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 Future of the Selby Local Plan

2.1 A report of the Corporate Director of Community Development was taken to the Development Plan Committee and the Selby & Ainsty Area Committee both of which took place on the 17 January 2025. The report set out the current position in relation to the preparation of the Selby Local Plan, taking into account matters including feedback from the additional public consultation held earlier this year, implications of the recently published National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), changes to legislation and updated instructions from Government to the Planning Inspectorate relating to the consideration of submitted local plans.

2.2 Members views were sought on the recommendation to cease work on the preparation of the Selby Local Plan and, where possible, to use the evidence base and work undertaken to date to feed into the new local plan for North Yorkshire.

2.3 Members heard that a decision to cease work on the Local Plan for the former Selby district area would assist in expediting progress on the wider North Yorkshire Local Plan that would help to deliver four of the five key themes of place and environment, economy, health and wellbeing and people in the Council’s plan.

2.4 A number of questions were asked in relation to how any decision by the Executive to halt development of the Selby Local Plan would affect the area and what policies would apply in assessing planning applications. Discussion then took place on the issue of land supply, and how housing targets would be allocated to different areas under the North Yorkshire Local Plan. It was also asked whether housing targets should be allocated across the whole county, rather than being disaggregated along former district and borough boundaries.

2.5 Members resolved that the Executive recommends to Full Council that:

1) Work on the emerging Selby Local Plan was ceased.

2) The Council works proactively to bring forward sites within the Selby area to seek to maintain land supply, using those sites identified within the draft Selby Local Plan as the starting point for discussions with site promoters/developers.

3) The Council continues to promote the regeneration of Tadcaster, working with key stakeholders to support the delivery of sites and to bring derelict buildings back into use and work to ensure that evidence in respect of delivery is secured as we move through the preparation of the North Yorkshire Local Plan.

2.6 The comments and recommendations on the report made by the Development Plan Committee and the Selby & Ainsty Area Committee will now go on to the meeting of the Executive on the 4 February 2025 for consideration, before the Executive make a final recommendation to Full Council on the 26 February 2025.

2.7 The agenda pack for the Selby & Ainsty Area Committee meeting on the 17 January 2025 can be found here: Agenda for Selby and Ainsty Area Committee on Friday, 17 January 2025, 1.00 pm | North Yorkshire Council. The minutes of the meeting will also be available through this link, once published.

3.0 Historic Public Rights of Way Recording – Repeal of the 2031 Cut-off Date

Members may have heard the announcement made by the Government on Boxing Day that it is intended to repeal the 2031 cut-off date for recording historic public rights of way. The cut-off date, originally set for 2026 by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, was repealed by the previous government and then subsequently reinstated with an extension to 2031. The cut-off date would have meant that no further DMMO applications based on historic documentary evidence could be submitted after that date. The current government has not set a timescale for the repeal of the 2031 cut-off date but intends to do so when parliamentary time allows.

The announcement can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-steps-in-to-save-historic-rights-of-way-from-being-lost-to-the-nation

4.0 Discretionary Restriction Notices

4.1 There has been no notifications received of discretionary ‘28 day’ restrictions under Section 22 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and three notices of discretionary dog restrictions, since the last Forum meeting.

5.0 Formal Responses sent by the secretary on behalf of the NYLAF

5.1 A record of all formal LAF correspondence submitted to Section 94 bodies by the Secretary on the NYLAF’s behalf can be seen at appendix A to the report.