Agenda item

To inform Council of the receipt of the Inspector’s Report into the Examination of the West Berkshire District Council Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (HSA DPD); and to consider the adoption of the HSA DPD as attached in Appendix A.

(Councillor Alan Macro declared a personal interest in Agenda item 15 by virtue of the fact that he lived opposite one of the sites (THE009) identified as a housing site in the DPD. As his interest was personal and not a prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest he determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter).

(Councillor Quentin Webb declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Agenda item 15 by virtue of the fact that he owned a home in Hermitage Green and there was a proposal to change a settlement boundary that would affect his property. As his interest was a disclosable pecuniary interest he determined to leave the meeting, stood down as Chairman for this item and took no part in the debate or voting on the matter).

(Councillor Sheila Ellison declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Agenda item 15 by virtue of the fact that she owned land within one of the proposed changes to a settlement boundary. As her interest was a disclosable pecuniary interest she determined to leave the meeting, and took no part in the debate or voting on the matter).

(Councillor Carol Jackson-Doerge declared a personal interest in Agenda item 15 by virtue of the fact that she lived within the parish of Burghfield which was referenced in the report. As her interest was personal and not a disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interest she determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter).

(Councillor Jeanette Clifford declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 15 by virtue of the fact that lived near to a site referenced in the report and she had been lobbied in respect of this site. As her interest was personal and not a disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interest she determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter).

(Councillors Quentin Webb and Sheila Ellison left the meeting at 8.08pm and returned at 8.17pm)

Councillor Carol Jackson-Doerge in the Chair.

The Council considered a report (Agenda Item 15) which informed Members of the receipt of the Inspector’s Report into the Examination of the West Berkshire District Council Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (HSA DPD). Members were also asked to adopt the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document which was attached as Appendix A to the report.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Hilary Cole and seconded by Councillor Alan Law:

That the Council resolves to:

“(1)      Adopt the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document as attached in Appendix A in accordance with Section 23 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended).

(2)       Delegate authority to the Head of Development and Planning to agree any minor typographical and formatting refinements to the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document before publication”.

Councillor Hilary Cole in introducing the report stated that the work on this document had started in September 2013 when the call for sites had been issued and the process was now finally coming to an end. The Planning Inspector’s report concluded that all legal and regulatory requirements had been met and that the document provided an appropriate basis for the planning of the area providing that a number of modifications were made to the plan. These were summarised in paragraphs 6.3 of the summary report.

The Portfolio Holder thanked all the Officers that had been involved in the process and she also paid tribute to the former Portfolio Holders Councillors Keith Chopping and Alan Law and thanked them for their significant contributions.  The HSA DPD had been subjected to a tortuous process, heated debate and extensive consultation and its adoption would mean that the Council would remain a plan led authority.

Councillor Alan Law commented that he was pleased to have the opportunity to second the report. In his opinion the long journey associated with this process had started in 2005. The production of the document had been a convoluted process and its production had not been assisted by the lack of stability at Central Government level. The goal posts had been moved on several occasions. He stated that the Council wanted to retain control over its planning destiny and this paper would achieve that. He thanked all those involved in its production, especially Officers, for their hard work and commended their stamina.

Councillor Emma Webster explained that this report had historically caused her great trouble and in fact at the November 2015 meeting she had spoken against the proposals. However she was pleased that Members and residents had had the opportunity to fully engage in the process and the Inspector at the Public Enquiry had devoted a full day to the Eastern Urban Area. Their comments had therefore been taken on board and they were respectful of the process even if they did not welcome the outcome. Councillor Webster acknowledged that it was important for the Council to have a plan and she would therefore be supporting this report.

Councillor Alan Macro too supported the need for stability around planning. The initial Core Strategy process had started under the Labour Government and when they changed their minds about the strategy the Council was set back two or three years in its development. The Liberal Democrat Group had raised objections to a number of sites within the HSA DPD. They were also concerned that some of the sites in the document would be brought forward and would be developed sooner than had originally been anticipated. They were especially concerned about the site on Lower Way in Thatcham and the Theale site. Both Theale and Thatcham had originally been given time to stabilise in terms of infrastructure.

Councillor Macro acknowledged that if the plan was not adopted it would be difficult to defend the Council’s five year land supply and many other sites could be at risk of planning by appeal. His Group would therefore not be opposing the adoption of the HSA DPD.

Councillor Hilary Cole thanked Members for their support. Councillor Macro clarified that the Liberal Democrat Group would not be supporting the proposal they would however not be opposing it.

The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 4.17.3 it was requisitioned that the voting on the Motion be recorded. The names of those Members voting for, against and abstaining were recorded as follows:

FOR the Motion:

Councillors Peter Argyle, Howard Bairstow, Pamela Bale, Jeremy Bartlett, Jeff Beck, Dennis Benneyworth, Dominic Boeck, Graham Bridgman, Paul Bryant, Anthony Chadley, Virginia von Celsing, Keith Chopping, Jeanette Clifford, Hilary Cole, James Cole, Richard Crumly, Lynne Doherty, Adrian Edwards,  Marcus Franks, James Fredrickson, Clive Hooker, Carol Jackson-Doerge, Marigold Jaques, Mike Johnson, Graham Jones, Rick Jones, Alan Law, Gordon Lundie, Ian Morrin,  Graham Pask, Anthony Pick,  James Podger, Garth Simpson, Richard Somner, Anthony Stansfeld,   Emma Webster, Laszlo Zverko

ABSTAINED:

Councillors: Tony Linden, Billy Drummond, Mollie Lock and Alan Macro

(Councillors Sheila Ellison and Quentin Webb did not vote on this item)