Issue - meetings

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No. 112 of the meeting held on 30 September 2010 and Minute No. 145 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 9 February 2011, the Cabinet considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the findings of the Green Belt study and how this would inform the Options stage of the Core Strategy.

The report provided an update on a review of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment which would determine how much land was available in the urban areas and would need to be subject of consultation with stakeholders including the Sefton, Knowsley and West Lancashire Housing Market Partnership.

The report also referred to the future need to update Sefton's retail evidence in order to ensure that the Council had robust evidence when the Core Strategy was independently examined in early 2012.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       it be noted that consultation has taken place with the Area Committees and some of the parishes on the Green Belt Study since the previous report was deferred by the Cabinet on 30 September 2010;

(2)       the Green Belt Study and Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment update be approved for consultation purposes; and

(3)       the need for a future review of the retail evidence that will support the Core Strategy be noted, the costs of which would be contained within the Department's consultancy budget.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No. 115 of 15 December 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director which:-

(i)         informed Members about the findings of the Green Belt Study, and how this would inform the Options stage of the Core Strategy, and to seek approval to consult on minor changes to the existing Green Belt. Both of these Studies would be subject to public consultation early in 2011 before they were finalised.

(ii)        updated Members on a review of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) which determined how much land was available in the urban areas. This would also be subject to consultation with stakeholders including the Sefton, Knowsley and West Lancashire Housing Market Partnership.

(iii)       informed Members about the future need to update Sefton’s retail evidence in order to ensure that the Council had robust evidence when the Core Strategy was independently examined in early 2012.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the consultation that has taken place on the Green Belt Study with the Area Committees and some of the parishes since the previous report was deferred by Cabinet in September be noted;

(2)       the Cabinet be requested to approve the Green Belt Study and the SHLAA update for consultation purposes; and

(3)       the need for a future review of the retail evidence that will support the Core Strategy, (the costs of which would be contained within the Department’s consultancy budget) be noted.