Agenda item

6.1       The Committee received a report which provided an overview of the Partial Review to the City Plan which was launched on 7 October, running to 18 November 2022. It explained the scope of the review and role of the Planning and City Development Committee in the preparation of the Plan.

6.2      The current City Plan was adopted in April 2021 (work commenced in 2017), and sets our broad strategy for growth and includes over 40 thematic policies on a diverse range of issues. Alongside the London Plan and ‘made’ neighbourhood plans, it provides the starting point for determining all planning applications in Westminster?. The Plan now needed some updating to better align with the priorities in the council’s new Fairer Westminster Strategy.

6.3       The Plan was only recently adopted, took a long time to produce, and is still considered largely fit for purpose. The Cabinet Member therefore agreed to limit any review to the key priorities of:?

·       Affordable housing – to help deliver more affordable housing, particularly social housing, and explore if small sites (i.e. those delivering less than 10 homes) can also start to contribute towards new affordable housing; ?

·       Climate change – to better prioritise retrofit and refurbishment of existing buildings over demolition and redevelopment;?

·       Site allocations (previously intended to form a separate document) – to provide site specific guidance on key sites – including mix of uses, amount of new floorspace, and design criteria.

6.4       Regulation 18 consultation took place between 7 Oct 2022 – 18 Nov 2022? and       this included dedicated website, emails to all stakeholders?, internal engagement with other teams and meetings with key stakeholders including          neighbourhood forums, WPA, the GLA, and Historic England?.

6.5       There would be more informal engagement (workshops, meetings etc) through 2023 to attempt to build consensus on proposals before the next formal stage of consultation (Regulation 19).

6.6       Members held discussions and noted the following: -

6.6.1    That supportive comments had been received from individuals regarding the broad scope of proposals for the partial review of the City Plan, and that more substantial comments would come forward as more detail on the potential content of new policies and site allocations is published.

6.6.2    The partial review of the City Plan had been fully publicised, and all the council’s social media platforms were used to undertake this. There had also been events held with Neighbourhood Forums and these bodies can act as an outreach to local communities.

6.6.3    Officers advised that partially reviewing the City Plan and there being focus on certain areas helped to limit costs.  Members agreed that this approach was sensible and noted that the three areas focused on were highlighted in the Majority Group’s Manifesto. It was also noted that to date all work on the partial review had been carried out by officers. Moving forward, any additional costs (such as commissioning of supporting evidence where external technical expertise is required, or the costs of the Planning Inspectorate carrying out independent examination of the plan) will be met from existing budgets.

6.6.5    Members noted that it was envisaged that the outcomes of the partial review of the City Plan would be implemented before the next Council Election and that it was proposed that a full review of the City Plan then be undertaken in 2025, when more data is available on how the version of the City Plan adopted in April 2021 is performing.

6.6.6    Members noted that the Basement Policy has not been earmarked for further review as since the adoption of the April 2021 City Plan, and the new policy on basements within it, there had been a substantial reduction in the amount of basements being proposed or approved.

6.6.7    Members were reminded that SPDs could be used to influence policies and advised that the Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing SPD and an update to the Environmental SPD would be consulted on next year. There would             also be national policies in 2024 regarding Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and these would need to be reflected in forthcoming SPDs.

6.6.8    Members noted that a Community Impact Assessment would be undertaken     regarding Licensing and Planning, and there would be future discussion on   any overlaps.

RESOLVED

1.     That Officers report back to the next committee on the responses to Regulation 18 consultation and any substantial emerging evidence-based findings if available?.