Agenda item

Report of the Director of Planning and Regeneration with a presentation at the meeting.

Matthew Grant, Senior Planner (Policy), and Matt Gregory, Head of Planning Strategy and Building Control, jointly presented the report on the Local Plan Part 2, for information, prior to its submission for approval at the next full Council meeting.

All consultation on the Local Plan and planning policies has concluded so no further changes can be made.

The report includes maps of potential development sites within the area and specifies the categories of development which would be acceptable;

The following questions were responded to:

a)  with regard to site PA 73 Canal Quarter – Sheriffs Way/Arkwright Street, a planning request had been received for the whole site but the intention is for Crocus Street to be retained;

b)  planners are aware that the Cattle Market serves an important role in the local community but the area shown in PA80 Waterside - Cattle Market, is wider than just the Cattle Market and it is expected that the far end would be developed first. Any consideration of planning applications would be respectful of the heritage of the site;

c)  Waterside is a prime development site for the City and is a ‘brownfield’ (previously developed) site. It has been difficult to get developers interested in this area to provide anything other than housing as it is substantially a central location in walking distance of the city centre. If development was refused for the site, it is likely developers would look elsewhere, such as the green field (undeveloped) areas around Rushcliffe and employment opportunities for the development lost to that area;

d)  there may appear to be a lot of C3 (residential) development agreed in principle for the Waterside sites, but the broader implications of the number of people should be homed have been considered and a bid for a new school near to the Waterside community has been approved;

e)  Section 106 funding contributions from the development can be used to provide enhancements for schools and will be sought as contributions towards two new secondary schools to the north of the city centre;

f)  Planning colleagues are keen to engage with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) regarding their forward planning for health provision for new communities;

g)  planning authorities are unable to make demands that don’t fit with the planning rules so would have to permit student purpose-built accommodation unless there are grounds for legitimate challenges;

Comments from members of the committee included:

h)  The Cattle Market has historic and community significance and serves a lot of people in the area. It is a concern that its value to the city is not recognised;

i)  purpose-built student accommodation should be encouraged near to major transport routes such as the tram network. The current situation in the Wollaton Park and Lenton area whereby there are thousands of students living in family housing, to the extent that some streets are nearly 100% occupied by students, is damaging the community. The change in guidance in the new Local Plan should ensure that in areas where there are already more than 10% of neighbourhoodconsisting of student or HMOs accommodation further C4 are unlikely to be permitted.  It is hoped that the promotion of PBSA will help to rebalance communities by providing alternative accommodation for the growing student population.  . The city planners are requested to encourage old warehouse sites for student accommodation;

j)  Universities continue to expand by approximately 2000 places per year which equates to 6000 extra bed spaces required. The local area will be absorbed at the cost of community, just to serve the student industry. Maybe there needs to be more control with any university expansion placing the burden of student accommodation directly with universities to encourage them to provide attractive accommodation for second and third-year students;

k)  student accommodation should be provided which students are happy and able to return to it in their second and third years of study, not just for their first;

l)  with regard to plan PA 81 Waterside-Meadow Lane, the proposal for primarily residential use is short sighted when the area is in need of employment. There are already strong local businesses on the site which may have to relocate. In addition with potential development, only short-term leases will be available to businesses, which stifles growth. Care needs to be taken not to undermine the local infrastructure and housing/employment balance.

Resolved to note the report.