Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/130

Contact: Peter Day, Minerals and Waste Policy Team Leader Tel (01865) 815544

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CA8).

The County Council must prepare and maintain a Minerals and Waste Development Scheme, setting out the programme for production of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The original Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme came into effect in May 2005 and a number of revisions have been made since then, most recently in February 2016. Part 1 of the Plan, the Core Strategy was adopted in September 2017 but the prolonged examination of that plan has delayed commencement of work on Part 2 of the Plan - the Site Allocations. The timetable for preparation of the Site Allocations plan in the most recent revison of the Development Scheme is therefore now out of date. A further revision of the Development Scheme is therefore now required.

The revised programme for the Site Allocations plan shows work having commenced in September 2017; consultation on site options in June 2018; consultation on a draft plan in January 2019; publication in September and submission for examination in December 2019; and the plan being adopted by the Council by November 2020.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)          approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Eighth Revision) 2017 at Annex 1, subject to final detailed amendment and editing, to have effect from 8 January 2018;

(b)         authorise the Director for Planning & Place to:

(i)      carry out any final detailed amendment and editing of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme that may be necessary, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment;

(ii)     take the necessary steps to bring the revised Scheme into effect from 8 January 2018 and publish the revised Scheme, in accordance with Sections 15 and 16 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended).

Recommendations agreed.

The County Council must prepare and maintain a Minerals and Waste Development Scheme, setting out the programme for production of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The original Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme came into effect in May 2005 and a number of revisions have been made since then, most recently in February 2016. Part 1 of the Plan, the Core Strategy was adopted in September 2017 but the prolonged examination of that plan has delayed commencement of work on Part 2 of the Plan - the Site Allocations. The timetable for preparation of the Site Allocations plan in the most recent revision of the Development Scheme is therefore now out of date. Cabinet considered a report seeking approval of the revised Development Scheme.

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment referred to the delays in the development of the Plan and that it was good that Part 1 was now adopted. The delay in producing Part 2 was understandable given the earlier delays with Part 1. He noted the proposed timetable included an additional 4 months to the current timings and hoped that this was now a sound estimate. The report at pages 193-194 detailed milestones and he would wish to see reports to the Minerals & Waste Cabinet Advisory Group (CAG) in order to track progress.

Councillor Constance in moving the recommendations thanked Peter Day for his efforts and welcomed the suggestion from Councillor Sanders for regular reports to the Minerals & Waste CAG. Peter Day added that he was happy to bring reports to the CAG at each key stage of the process. In respect of the timetable they would hope to prune it back but it was the best estimate of a realistic timescale based on experience. 

RESOLVED:             (by 6 votes for to 1 against) to:

(a)          approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Eighth Revision) 2017 at Annex 1, subject to final detailed amendment and editing, to have effect from 8 January 2018;

(b)          authorise the Director for Planning & Place to:

(i)      carry out any final detailed amendment and editing of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme that may be necessary, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment;

(ii)     take the necessary steps to bring the revised Scheme into effect from 8 January 2018 and publish the revised Scheme, in accordance with Sections 15 and 16 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended).