Issue - meetings

Mrs Sarah Lee, Principal Planning Officer (Strategic Planning), presented a report which set out the factors which influenced the Council’s review of its Local Plan. The approach presented incorporated the inclusion of air quality measures which had originally been required by the Inspector in the form of an Air Quality Development Plan Document (DPD). However instead of producing an Air Quality DPD it was recommended to include this work within the Local Plan review instead. The reason the approach had changed was because it would make more sense for air quality matters to be considered alongside the new evidence and approach considered by the Local Plan Review, rather than having a DPD that had been prepared in advance and was of more limited scope.

Councillors Wilson and Harper spoke on this item as visiting members.

Following a question from a Member of the Committee Mrs Lee confirmed that the air quality measures within the current local plan were sufficient until the Local Plan Review had been completed. It was noted that the approach of considering air quality alongside the local plan review would delay introducing new air quality measures by six months.

In response to a question from the Committee it was confirmed that the wording in paragraph 1.7 vii of the Officer’s report related to Section 106 funding for transport improvements identified in the Maidstone Integrated Transport Plan which had been secured alongside planning permission approvals and was not an admittance of Maidstone Borough Council accepting Kent County Council’s approach of using Section 106 monies to fund feasibility work for a possible Leeds-Langley relief road.

RESOLVED:

1.  That Council is recommended to adopt the Local Development Scheme (2018-22) in Appendix 1, to come into force on the date of adoption.

2.  That the factors influencing the scope of the report are noted.

3.  That the proposed Air Quality Development Plan document is agreed to be incorporated into the Local Plan review and a separate Air Quality Development Plan Document is not progressed.

Voting: Unanimous