To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2009.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2009 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs M Chapman-Allen and Mrs P Quadling.

To note whether the Chairman proposes to accept any item of urgent business.

None.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests pertinent to the items on this agenda.  The Members’ Code of Conduct requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a personal or prejudicial interest.

Mrs A Steward declared a personal interest in item 5 as a family member had put land forward for consideration in Shipdham.

Note

Members are kindly requested to bring to the meeting their copies of the Site Specific Policies and Proposals Issues and Options Consultation document (orange cover) and Additional Sites Consultation Spring 2009 (purple cover) for reference.

The Chairman welcomed the Ward Representatives, Parish Councillors and members of the public attending.

He explained that there were 83 rural settlement boundaries in the district currently under review, to consider if they were still fit for purpose.  The Council wished this process to be consistent, transparent and just, for all parties.

This meeting was part of a long process and there would be three further opportunities to make representations.  The Task & Finish Group’s conclusions would be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Commission in February 2010, who would in turn make recommendations to Cabinet.  A six week consultation would then take place with landowners and town and parish councils.  The results of that consultation would be presented to Cabinet in July 2010 and then to Council.  A further six weeks of consultation would follow.  Finally, in spring 2011 representations could be made to the Inspector at the Examination in Public of the Council’s final decisions.

The Chairman apologised for the omission of Tavener Ward from the agenda running order and noted that it would be dealt with after Swanton Morley.  He then concluded by explaining that following the officers’ presentations there would be discussion by the Committee and the opportunity for Ward Representatives and Parish Council representatives to comment.

The Principal Planning Officer then presented his report.  He said that as part of the Site Specifics process, it was necessary to reassess the form and function of the settlement boundaries, in light of changes to local and national planning policies. 

The purpose of the settlement boundaries was to consolidate development around existing built-up communities and to protect areas outside those boundaries as countryside.  In the countryside there was a presumption against development unless it was needed for the rural area (such as affordable housing or business expansion) and there were policies in the Core Strategy document to allow for that.

Settlement boundaries also defined areas that had some form of service provision to support sustainability.  Only 44 villages were considered to have two key rural services.

There were three options available to the Group:

1. To delete or remove the settlement boundary (Appendix A)

-          where there were very limited or no opportunities for further development;

-          where there were less than two key rural services.

2. To keep existing settlement boundaries (Appendix B)

-          where they remained fit for purpose

-          this option included boundaries that had been updated using new mapping technology.

3. To amend existing boundaries (Appendix C)

-          to tighten them to exclude areas;

-          to loosen them to allow additional small-scale sites;

-          to update inconsistencies.

Each Ward was then discussed in turn.

EYNSFORD

Bawdeswell - two small changes proposed.

Mr David Shannon, representing Bawdeswell Parish Council, said they supported the recommendation and they were also in agreement with the decision not to include the major development sites put forward.  They did however support the three small proposed additional sites at the south-west corner of the village.  They did not want a large extension but would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Friday 11 December 2009 at 09.30am in the Village Hall, Mundford.

The arrangements for the next meeting on Friday 11 December 2009 were noted.