Agenda item

The Planning Policy Lead Officer outlined a report to provide the Committee with an update on the work that had been undertaken to develop the ‘Issues and Options’ report for the review of the Local Plan. Previous reports to the  Committee had detailed how progress had been made in reviewing the local plan for slough and in engaging with other local authorities about the content of their plans under the duty to cooperate.

The Officer highlighted that Cabinet was responsible for the approval of the Slough Local Plan but it was important that the views of the Planning Committee were sought and a further two reports would also be submitted to the Committee for consideration. Members noted the outcome of the ‘Call for Sites’ exercise which was the subject of public consultation earlier in the year. Some technical work had been carried out on the 130 proposed sites, such as assessing whether they were affected by flooding and a further report would be submitted to the Committee in due course.

A Member Workshop held on 21st July had helped to identify some of the key issues facing the Local Plan and a draft Vision was created.  A further Member Workshop would be held at a later date and a Member Task and Finish Group had also been appointed. Cabinet would consider approval of the “Issues and Options” at its meeting on 21st November and a public consultation would then be held. The views of the Planning Committee would be fed into the plan making process.

The Officer discussed future growth, around population and employment and it was noted that the shortage of development land could impact on this. It was emphasised that the Local Plan would need to find the right balance between social, economic and environmental needs to ensure that it was sustainable. In terms of housing, the Strategic Housing Market Assessment in February 2016, had identified that 927 houses a year were needed to meet objectively assessed housing needs, together with a significant amount of affordable housing to meet local needs. Clearly the failure to provide sufficient housing to meet overall needs would result in a combination of more overcrowding, homelessness, and forced outward migration. The Local Plan would have to work with the emerging Housing Strategy to ensure an appropriate mix of housing was provided.

The Committee also noted that the number of jobs in Slough would likely  increase by 14,680 during the 23 years to 2036 and necessary economic development measures would need to be put in place. An Economic Development Needs Assessment had indicated that up to 180 hectares of new employment land would be needed to provide for these jobs, mainly through the redevelopment or re-use of existing sites.

The Officer outlined future improvements and developments in the town centre which would become an increasingly important transport hub. It was acknowledged that the town centre had declined as a shopping and commercial centre because of structural changes in the economy and it did  not have the attractions of competing centres.

High quality offices were being built near the station which would promote the centre of the town as a new business, transport and employment hub. 

Members noted the current position regarding Heathrow Airport and that a decision on the third runway which Slough supported was awaited. Since it would likely take some years before any planning permission could be granted, the Local Plan will have to try to find a way in which the uncertainty could be dealt with to ensure the best form of development which could also mitigate the adverse environmental effects. Should the third runway not go ahead then Heathrow would continue to grow and have an important relationship with the Borough.

The Officer discussed Neighbourhoods of the Borough and Transport.  It was highlighted that one of the reasons for Slough’s success as an employment centre was due its location and excellent transport links however local congestion would need to be addressed and options were set out.  Major New Hubs were discussed and it was suggested that there was an opportunity to promote such a hub in the vicinity of Langley Railway Station.

In terms of the release of land from the Green Belt it was noted that a number of sites in the Green Belt were promoted in the Colnbrook and Poyle area through the Call for Sites exercise but these were constrained.  The officer also discussed the Northern Expansion of Slough within South Bucks and representations had been made around the development of a new garden suburb.

Resolved-  That the report be noted.