Runnymede 2035 Duty to Co-operate update statement July 2016 This page has been left intentionally blank Contents page Chapter title Page number Chapter 1: Introduction 3 Chapter 2: Overarching Duty to Cooperate groups/processes 4 which cover multiple matters Chapter 3: Cooperation with other bodies and organisations 9 that do not fall under the requirements of the Duty to Cooperate Chapter 4: Housing 11 Chapter 5: Gypsies and Travellers 17 Chapter 6: Economic Development 20 Chapter 7: Green Belt 27 Chapter 8: Climate Change, Biodiversity and TBHSPA 32 Chapter 9: Transport 38 Chapter 10: Flooding 44 Chapter 11: Infrastructure- Education; Health; Utilities; 49 Community and Culture; Open Space and Recreation Chapter 12: Other strategic matters not listed in chapters 4‐ 53 11 Appendices: Appendix 1: Documentation related to the Surrey Planning Officers Association Appendix 2: Documentation related to the Surrey Planning Working Group Appendix 3: Minutes from meetings of the West Surrey Local Plans working group Appendix 4: Documentation related to the Surrey Local Strategic Statement Appendix 5: 3SC devolution material Appendix 6: Documentation related to the Heathrow Strategic Planning Group and its sub groups Appendix 7: Documentation referred to in the Housing chapter Appendix 8: early correspondence sent to duty to cooperate partners on the emerging Issues, Options and Preferred Approaches document. Appendix 9: Presentation slides and meeting minutes (including list of attendees) from the Council’s Duty to Cooperate workshop held on 22nd April 2016. Appendix 10: Documentation referred to in the Gypsies and Travellers chapter Appendix 11: Documentation referred to in the Economic Development chapter Appendix 12: Documentation referred to in the Green Belt chapter Appendix 13: Documentation referred to in the Climate Change, Biodiversity and Runnymede Duty to Cooperate update statement, July 2016 1 TBHSPA chapter Chapter 14: Documentation referred to in the Transport chapter Chapter 15: Documentation referred to in the Flooding chapter Chapter 16: Documentation referred to in the Infrastructure chapter Chapter 17: Email correspondence between RBC officers and SCC on waste and minerals matters during the preparation of the Runnymede interim SLAA, 2016 Runnymede Duty to Cooperate update statement, July 2016 2 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 This Duty to Cooperate statement seeks to update the reader on how the Council has continued to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act (2011) which relate to the Duty to Cooperate since the publication of the Council’s Duty to Cooperate Scoping Framework in October 2015. 1.2 This update statement must be read in conjunction with this earlier scoping framework as it seeks to provide a continuous dialogue of the steps that the Council has taken to cooperate with relevant partners on strategic cross boundary matters between October 2015 and the commencement of the public consultation on the Runnymede 2035 Local Plan Issues, Options and Preferred Approaches consultation in July 2016. 1.3 For details of the steps that the Council had taken, and the outcomes achieved between the commencement of work on the Runnymede 2035 Local Plan in April 2014 and the publication of the Duty to Cooperate Scoping Framework in October 2015, this earlier document should be referred to. The scoping framework also sets out in detail the Council’s intended approach to cooperation for all cross boundary matters over the course of Local Plan preparation. 1.4 In the chapters below, each of the strategic matters highlighted in the Council’s scoping framework will be considered in turn with a commentary on: - The key issues identified in each topic area - The actions and outcomes achieved through cooperation between October 2015, up until the start of the Council’s consultation public consultation on its Issues, Options and Preferred Approaches document in July 2016. 1.5 The format in chapters 4 to 11 of this document follows that recommended by the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) in their August 2015 ‘Duty to Cooperate Statement template’1 paper. 1 http://www.pas.gov.uk/events-and-support2/-/journal_content/56/332612/6387362/ARTICLE Runnymede Duty to Cooperate update statement, July 2016 3 Chapter 2: Overarching Duty to Cooperate groups/processes which cover multiple matters 2.1 Representatives from Runnymede Borough Council attend a number of groups which engage on a range of cross boundary matters, on a regular basis. An overview of these groups is provided in the paragraphs below. The Surrey Planning Officers Association (SPOA) 2.2 This is a group for the Heads of Planning in Surrey. This comprises the 11 Boroughs/Districts and the County Council. The group meets monthly to discuss joint working opportunities, to consider matters of a cross-boundary nature, and to discuss all other matters of pan-Surrey interest. 2.3 As part of the work of this group, alongside Surrey Chief Executives and Council Leaders, a Local Strategic Statement (LSS) is being prepared, supported by a Memorandum of Understanding, which seeks to provide a framework for joint working across Surrey and help to align strategic spatial, infrastructure and economic priorities (more information is provided on this below). The minutes from the SPOA meetings that Runnymede has attended since October 2015 can be viewed in appendix 1. Planning Working Group (PWG) 2.4 This is a group for Planning Policy Managers in Surrey and the County Council that meets five or six times a year. Members discuss and resolve cross- boundary policy issues, share relevant information and experiences, and prepare joint responses to consultations of pan-Surrey interest. From time to time, the group is required by SPOA to carry out research or projects that are directed at improving the understanding and experience of an aspect of Planning policy. The Planning Working Group has been instrumental in progressing the Co8unty’s LSS work. The minutes from the PWG meetings that Runnymede has attended since October 2015 can be viewed in appendix 2. West Surrey Local Plan Working Group 2.5 This is a group for planning officers in the West Surrey Boroughs of Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Woking, Guildford and Waverley, that meets three or four times annually in order to discuss issues affecting the authorities on the western side of the County. The group has previously sought to identify opportunities for joint working in a number of policy areas (authorities in the east of the County are represented by a similarly-constituted group). The minutes from the West Surrey Local Plan Working Group meetings that Runnymede has attended since October 2015 can be viewed in appendix 3. The Surrey Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Partnership (SSPIP) 2.6 Runnymede Borough Council has continued to work collaboratively with Surrey County Council and the other Surrey boroughs and districts in the preparation of the Surrey LSS. Since the production of the Runnymede Duty to Cooperate Runnymede Duty to Cooperate update statement, July 2016 4 Framework in October 2015 the following key actions and outcomes can be reported: Action: December 2015: Runnymede was asked to provide an officer to sit on a small working group to draft the LSS and drive the project forwards. The first meeting of the working group was held on 17th December 2015. A note of the points covered at this meeting can be viewed at appendix 4. In brief, the outcome of this meeting was that the following actions for the working group were agreed: To complete an initial draft of a Surrey-wide intro/scene setting, for discussion at PWG on 22nd January; To complete an initial draft of Surrey-wide SWOT analysis, for discussion at PWG on 22nd January; To complete an initial draft of Surrey-wide strategic objectives, for discussion at PWG on 22nd January ; To complete an initial draft of the sub-area map, for discussion at PWG on 22nd January; Discussion of proposed approach to LSS work at PWG on 22nd January; Progress update to Feb SPOA; Following agreement of sub-areas at PWG on 22nd January: o Establish working group with reps from each sub-area o Sub-areas to develop area descriptions, and area priorities Action: The LSS working group provided a presentation at the meeting of the Planning Working Group on 22nd January 2016 on the LSS. The minutes from this meeting can be viewed in appendix 2. Action: At the meeting of the Surrey Chief Executives an update report on the Surrey LSS work was considered (the report can be seen at Appendix 4). It was agreed that works could continue. Action: Meeting of the LSS working group on 17th February 2016. The outcome of this meeting was that it was agreed how the workshop style session would be run at PWG on 4th March, and who on the LSS working group would produce different pieces of material for the workshop. Action: Workshop at the meeting of the Planning Working Group 4th March 2016 on the Surrey LSS. Attendees split into the identified sub areas and a completed a template which provided: A general overview of the sub area including its general extent and main characteristics; Its main challenges; and Its specific spatial priorities to help overcome identified challenges. The outcome of the meeting was the drafting of these templates. The sub area template can be viewed in appendix 4. A discussion was also held around the vision for the LSS. The outcome was that a draft vision was agreed, and the LSS working group had gathered enough material about each sub area to draft a narrative of each for the LSS. The minutes from this meeting can be found at Runnymede Duty to Cooperate update statement, July 2016 5 appendix 2. Action: Meeting of the LSS working group on 13th May 2016. It was agreed at this meeting that the completed templates for the sub areas needed to be used by the working group to complete ‘pen portraits’ for each of the sub areas which would form part of the LSS.