Issue - meetings

To consider and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport on a proposed decision to introduce a pre-application charging service for sustainable urban drainage advice to developers

(Mrs S Thompson, Head of Planning Applications and Bronwyn Buntine, Sustainable Drainage Team Leader , attended the meeting for this item).

1.         Mrs Thompson introduced the report which sought the introduction of an interim chargeable pre-application service for sustainable urban drainage advice to developers.  She stated that there was an intention to report back to the Committee in 2017 with recommendations for changes to a  wider Growth, Environment and Transport (GET)  charging scheme of which this would become part.

2.         Mrs Thompson then responded to the comments and questions raised by Members, and made points including the following:

(a)          The National Planning Policy Framework encouraged developers to seek local authority advice, but there was no statutory obligation for them to engage. 

(b)          The Local Government Act 2003 regulations allowed KCC to charge for the advice.

3.         RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport to introduce a pre-application charging service for sustainable urban drainage advice to developers, as set out at Appendix A in the report for engagement with representatives from the development industry via the Kent Developers Group, be endorsed and for the scheme to be reviewed as part of the wider GET charging review.