Secretary’s Update Report

1.0 Purpose of the Report

1.1 To update members of the Local Access Forum on developments since the last meeting of NYLAF.

2.0 Local Development Plans

2.1 One of the key areas of involvement for the Forum is to ensure appropriate engagement in the preparation of Local Development Plans. Set out in the table below is a summary of the current position in relation to each District Council area, and in relation to the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan. The information is taken from the websites of the relevant authorities and since the last Forum meeting there have been three updates to those websites, in the case of Craven, Ryedale and Scarborough. The rest of the information below remains the same as detailed in the last report.

Authority	Status
Craven	In Craven, the Plan was adopted in November 2019 and a provisional date of October 2023 was set for the publication of results of a formal review of the Craven Local Plan, in order to meet the Government’s requirement for a review to be completed 5 years after its adoption i.e. by Nov 2024. Craven District Council formally adopted its Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on 13^th December 2022. On the same date it also formally adopted its Flood Risk and Water Management Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) – both can be viewed at: www.cravendc.gov.uk/planning/spatial-planning/spds-and-information
Hambleton	The Hambleton Local Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State (Planning Inspectorate) for examination on 31 March 2020. The estimated timetable for progressing to the adoption of the Plan was as follows: · Estimated examination period March 2020 to February 2021 · Receipt of inspector's report March 2021 · Estimated date of adoption April 2021 The Council’s website has no further updates.
Harrogate	The council formally adopted its Local Plan with new settlement policies on 9 December 2020.
Richmondshire	The Local Plan 2018-2035 will be a single document and comprise of a review of the adopted Local Plan Core Strategy 2012-2028 and will provide site allocations, area strategy for Catterick Garrison, land use designations, revised Development Limits for settlements identified in the settlement hierarchy and detailed development policies. It will include an updated and revised Proposals Map. Examination Hearings took place in Spring 2021, followed by a ‘Preferred Options’ consultation which ran for 8 weeks from 28 May 2021 until 23 July 2021. The Council is now preparing the Pre-Submission Draft (Regulation 19). This is the final stage of the process before submission of the Local Plan to the Secretary of State. The Pre-Submission consultation was held in winter 2021.
Ryedale	Ryedale District Council have progressed their review of their Local Plan which covers the period 2012- 2027 and have reached a stage where ‘key decisions’ are beginning to emerge. a consultation is now underway to gain views on the proposed policy approaches they are considering. The consultation commenced on 10th January 2023 and will run for six weeks to 21st February 2023. The consultation document can be viewed on the Council’s website at: https://www.ryedale.gov.uk/information/review-of-the-local-plan/our-consultations-on-the-plan-review/key-decisions/
Scarborough	The Scarborough Borough Council Local Plan is being published for consultation in draft form and will cover policies and development allocations for the Borough, excluding the North York Moors National Park area. The formal consultation exercise commences on 13 January 2023 and will run for six weeks to 24 February 2023. A copy of the Local Plan together with supporting documents can be viewed and commented upon at the Council’s online portal: https://scarborough-consult.objective.co.uk/kse/
Selby	A new Local Development Scheme for the period 2019 to 2023 came into effect on 17 September 2019. The scheme identified which Local Plan documents the Council would progress over the next four years, together with the programme for their preparation, and key consultation milestones. In line with the Scheme, a six-week consultation on the Local Plan Issues and Options ended 6 March 2020, and a six week consultation for the Preferred Options Local Plan 2021 concluded on 12 March 2021. A Local Plan Evidence Base Consultation took place between 3 September 2021 and 15 October 2021.
Minerals and Waste Joint Plan	The Minerals and Waste Joint Plan, prepared by North Yorkshire County Council, City of York Council and North York Moors National Park Authority, was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination. Elizabeth Ord LLB (Hons) LLM MA DipTUS was appointed as the Planning Inspector to undertake the Examination and public hearings were held between 27th February and 13th April 2018, and 24th and 25th January 2019. Through the Examination several policies and supporting text in the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan were identified where a Main Modification was required to address concerns identified by the Inspector or other representations to the Joint Plan, or to reflect changes in evidence or national planning policy and a schedule was prepared for consultation. The Main Modification consultation started on Wednesday 21st July 2021 and closed on Wednesday 15th September 2021. All previous documents and evidence reports that underpin the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan, can be viewed online at: www.northyorks.gov.uk/examination. The Examination is a continuous process running from the date of submission through to the receipt of the appointed Planning Inspector’s Report. The representations provided relating to the Schedule of Main Modifications consultation will be considered by the Inspector while she is writing her report.

3.0 Highways Updates

3.1 Highways Design Guide

At this point in time, two chapters from this guidance, are published, namely the ‘Commuted Sums’ chapter and the ‘Drainage and SuDs’ chapter - see: Road adoption | North Yorkshire County Council

3.2 Work to progress other chapters of the Design Guidance, (which includes chapters on the likes of street character types; junction and road geometry; visibility splays; emergency services requirements; refuse collection services requirements; parking standards etc) is currently in abeyance due to resources/workload and in addition to this, the Department for Transport has yet to release Manual for Streets (3), which will form national guidance in respect to residential housing layouts and which all Local Highway Authorities will need to embrace within their own guidance documentation.

3.3 NYCC is therefore awaiting the release of MfS3 before undertaking further work on its emerging guidance document to ensure that national best practice is fully replicated.

3.4 In the meantime, the Design Guide will remain a standing item on future Highways and Transportation updates to the LAF and the Forum’s views will be sought when further progress is made on the document.

3.5 A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project’s Development Consent Order (DCO)

National Highways wrote to the Examining Authority on 16 December 2022 which was published on the Planning Inspectorate's website on 21 December 2022. It provided notice of their intention to propose 34 changes to their DCO.

3.6 They intend launching a public consultation on the changes on Saturday 28 January 2023, where stakeholders and the public will be invited to have their say on their proposals. The feedback will be submitted to the Examining Authority, who will make the final decision on whether any of those changes can be made.

3.7 A59 Kexgill Project

NYCC are currently waiting for the Department for Transport (DfT) to approve the project’s Full Business Case, which has been delayed due to recent government ministerial changes, however the announcement is expected soon in the Early New Year period now. In the meantime, we are progressing with advance works development procedures prior to main start, allowing site clearance of surface level vegetation to commence within programmed ecology working windows during February / March.

3.8 Local Transport Plan (LTP) Update

Planning is underway for the rewrite of the NYCC LTP. The LTP will contain a Strategic Transport Plan for York and North Yorkshire backed up by Local Transport Delivery Plans for each of the Unitary Council areas.

3.9 Both City of York (CoY) and NYCC are planning some LTP consultation in spring 2023 with NYCC looking to consult on transport priorities as part of the ‘Let’s Talk…’ series of engagements that are being carried out, and CoY are planning on consulting on its Local Transport Strategy. There will be targeted engagement with key stakeholders, including with the LAF, to ensure their views are captured. This would all then be brought together in co-ordinated consultation activity by both authorities later in 2023 on the content of the plan. The aim is to have a final draft of the document in advance of Mayoral elections in May 2024.

4.0 Coast to Coast National Trail Route

4.1 Natural England has provided the following brief update on the Coast to Coast route stretching from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay in the North York Moors National Park:

· Meetings have now been held with all 5 partner authorities to discuss work programming and priorities over next 2-3 years. Where partner authorities asked for new staff posts, they are now on with recruiting to these.

· Governance is in place with an overarching Programme Board which meets quarterly and monthly working group meetings between NE and partner authorities to plot and steer practical delivery.

· NE has supplied detailed worksheets (based on the submission to the Secretary of State) to partners to facilitate work planning and monitoring of progress and budget.

· We are continuing to discuss options for the A19 crossing with National Highways and Defra. This includes looking at potential diversions that may be required to promote a safe route while our preferred option of a bridge capable of accommodating horse riders and cyclists is pursued.

· NE has a small team in place to oversee and steer delivery of the core project, of the wider benefits work and a pilot project to test sustainable engagement with local communities and businesses. The team consists of Hazel Thomas as Programme Manager, Bruce Cutts as Project Manager overseeing delivery of establishment works and the monthly working group, Steve Westwood Technical Lead and Case officer for C2CP and Neil Coles who is Project Manager for our Wider Benefits and Sustainable Engagement work.

· Once Neil is in post (Feb 2023) he will be responsible initially setting up a project plan to cover our 3 years of implementation until Oct 2025. This will include looking at how best to engage with local partners and stakeholders to ensure that the work to realise the wider benefits of C2CP becoming a national trail draws on the knowledge of, and meets the needs of local stakeholders. We would be very happy to cover an item at a future LAF meeting in May to share how this work has progressed.

4.2 Background information on Coast to Coast has been provided by David Lepper – see Annex A.

5.0 Regional Forum

5.1 The next meeting of the Regional Forum will be held on Wednesday 8^th March 2023 at Leeds Civic Hall.

6.0 Discretionary Restriction Notices

6.1 There have been no notifications received of discretionary ‘28 day’ restrictions under Section 22 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, or any withdrawals of a discretionary restriction under Section 22 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, since the last Forum meeting.