Nigel Smith, Head of Development Investment for Kent County Council will give a presentation on planning legislation and planning agreements the authority involves itself in along with an outline of local works currently programmed.
Minutes:
Nigel Smith, Head of Development Investment, Kent County Council was in attendance for this item.
· Developer contributions to infrastructure which included both financial and other means of achieving social inclusion and community benefits;
· Examples of major projects and the multi-disciplinary teams working on them;
· Challenges provided by sourcing accurate data on demographic profiles, school attendance figures, etc. and the financial strain imposed by advice from central government on affordable housing and development of brownfield sites;
· The two-tier system presented a further challenge; district councils are the planning authority, not KCC.
· Changes arising from Department for Communities and Local Government consultation and planning obligations; community infrastructure levy;
· Basic principles including methodology, evidence based on data, planning policy and competing challenges;
· The purpose of changing vision to reality, achieving sustainability, and service delivery.
Q. Local authorities can identify what they need but no teeth to force service providers to do what they would like e.g. GP provision, only come where there is a business need, as GPs are businesses.
A. It is true, but LPA’s need to be pro-active from the start of developments.
Q. Can a commitment be got from a service provider, although evidence of need comes from them, so still can’t force them?
A. Developer has to fulfil planning obligations and pay for services. They cost it in during the land deal.
Q. The fact that the LDF in Dover has been in and gone out – has KCC been involved/agreed for the 14,000 new houses, even though there is no new water sources planned?
A. KCC is a statutory consultee and and objection by KCC would be looked on very dimly.
Q. How is highways and other infrastructure going to cope with extra housing?
A. There are documents that go into great depth into this issue.
Q. The highways case for the increased housing does seem very wrong.
Q. The things that the community really needs cannot be written in to the LDF. How are they going to come about?
A. KCC do have a direct link with the PCT via KASS, so do have influence/involvement with the provision of health care for example.
Q. What influence does KCC have over sustainable developments., getting building standards higher BREEM rated for example?
A. This isn’t anything that S106 agreements can do. Building regulations can control this, delivered through the LDF.
Q. In St Margaret’s PC, would District back up higher eco-standards set by the PC for new housing developments?
A. Can’t give an answer, as we may not have the capacity in the planners but do have the same ambitions. St Margaret’s bringing in their own standards might be difficult to administer by planning and create difficulties. .
Cllr. Paul Watkins explained that DDC was looking to achieve the highest eco-standard in new buildings and cited the development at Connaught Barracks being to Eco Standard 4 (possibly 5). Representations had been made to Government to designate this as an ‘Eco Region’. Cllr Kit Smith reported that as Dover was likely to achieve Growth-point status, which would act as a lever to bring in more funding from the Regional agencies towards provision of infrastructure. The White Cliffs Business Park development showed inward investment by SEEDA and English Partnerships. The Pines Calyx in St. Margaret’s was named as a good example of an eco-build house in the area.
Water companies say that if they reduce waste and usage (through conservation methods) they will have enough water for new houses.