Agenda item

1. That Cabinet approved the draft Local Plan Regulation 18 for public consultation (Appendix 1).

2. That Cabinet gave delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Property, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Economy, to make any necessary editorial amendments and minor changes to the appendices prior to consultation.

3. That Cabinet approved the adoption and publication of the attached revised Local Development Scheme (Appendix 2) to reflect the adjusted Local Plan timetable.

4. That Cabinet approved the updated Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for adoption (Appendix 3).

5. That Cabinet noted that the evidence base documents (listed in this report) will be published alongside the regulation 18 Local Plan.

Councillor Andrew Jones (Cabinet Member for the Economy) introduced the report that sought approval to undertake a Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation. Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 outlined the initial public consultation stage for a local plan. This stage allowed the public, stakeholders, and other relevant parties to provide feedback on the draft local plan before it moved on to the next stage.

Councillor Andrew Jones noted that the Local Plan set the policy framework for the borough’s development over the next 10 to 15 years and the Council welcomed feedback from residents and other stakeholders. He added that the plan supported the Government’s ambition to build 1.5m new homes and would address key issues for residents, including setting out the future of the borough’s high streets and plans to address climate change.

Councillor Adronie Alford asked about the proposal to demolish the Hammersmith flyover and replace it with a tunnel. She supported the idea in theory, but raised questions about whether it was realistic and what impact it would have on reopening Hammersmith Bridge.

The Leader said the tunnel and Hammersmith Bridge were separate issues. The Council had already spent £47m to stop the bridge collapsing. The total cost of restoration, estimated to be £300m, was beyond the bounds of a local authority and a matter for Government. Regarding the proposed tunnel, the Leader said the project could reclaim a lot of prime land and the money generated from the land could be used to fund the tunnel. He noted that this would required a different approach to planning in the city the Council would need to work with the Mayor of London and TfL on this.

Councillor Wesley Harcourt noted the Local Plan was a key part of the Council’s climate change agenda, noting the significant technological advancements that had taken place since the previous plan.

The Leader reiterated that the Council wanted to hear from residents about their ambitions and concerns. He said we had to think about what the borough would look like in the mid-century, and how to future proof the borough for the new economy. He spoke about Upstream London, the Council’s industrial strategy, and the goal to be a ‘campus borough’ that supported entrepreneurship and innovation. To support those goals, the borough needed affordable and flexible office space, housing, and more green spaces – and the new Local Plan would bring that vision closer to reality. The Leader thanked Councillor Andrew Jones for his work on this agenda.

RESOLVED

1. That Cabinet approved the draft Local Plan Regulation 18 for public consultation (Appendix 1).

2. That Cabinet gave delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Property, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Economy, to make any necessary editorial amendments and minor changes to the appendices prior to consultation.

3. That Cabinet approved the adoption and publication of the attached revised Local Development Scheme (Appendix 2) to reflect the adjusted Local Plan timetable.

4. That Cabinet approved the updated Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for adoption (Appendix 3).

5. That Cabinet noted that the evidence base documents (listed in this report) will be published alongside the regulation 18 Local Plan.