Agenda item

Exempt from call in decision - Local Covid Support Grant Funding Allocation

To consider the recommendations

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report and presentation submitted jointly by Elizabeth Dryden-Stuart and Councillor Hannah Roberts, Cabinet Member for Housing, providing an update on the Places for Everyone Publication Plan 2021: A Joint Development Plan Document for 9 Greater Manchester Local Authorities (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), in advance of consideration at a meeting of the Cabinet scheduled on 26th July 2021 and Full Council on 28th July 2021 to consider the joint development plan document for approval, publication and submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

 

The following in relation to Places for Everyone was outlined to the Committee within the presentation and report:

 

·         What it is and the legal obligation on Greater Manchester Mayor

·         Places for Everyone and the Local Plan

·         Process to date

·         Content and struct of Places for Everyone

·         Key messages for Oldham, benefits, and risks

·         Timetable for next steps

·         How to comment

·         Local Plan Issues and Options consultation

·         Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement  Updates

 

A copy of the plan was attached to the report at Appendix 1. 

 

The Committee was advised that upon approval of the publication draft of the plan by the nine local authorities, consultation on the Places for Everyone Publication Plan 2021 would commence not earlier than the 9th August for a period of eight weeks.

 

When it has been adopted, Places for Everyone would become part of the development plan for Oldham.  It would replace parts of Oldham’s Core Strategy and change the Proposals Map.  A list of Core Strategy policies that would be replaced by Places for Everyone was detailed in the report.

 

The Committee was requested to recommend approval of the Places for Everyone Publication Plan 2021 to Cabinet and Full Council.

 

A discussion took place in which the following issues and responses were made:

 

·    If it is later considered that we don’t need that much land or we need more, is there room for flexibility?  The Committee was advised that monitoring had been built into the process and that if necessary or required, changes would be made implemented via this process.

 

·    What if things become out of sync, or if someone does not have a plan?  The Committee was advised that there was a timetable and in Oldham we are “twin tracking” and that the Local Plan would be required to conform with this.

 

·    What happens if the 9 Districts to do not approve?  The Committee was advised that if there was not full agreement, the consultation process would not be carried out.

 

·    Infrastructure, can we deliver?  The Committee was advised that alongside Places for Everyone, was the Local Implementation Plan which set out how we deliver.  The Masterplan for each allocation includes requirements to ensure education and health provision.

 

·    Contributions from developers, what confidence do we have? The Committee was advised that there is an obligation in the Local Plan to ensure infrastructure and delivery of that infrastructure.

 

·    How do we achieve what we want to achieve? Mayoral Enterprise Zone – At what point are we tied into process?  The Committee was advised that that communications were taking place with the Mayor’s office to understand what the Mayoral Enterprise Zone can do to provide a more simplified planning framework and  financial, rates and tax incentives. The Skills Plan in Oldham was also referred to as an example how efforts were being made to improve digital connectivity. The Committee was also advised that work was taking place to provide a joint statement to ensure the MEZ delivers what  Oldham needs and that this would be included in the Local Plan.  The Committee was also advised that legal advice was that substantial changes from the Publication Draft of the GMSF could not be made to the Places for Everyone to be able to pick up from where we got to last year.

 

·     Protection of land, have substantial changes been made to deliver that? The Committee was advised that the Brownfield Strategy could identify that this is what we are doing, and that green belt land had been substantially reduced. The Committee was also advised that any changes to the plan would be required to be evidence based by officers or members of the public.  A thorough process had taken place and it was felt that we would struggle to provide evidence to enable changes in the plan. Places for Everyone will deliver protection for Greenbelt land sooner than our Local Plan as we will be able to use a Greater Manchester land supply to meet the Government’s Local Housing Need target.

 

·     What funding is available to support Brownfield development for industrial or commercial use?  The Committee was advised that currently, this question was not able to be answered and that further information was being sought.

 

·   Planning applications, would they need to be supported?  The Committee was advised that the Planning Inspectorate would pick up on these issues and that members of the public would have an opportunity to be represented.  It was explained that both developers and members of the public/greenbelt groups can be represented at the Enquiry and that our officers would also attend to support the proposals in Places for Everyone

 

 

·     Will we be in a position for 7000 to be built?  Will mix and matching take place to enable to achieve this target?  Is there any scope within the strategy?  The Committee was advised that work was taking place to try to ensure viable schemes but that the whole process could not be controlled.  The more active the Council is in bringing sites forward, the better we are able to deliver Brownfield sites first. Where developers show interest in Brownfield sites, there was funding available, and this was demonstrated in the Action Plan.

 

·     Mill Strategy?  The Committee was advised that 800 homes had been identified through the strategy but there is a balance to be struck between employment and housing use of many of the mills.

 

RESOLVED – That the Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend to Cabinet and Full Council approval of the following:

 

1.   Approval of the Places for Everyone: Publication Plan 2021, including strategic site allocations and Green Belt boundary amendments, and reference to the potential use of compulsory purchase powers to assist with site assembly and the supporting background documents, for publication pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for an 8-week period for representations to begin not earlier than 9th August; and

 

2.    Delegate authority to the Oldham Council Cabinet Member for Housing in consultation with the Executive Director to approve the relevant Statement of Common Grounds (s) required pursuant to the National Planning Policy Framework 2019; and

 

3.    Approve submission of the Places for Everyone Publication Plan 2021 t the Secretary of State for examination following the period for representations.

 

 

Supporting documents: