1 Northampton Borough Council Overview And
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NORTHAMPTON BOROUGH COUNCIL OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 1 PARTNERSHIPS, REGENERATION, COMMUNTIY ENGAGEMENT & SAFETY 12 TH AUGUST 2009 PRESENT: Councillor Andrew Simpson (Chair); Councillors John Caswell, Tony Clarke, Mel de Cruz; Brian Markham, David Palethorpe, Kevin Reeve, Pam Varnsverry and Keith Davies (substituting for Councillor Ifty Choudary) OFFICERS Sue Bridge Head of Planning Paul Lewin Planning and Conservation Manager Tracy Tiff Scrutiny Officer WITNESS Claire Berry Team Leader, Joint Planning Unit AJ Gray Community Engagement Officer, Planning Policy OBSERVING Councillor Tony Woods Leader of the Council Councillor Brian Hoare Deputy Leader of the Council Councillor Scott Collins MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC Nicky Sarti, Peter Jones, Patricia Ann Jones, Lalit Patel, Sarah Arrowsmith, Christopher Davidge, Roger Kinston, Bob Purser, Brian Convery, Andy Clarke, and two other individuals PRESS Willy Gilder BBC 1 APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ifty Choudary (Vice Chair) and Sadik Chaudhury. 2 DEPUTATIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESSES Roger Kingston, (Northants Residents’ Association), Bob Convery, Christopher Davidge, Councillor Scott Collins, Councillor Brian Hoare and Councillor Andrew Simpson addressed the Committee on agenda item 4 – Consultation – Emergent Joint Core Strategy. 1 Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 - Partnerships, Regeneration, Community Safety and Engagement Minutes - Wednesday, 12 August 2009 At this point the Chair reminded the meeting of the purpose of the three additional meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1, which is to recommend to full Council, Northampton Borough Council’s formal response to the consultation on the Emergent Joint Core Strategy. He would present the Committee’s report to full Council at its meeting on 8 th September 2009. It was clarified that Overview and Scrutiny collates evidence, which in turn help to formulate recommendations. The Chair emphasised that there was not enough time for the Committee to undertake a full, comprehensive piece of Scrutiny work. The previous meeting had looked at the consultation process and the vision s/options. Witnesses from the Joint Planning Unit were present at this meeting therefore the consultation process would be revisited. There were two further key issues for the Committee to consider at this meeting and the final meeting scheduled for 18 th August 2009: - 1 Impact on Northampton 2 Delivery of Infrastructure Two witnesses had been asked to attend this meeting – Claire Berry, Team Leader, Joint Planning Unit (JPU) and AJ Gray, Community Engagement Officer, Planning Policy. The Chair advised that whilst he addressed the Committee, Councillors should elect a Chair during this period. In the absence of Councillor Ifty Choudary (Vice Chair), it was proposed and agreed by the Committee that: Councillor Keith Davies chair the meeting for the period of time that Councillor Simpson addressed the Committee on agenda item 4 – Consultation – Emergent Core Joint Strategy. 4 CONSULTATION – EMERGENT CORE JOINT STRATEGY Mr Roger Kingston, representing Northants Residents’ Alliance, addressed the Committee. He opened his address by referring to the consultation process for the Emergent Joint Core Strategy. He advised that the questionnaire that contained 56 questions took a very long time to complete asking the respondent to give reasons for their answers. He went on to refer to the exhibitions being held by the Joint Planning Unit (JPU) commenting that some were held during working hours and during school holidays. Mr Kingston added that he had emailed the JPU and had not received a response, he then made a telephone enquiry to which he was promised a call back but has not as yet received one. In his view this was unwillingness to engage. The Committee put questions to Mr Kingston and heard: • Mr Kingston commented that many people seemed unaware of the consultation process being hosted by the JPU. In his opinion there should have been more press coverage Mr Kingston was thanked for his address. Mr Brian Convery addressed the Committee commenting that the Leader of the Council had said that `no’ was not an option to the proposal for an 2 Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 - Partnerships, Regeneration, Community Safety and Engagement Minutes - Wednesday, 12 August 2009 additional 62,000 homes, Mr Convery felt that this should not be a considered option until the town’s infrastructure was sorted. He went on to refer to the difficulties in shopping in the town, such as congested roads and lack of car parking spaces. The motorways were already congested in the rush hour traffic. Mr Convery concluded his address by conveying his concern regarding proposals to build on Greenfield sites when many Brownfield sites were available. He suggested that some unemployed people could be trained to take down developments on Brownfield sites that had not been completed and the materials recycled. Funds from this project could be put into the local infrastructure. In response to a query about car parking in the town, Mr Convery confirmed that car parking facilities should be sufficient for the town and he is disappointed by their inadequacies and the congestion of the town’s roads. Mr Convery was thanked for his address. Mr Christopher Davidge addressed the Committee advising that he was a Trustee of Little Houghton Estate. In his opinion the authors of the Emergent Joint Core Strategy appeared to have little knowledge of the area discussed. The document contained lots of jargon and contradictory statements – for example one objective is to conserve the countryside but there is a proposal to build 18,000 houses on such land. He went on to refer to the inadequacies of the town’s flood defences. Regarding the consultation process, Mr Davidge endorsed the comments made by Mr Kingston. Mr Davidge concluded his address by appealing to Northampton Borough Council and the other Local Authorities to reject this document. The Committee put questions to Mr Davidge and heard: - Little Houghton does not consider itself to be part of West Northamptonshire Little Houghton is a village with 36 listed buildings out of a total of 174 There is a proposal to build further houses at Little Houghton which would make it very over crowded Mr Davidge was thanked for his address. Councillor Scott Collins addressed the Committee conveying his concerns about the consultation period being held over the summer holiday period. This document details possibly the biggest change for Northamptonshire for several generation regarding the nature and outlook of the entire county. He was further concerned regarding the proposed number of developments on Greenfield sites. In referring to the JPU’s consultation questionnaire, Councillor Collins advised that in his opinion it contained leading questions with complicated language and should have been written in plain English. In response to a query whether Councillor Collins felt he lived in West Northamptonshire, he replied no, it had no identity. 3 Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 - Partnerships, Regeneration, Community Safety and Engagement Minutes - Wednesday, 12 August 2009 Councillor Collins was thanked for his address. Councillor Brian Hoare addressed the Committee advising on the need for a Policy document guiding planning in this area. The Local Plan 1997 is the current document in existence. In January 2003, this Council issued information regarding population figures. In 2005 The Government Officer for East Midlands approved the Policy – RS8 that dictates the amount of development in this area. The Emergent Joint Core Strategy contains Policy documents, and Councillor Hoare stressed the importance of such documents. He went on to refer to a refused planning application that had gone to a Public Inquiry, which had involved the building of warehouses. In his opinion such a plan was required. A Joint Plan contains guidance from the Government Office for East Midlands and is required as many saved policies are becoming elderly and some do not conform to national guidelines. Councillor Brian Hoare was thanked for his address. At this point Councillor Keith Davies chaired the meeting whilst Councillor Andrew Simpson addressed the Committee. Councillor Andrew Simpson advised that he was concerned about the number of houses imposed on Northampton and the urban sustainable growth areas. He advised that it was important that the Council stated in its response to the JPU’s consultation that that the proposed figures are not deliverable for Northampton and not relating to Northampton’s needs. He went on to refer to three specific sites – Dallington Heath, Buckton Fields and the land between Overstone and Moulton – two of which were denoted blue in the Emergent Core Joint Strategy map. Given this, the plan suggest these sites are unchallengeable but previously both Dallington Heath and Buckton Fields had been rejected by Northampton Borough Council. He felt this to be an inherent contradiction and the inclusion of these sites in the Emergent Joint Core Strategy should be challenged. The Emergent Joint Core Strategy does not deal with the inadequacies in the current infrastructure. The Committee put questions to Councillor Simpson and heard: - It is right for the Committee to express its opposition to the housing figures contained in the document. Some of the proposed developments will become dormitory estates as the infrastructure is not in place A Plan is needed that controls the development of the town Councillor Simpson was