Agenda item

The Strategic Lead, Planning Policy and Projects, introduced a report recommending that the Council make a number of representations to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM), Draft Local Plan Consultation.

The Committee was reminded that the RBWM had been preparing its Local Plan for some time in order to replace the current plan which was adopted in 1999.  Slough BC had previously expressed some concerns about the way the plan was being produced as detailed at the Planning Committee held on  3^rd August, the RBWM was informed that it was considered to have failed to comply with the Duty to Cooperate in the preparation of the plan.  The RBWM subsequently asked a specialist planning Counsel to carry out  a legal compliance review of the draft version of the plan and this identified a number of issues which included the carrying out of the 2015 consultation without a Sustainability Appraisal and what was described as inadequate record-keeping with regards to compliance with the Duty to Cooperate.

The Officer advised that in a report to its Cabinet on 29^th September, 2016, RBWM Officers advised that the Council would be acting unlawfully if it submitted its Borough Local Plan, which would almost certainly be immediately rejected by the Planning Inspectorate.  It was therefore agreed that there would be a further round of consultation on a new draft version of the Plan. 

The Committee was advised that significant amendments had now been made to the Plan and a consultation would be held between 2^nd December, 2016 and 13^th January, 2017. 

The Officer summarised the outstanding issues set out in the report including  that a Maidenhead Golf Course, subsequently identified as a major development site, accommodating 2,000 houses did not provide sufficient housing to meet needs. He discussed additional sites identified and RBWM’s  failure to require development to provide affordable housing for rent. The Local Plan recognized that the Borough had very high house prices and a lack of supply of affordable housing. It was highlighted that the high cost of renting on the open market was prohibitive and meant that many lower paid and lower skilled people could not afford to live in the Borough. The Officer therefore recommended that the Council should strongly object to the lack of any requirement to provide affordable housing for rent in the Borough Local Plan.

The Committee noted the Transport Policies and it was considered that the RBWM should be requested to take a more strategic view about how it could deal with the problems of congestion within the Borough Local Plan.

In conclusion, it was considered that the RBWM had made significant progress in reviewing its draft Local Plan by increasing the supply of housing and it was proposed that representations be made to the latest Consultation Document about the remaining outstanding issues.

Resolved-

a)  That the proposed representations on the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation, as set out in the report and the amendment sheet, be submitted to the RBWM.

b)  That authority be delegated to Officers to submit further detailed comments on the draft Plan and evidence base in response to its Regulation 18 Consultation in December 2016.

c)  That the RBWM be invited to discuss the implications of the Draft Borough Local Plan as part of the Duty to Cooperate, with Slough Borough Council.