Agenda item

To update and consult the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee on the recommendation to cease work on the preparation of the Selby Local Plan.

Considered

 

A report of the Corporate Director of Community Development updating and consulting the Committee on the recommendation to cease work on the preparation of the Selby Local Plan.

 

Steve Wilson and Linda Marfitt introduced the report, summarising the following key points.

 

-        It was highlighted that the report was seeking comments and recommendations from the Development Plan and Selby and Ainsty Area Committees. The Executive would consider those comments and recommendations on 4 February 2025, before making a final recommendation to Full Council on 26 February 2025. The Development Plan Committee plays an overarching, strategic, role, and the Area Committee takes a more local approach.

 

-        That the new National Planning and Policy Framework (NPPF) reinstates the requirement for local planning authorities to maintain a 5-year housing land supply and therefore the current 4-year housing land supply that can be demonstrated is unsatisfactory.

 

-        There are increased housing requirements following the publication of the NPPF which means that the current iteration of the Selby Local Plan has a shortfall of between 2000 and 3000 dwellings.

 

-        The Government provided guidance to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2024 to make it clear that Inspectors should no longer devote significant time to resolving outstanding matters to ensure submitted local plans are ‘sound’, and therefore the option to progress to submission without substantial further work would delay the Plan further.

 

-        There are uncertainties over the evidence base of the Selby Local Plan and therefore certain matters require updates and new consultations. This would be a substantial task.

 

-        That the policies and evidence base of the Plan would be used in the preparation of the North Yorkshire Local Plan where appropriate.

 

-        That if a formal decision is taken to halt the plan, the Council can continue to apply some weight to the most recent evidence base when making decisions on planning applications.

 

-        That the Selby Local Plan is not at a stage where it can benefit from the NPPFs transitional arrangements.

 

Following this, a discussion took place, the key points of which can be seen below.

 

-        It was clarified that if a decision is taken to cease work on the Selby Local Plan, appropriate weight can be given to some of the evidence base when specific sites are in question. One of the recommendations is that the Council uses sites identified within the draft Selby Local Plan as the starting point for discussions. It was also recognised that the current evidence base would be deemed inadequate if the Selby Local Plan was submitted.

 

-        Members were informed that communities would be engaged with regarding the identification of sites during the development of the NYC Local Plan and that work with NYC regeneration will go ahead to take advantage of arising opportunities. Members reminded Officers to engage with Parish and Town Councils.

 

-        Members raised that the Selby Local Plan was delayed due to Local Government Reorganisation.

 

-        It was highlighted that if the Selby Local Plan is continued, there would be a significant cost – some suggested that these resources would be better spent on developing the NYC Local Plan.

 

-        It was noted that whilst Sherburn In Elmet may not have received sufficient allocations based on recent growth, some infrastructure had been developed. Members reinforced the need for increasing housing supply but providing adequate infrastructure.

 

-        Members asked that liaison between development management and policy be improved to ensure that applications not in the Local Plan are given the correct steer.

 

-        There were concerns that some areas in North Yorkshire would be allocated for more housing than others. Officers informed Members that decisions on allocations had not yet been made but that consultations would take place at the appropriate time.

 

-        Officers reported that they are seeking clarification from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on whether the 5-year housing land supply figure for the NYC Local Plan is calculated as one figure for the County, or separate figures for each of the current planning areas.

 

The Committee reinforced the view that NYC should work to deliver appropriate sites and infrastructure, and highlighted that there should be liaison between development management and policy.

 

A vote was taken on each of the recommendations and it was

 

Resolved

 

That the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee supports the recommendation that the Executive recommend to Full Council that:

 

i) Work on the emerging Selby Local Plan is ceased.

 

(Voting record: 7 votes for, 0 against and 2 abstentions)

 

ii) 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.

 

(Voting record: 7 votes for, 0 against and 2 abstentions)

 

iii) The Council continues to vigorously 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.

 

(Voting record: 8 votes for, 0 against and 1 abstention)