Issue - meetings

The Annual Monitoring Report assesses the performance of adopted planning policies and tracks the progress against the Local Plan Programme.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved to:

(1)      Note the contents of the Annual Monitoring Report.

The Committee received an Annual Monitoring Report assessing the performance of adopted planning policies and tracking the progress against the Local Plan Programme.

The Committee received a verbal introduction from the Head of Planning.

The following points were raised by the Committee:

a)            Emerging Local Plan: Members requested that the ‘Health and Wellbeing Strategy’ be added to the list of items that the new Epsom & Ewell Local Plan would consider. The Officer agreed that this would be incorporated into the report.

b)            DM12: Members raised concerns regarding the National Space Standards, including the way in which they do not take into account wheelchair-users. Members noted that as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic, more people are spending time at home (including to work) and that going forward this must be taken into consideration in planning for adequate amenity space.

c)            Bat and swift boxes: Members queried a requirement relating to bat boxes and swift boxes be added to conditions for Planning Applications. The Officer acknowledged that this was the case for most planning applications at present and would be looked at during the next review of the Local Plan. .

d)            Affordable housing: Members spoke about the possibility of the defining requirements for a major development be reduced from 10 or more dwellinghouses to 5 or more dwellinghouses. It was noted that this would be looked at during the next review of the Local Plan.

Following consideration, it was resolved that the Committee:

(1)      Noted the contents of the Annual Monitoring Report.