Agenda and minutes

Apologies of absence were received from Councillors J S Forrest and T Davies

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel meeting held on the 14 September 2021.

Councillor L Keeble asked officers to confirm if they had been able to investigate the use of satellite technology to assist in the Tree Teams inspections of the Council’s tree stock. The Head of Development Management addressed the Panel to advise that this technology had been discussed with the Principal Tree officer following the comments made at the previous Panel meeting. On reflection it was decided that this was not something that the Council would pursue any further for inspections. It is felt by officers that hands on, close contact with the trees is vital in carrying out a thorough inspection to ensure that disease and damage is discovered at the earliest possible opportunity.

It was AGREED that the Minutes of the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel held on the 14 September 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no announcements made by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in accordance with the Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct and disclosures of advice or directions received from Group Leaders or Political Groups, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

There were no declarations received from Members of the Panel.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

There were deputations received at this meeting.

To consider a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Implications of Natural England advice on New Forest Recreational Disturbance, which is to be considered by the Executive on the 07 December 2021.

The Panel received a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Implications of Natural England advice on the New Forest Recreational Disturbance. The report outlined the issues surrounding the impact of increased recreational pressure on the New Forest National Park designated sites following advice from Natural England.

Members discussed the report at length and expressed their concerns over Natural England’s interpretation of the research commissioned by a group of local planning authorities to assess the impact of new development on protected sites in the New Forest. The data has subsequently led to the new advice from Natural England and Members asked if this data had been challenged. The Head of Planning Strategy and Economic Development explained that the Council must have regard to the Natural England advice as a statutory consultee. The pragmatic solution that has been developed by officers to mitigate the impact on the protected sites is an interim solution agreed by Natural England. Officers intend to carry out their own research during the interim period to ensure that the Council’s approach continues to offer proportionate mitigation effectively.

Members commented that, although paragraph 17 of the report states that letters have already been sent to both the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), more must be done to lobby Central Government to address the implications the advice from Natural England has on local Planning Authorities such as Fareham. The Panel agreed that this be put forward as a recommendation to the Executive.

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel: -

a)    note the contents of the Executive report at appendix 1 to the reports; and

b)      request that the Executive consider an additional recommendation (d) in their report at the meeting on the 07 December 2021, being that this Council continues to lobby Government for responses to the letter sent to them by the Leader, relating to the advice provided by Natural England on this issue.

To consider a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Fareham Borough Solent Waders and Brent Geese Mitigation Solution, which is to be considered by the Executive on the 07 December 2021.

The Panel received a report by the Director of Planning and Regeneration on the Fareham Borough Solent Waders and Brent Geese Mitigation Solution. Mitigation measures are required to avoid adverse effects on the Solent Waders and Brent Geese populations at sites which have been allocated for housing and employment in the Fareham Local Plan 2037. The report, which will be considered by the Executive on the 07 December 2021, seeks to brief the Executive on the mitigation solutions for these sites.

RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel: -

a)    note the contents of the Executive report at appendix 1 to the report; and

b)    support the recommendation as set out in the Executive report at appendix 1.

To consider an update from theHead of Planning Strategy and Economic Development to on prevailing planning strategy matters.

There were no Planning Strategy Updates provided at the meeting.

To consider any items of business dealt with by the Executive since the last meeting of the Panel, that falls under the remit of Planning and Development Portfolio. This will include any decisions taken by individual Members during the same time period.

The Chairman asked Members of the Panel to consider the items of Executive Business which included a tabled item which has been appended to these Minutes.

No comments were received.

To provide an opportunity for Members to consider the scrutiny priorities for the Planning and Development Panel.

Members of the Panel were invited to consider the Scrutiny Priorities for the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel.

Members asked that an item on increasing sea levels be brought to a future meeting of the Panel. The data that is gathered by the Environment Agency and the Coastal Partners on the rising tides could provide a topic of interest due to this data’s influence on local development and the coastal management work.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor M J Ford addressed the Panel to suggest that Members consider an item on Bird Aware Solent. The Council funds a proportion of the work that Bird Aware Solent undertakes in light of the Mitigation Strategy, so a greater understanding of this work and how the funds are used could form an interesting topic for the Panel.

RESOLVED that the Panel considered the Scrutiny Priorities for the Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel.