) for the purpose of undertaking formal public consultation into Post Submission Proposed Main Modifications to the JCS.

58.2    Councillor Organ moved the recommendations set out in the report and advised that there had been an error on Page 182 of the report; PMM0134 should refer to Appendix 1A and PMM0135 should refer to Appendix 2.

58.3    Councillor James seconded the motion.

58.4    Councillor Morgan referred to paragraph 4.13 of the report and noted the concerns of Members representing wards to the south of the City and in order to avoid the mistakes of the past consideration should be given to the impact of such developments upon infrastructure. He referred to paragraph 2 on page 129 of the table of modifications and asked if there could be a definition of the term ‘severe’. He further requested that reference be made to the ‘Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board’ at Main Modification PMM0084 as a body that also works with Gloucester City Council, Gloucestershire County Council and landowners to secure improved flood defences around lower Westgate in Gloucester.

58.5    Councillor Haigh welcomed the affordable housing element in the JCS and would await the forthcoming Housing Bill and she hoped that the point would be made to the Minister that if local authorities were able to borrow they could deliver housing ‘at pace’.

58.6    Councillor Stephens believed that some problems in the past were due to the lack of an up to date plan. He called on Members to approve the proposed main modifications to enable progress to be made with the City Plan. He believed that the allocation of employment land had been predicated on the decline of manufacturing in the County. He suggested that the Local Enterprise Board be lobbied and that a comprehensive strategy for the future of manufacturing be ensured.

58.7    Councillor James thanked the political groups for their support and noted that all points would be tested in the JCS process. He noted that the City would be vulnerable to developers if no plan was in place and he shared concerns over development south of the City boundaries. He shared the view that there was a place for manufacturing especially high value manufacturing.

58.8    Councillor Organ noted the comments on the impact on infrastructure of developments south of the City boundaries and noted the intention to keep a green buffer between the City and Stroud. He thought that ‘severe’ in a planning context was a matter of interpretation but could be taken up with officers. However, he was happy to include reference to the Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board in PMM0084. He noted that a White Paper would be published on 7^th February which was expected to address affordable housing issues. He noted the importance of all local authorities working together especially with Stroud and the Forest of Dean District Councils.

58.9    RESOLVED TO:

1.    Approve for public consultation the proposed main modifications to the June 2014 Pre-Submission Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy as set out in Appendix 1 to the report (including proposed modifications to the Proposals Map and Key Diagram) as those it endorses and considers necessary to make the JCS sound.

2.    Delegate authority to the Managing Director of Gloucester City Council in consultation with the Leader of Gloucester City Council to make minor changes to the proposed main modifications and proposed modifications to the Proposals Map and Key Diagram in terms of formatting, presentation and accuracy.