Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M Smith, M E Thacker MBE JP, P Windley, D Cheetham, S Cornwell, R Spooner, R Shipman, C Gare, N Morley, M Durrant, L Hartshorne, P Antcliff, M Roe, M Emmens, P Elliott, M Foster, and K Tait.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any items on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time. 

There were no declarations of interest.

The Vice Chair of the Council has agreed to a requisition, signed by five Members of the Council (Councillors C Cupit, A Dale, S Clough, M Foster and N Baker), to hold this Extraordinary Meeting of Council, as provided for under Section 3.1 of the Constitution, to consider and and determine on the following motion.

Motion ‘A’- proposed by Councillor C Cupit

Council notes with concern the Labour Government’s current consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system.

Council resolves to respond to the consultation highlighting this Council’s concern and strong opposition to the proposed Government changes that would:

-   Give central Government the powers to set arbitrary, top-down housing delivery numbers for each local authority;

-   Set a mandatory annual housing delivery of 622 new homes each year for North East Derbyshire – a 178% increase from the advisory method – whilst removing the uplift on cities and urban centres;

-   Places emphasis on meeting unmet development needs from neighbouring areas;

-   Remove protections on the Green Belt through the new Grey Belt and other override designations;

-   Remove the opportunity for communities to comment on individual planning applications by removing the ability to challenge a planning application once it is in a Local Plan and deciding whole new towns by an unspecified ‘panel’.

Council urges the Government to reconsider these proposals and the impact they would have on areas like North East Derbyshire.

The Vice Chair of the Council had agreed to a requisition, signed by five Members of the Council (Councillors C Cupit, A Dale, S Clough, M Foster and N Baker), to hold this Extraordinary Meeting of Council, as provided for under Section 3.1 of the Constitution, to consider and determine on the following motion.

Motion ‘A’- proposed by Councillor C Cupit

Council notes with concern the Labour Government’s current consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system.

Council resolves to respond to the consultation highlighting this Council’s concern and strong opposition to the proposed Government changes that would:

-      Give central Government the powers to set arbitrary, top-down housing delivery numbers for each local authority;

-      Set a mandatory annual housing delivery of 622 new homes each year for North East Derbyshire – a 178% increase from the advisory method – whilst removing the uplift on cities and urban centres;

-      Places emphasis on meeting unmet development needs from neighbouring areas;

-      Remove protections on the Green Belt through the new Grey Belt and other override designations.

-      Remove the opportunity for communities to comment on individual planning applications by removing the ability to challenge a planning application once it is in a Local Plan and deciding whole new towns by an unspecified ‘panel’.

Council urges the Government to reconsider these proposals and the impact they would have on areas like North East Derbyshire.

Councillor C Cupit moved the motion. She gave thanks to Members and Officers for attending the meeting. She explained the impact of the new Planning Regulations and appreciated and respected that new homes were required. However, she did not understand why many of the new homes would be in North East Derbyshire.

If the changes went ahead, they would concrete over countryside, and the Council would be bound by what developers wanted to deliver. Even if numbers were met, there would still be no benefit, as the sites were not available unless green belt land was used. The needs of the area have not been considered, as other areas such as London and Derby have an increased demand for housing, but their target has been reduced.

The new rules remove the ability for communities to have a say on planning, and any improvements required local flexibility, factors, and characteristics. Protection for land such as agricultural would be removed, and given the consequences, it would be useful to reinstate the Local Plan Steering Group so that those involved could have a say. A locally led planning response was required to avoid a centralised planning system.

Councillor A Dale seconded the motion and noted his concerns around the top-down figures. The new legislation would change the countryside, and result in the District becoming a suburb of Chesterfield and Sheffield, putting strain on infrastructure. It comes with a whole raft of issues, and decisions were be made on current information, rather than waiting for additional critical information. The Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item COU/44/24-25