Agenda and minutes

Councillor Cheryl Barnard   - Council Business

Councillor Adele Williams   - Council Business

Councillor Andrew Rule   - Personal

Clive Heaphy   - Interim Corporate Director of Finance and Resources

Malcolm Townroe   - Director of Legal and Governance Services

None

Last meeting held on 20 April 2021 (for confirmation)

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2021 were confirmed as a true record and were signed by the Chair

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Planning and Heritage

The Board considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Heritage proposing the adoption of the Education Contributions from Residential Developments Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The formula for calculating contributions has been used by other local Authorities successfully and relies on the need for 21 primary school places and 15 secondary school place per 100 homes.

Following and extended consultation period in March 2020 to June 2020 a number of comments were received from interested parties and a number of changes are proposed as a result.

Resolved to:

(1)  Adopt the Education Contributions from Residential Development Supplementary Planning Document; and

(2)  Apply the Supplementary Planning Document to all planning applications which are validated following its adoption.

Reasons for decision

The adoption of this SPD will help to ensure that the Council secures the required education infrastructure associated with new residential developments. Adoption of the SPD will also serve to reinforce existing guidance and act as a guide for developers around the s106 contributions.

Other options considered

The only other option considered was not adopting the SPD. This was rejected as it would result in a lack of comprehensive planning guidance to underpin the Local Plan and would lose the Council the opportunity to secure funds for required education infrastructure

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing Planning and Heritage

The Board considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Heritage proposing the adoption of the Affordable Housing contributions arising from Purpose Built Student accommodation Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Following an extended consultation period running for ten weeks over May 2020 through to August 2020 a number of representations were made by interested partied. A number of changes have been made to the proposed SPD as a result of the comments made during the consultation period. The following points were highlighted during discussion:

(a)  Due to the popularity of Nottingham as a city, and the international reputation of the universities there continues to be a strong demand for student accommodation. Article 4 directions are in place to prevent the conversion of family homes into houses of multiple occupancy and so the market for purpose built student accommodation is strong;

(b)  The Council is not able to limit the number of students, and so to help ensure affordable housing for citizens this SPD is being proposed to help to address imbalance within communities;

(c)  The formula proposed is similar to that used successfully by both Oxford and Norwich authorities;

(d)  Contributions will not be required should the district valuer deem a development not be viable should the contributions apply. This SPD does not apply to purpose built student accommodation built on the universities land;

Resolved to:

(1)  Adopt the Affordable Housing Contributions arising from Purpose Built Student Accommodation Supplementary Planning Document; and

(2)  Apply this Supplementary Planning Document to all planning applications which are validated following its adoption.

Reasons for decisions

The SPD will help to ensure that the Council seeks appropriate contributions towards affordable housing for citizens from Purpose Built Student Accommodation Schemes.

The adoption of this SPD will help to protect family homes, and will ensure purpose built student accommodation developments are brought in line with contribution expectations of residential developments.

Other options considered

The only other option considered was not to adopt the SPD.  This was rejected as it would be a lost opportunity to receive contributions for affordable housing and would result in a lack of comprehensive planning guidance to underpin the Local Plan.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item(s) in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs in the public interest in disclosing the information

The Board decided to exclude the public from the meeting to discuss the exempt minutes of the last meeting held on 20 April 2021 in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, as defined in Paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The minutes are a record of the decision(s) made in private at the meeting.

Exempt minutes from the meeting held on 20 April 2021 (for confirmation)

The Board confirmed them exempt minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2021 as a true record and they were signed by the Chair