Brentwood Borough Council was committed to producing a new Local Development Plan for the Borough.  A number of external factors on both a national and local scale had implications for the plan making process and ensuring a “sound” plan could be adopted swiftly.

The Council’s Local Development Plan Member Working Group steered the plan making process and considered issues before they were taken to the relevant committee.  The group was well placed to consider external factors and advised on potential implications. 

After a full discussion, Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Parker SECONDED the recommendations in the report and a vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1.    To note the external factors discussed in the report. 

2.    That the Local Development Plan Members Working Group considers the external factors and reports back with proposals to Planning and Licensing Committee at a future date. 

Reason for recommendation

The Local Development Plan would set out the Council’s vision, objectives, strategy and planning policies for the Borough.  It was necessary to undertake further public consultation as part of the plan making process in order to thoroughly test proposals and consider the views of all stakeholders.  Together with these aims the national context needed to be considered, which was constantly changing and was expected to have an impact on the numbers to be delivered.  Given the importance of adopting a new Local Development Plan, and the need for the Plan to be considered “sound” before it could be adopted, it was necessary to minimise risk wherever possible. 

Dialogue with the Department for Communities and Local Government was taking place regarding issues highlighted in the report.  The Council was in a position to more clearly understand implications for the plan making process, but also await clarification on other things as set out in the report, particularly the process to be followed for Dunton Hills Garden Village and the publication of the Housing White Paper.  An optimum time to reflect on how the issues could be considered to ensure a thorough Plan was submitted to Government.      

The Council’s Local Development Plan Members Working Group was an informal cross-party group that helped to steer the plan making process and met regularly.  The Group was in place to consider issues before they were taken to the relevant committee.  Given the variety of external factors impacting on the plan making process it would be helpful for the Group to review the issues and propose a way forward.