Local Plan Update – October 2017.
There will be a(nother) delay in the publication of the final draft of the Local Plan for
North East Derbyshire. It was due to be considered by the NEDDC Cabinet in
October so that it could be put out for local consultation in November, 2017.
I checked on the agenda for the October meeting of the cabinet and consideration of
the new Plan was not on there. I have contacted the relevant officer and found that
the publication has been delayed ‘for a few weeks’ because of an apparent intention
by the government to introduce a new, or amended, National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) in January, 2018. It was felt by senior Cabinet members that
there was a risk of any Plan being found to be ‘unsound’ if it had not considered what
was in the new or amended NPPF, so the new Plan will not be published yet.
I will let you know any further updates.
One bit of other news concerns the fact that NEDDC now has a legally-required five
year housing supply. Previously, we did not have this facility.
Whilst this may not be the most exciting news you have heard this year it is quite
important.
The law states that where an Authority does not have an up-to-date Local Plan, and
where there is not a five year supply of housing (confirmed with developers and
landowners) then the authority should grant permission on applications anywhere in
the authority area that are judged as ‘sustainable’(a quite complicated legal
definition).
This will give temporary security to all of our Green Belt land, although we will still
be vulnerable to any application for small developments of 100% affordable homes –
as in the case of the Fanny Avenue application.
As soon as we know what is happening I will be back in touch.
Paul Johnson
Chair of RAGE.