Agenda item

This is a report on the Council’s Planning Strategy and includes a presentation on the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) Local Plan.

Councillor Mashari (Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Growth, Employment and Skills) presented a report to the committee on the Council’s Planning Strategy. The current strategy was based on the Core Strategy, which had been adopted in 2010 and had been supplemented by the subsequent adoption of other Local Plan documents. The Strategy now required review to account for various developments including the adoption of the Brent 2020 vision, updates to the London Plan and the Old Oak and Park Royal  regeneration programmes. In reviewing the current strategy, the council had the opportunity to ensure that the plan addressed Brent’s priorities and that opportunities arising out of developments in and around the borough were maximised for Brent residents. A statutory review process would be followed with the new Strategy going live in 2018.  Key to the review would be the issues of housing provision and tackling poverty and it would be underpinned by a social structure needs assessment. A proactive approach to acquiring land for housing developments would be explored.

At the invitation of the Chair, Tom Cardis (Head of Policy, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)) delivered a presentation to the committee on the Old Oak and Park Royal regeneration advising the OPDC had now been in operation for fifteen months. The consultation activity undertaken in support of the development of a Local Plan for the areas was outlined to the committee and the key emerging issues identified. The timescales for further activity were set out and formal consultation of the Regulation 19 Local Plan would begin in March 2017.

Members questioned the extent to which National Planning policy restricted Brent in shaping its Planning Strategy and sought further information on the role of the Council in delivering affordable housing. Concerns were raised about how affordable housing was defined, the implications for public health priorities of housing developments with inadequate provision for local amenities and services and the effect of large developments such as the South Kilburn development on the local infrastructure, including public transport. Members questioned how the council was working with the OPDC to address issues of sustainability in view of the proposed scale of the developments. With reference to the South Kilburn development, it was queried how the council would support the provision of three-bedroom properties. A question was raised regarding the potential use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to acquire sites for development. Noting the modifications to the Development Management Plan policies to protect Public Houses from development, a member sought assurance from officers that this was an appropriate safeguard. An update was requested regarding the potential for securing a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) from the OPDC in the immediate term for use in the surrounding areas to the development.

Addressing Members’ queries, Paul Lewin (Planning Policy & Projects Manager, Planning Transport and Licensing) advised that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) did not prevent the council from pursuing a particular approach, but merely required that appropriate justification and supporting evidence be provided. Brent’s approach was consistent with NPPF. It was acknowledged that developers were able to refer to the NPPF to cite issues of viability to reduce the proportion of affordable housing in proposed developments, though the council had successfully taken a stronger stance on this issue. In taking a proactive approach to supporting the provision of housing in the borough, for instance by purchasing a site and making it available to developers, the council could assume some of the risk, allowing a greater proportion of affordable housing to be provided.  Councillor Mashari noted that land held by other public sector providers was a potential source of appropriate sites for development. Addressing the potential for using CPOs, Aktar Choudhury (Operational Director, Regeneration) advised that to obtain a CPO it would be necessary to demonstrate that all other options had been exhausted and that there was a proactive policy in place to develop the site. With reference to members concerns regarding the development of public houses, Paul Lewin confirmed that the protective provisions in the Development Management Plan policies were robust. It was agreed that an update on the work being undertaken to identify appropriate sites for development would be provided to the committee.

Paul Lewin confirmed that a closer relationship between the Planning Department and Public Health teams in the council had been created to ensure better understanding of public health pressures and noted that meetings would be held with the Brent Clinical Commissioning Group. Councillor Mashari confirmed that there would be an extensive consultation process and active engagement with members would be sought. Tom Cardis informed members that the OPDC had an environmental strategy addressing issues such as air quality and biodiversity, reflecting the London-wide environmental strategy. Parking was a key element to this strategy and parking controls would be applied. Arrangements were also in place to ensure that limits for pollutants were monitored during construction, with any breaches recorded and appropriate compensation provided.

In discussing the South Kilburn development, Paul Lewin explained that the affordable housing on the site was subsidised by the delivery of private housing. It was acknowledged that there was currently a significant dichotomy between the two and it would be necessary to provide intermediate tennures including three and four bedroom properties. Aktar Choudhury advised that Councillor Butt (Leader of the Council) sat on the OPDC Board and advised there was an for the committee to suggest to the Board via Councillor Butt, projects to be included in the OPDC Plan, such as the provision of three and four bedroom properties. Tom Cardis confirmed that a Community Infrastructure Levy was not currently in place for the Old Oak and Park Royal sites, however limited, unallocated Section 106 monies could be accessed and capital and revenue funding could be applied for. A working group with officers from the three affected authorities Brent, Hammersmith and Ealing would be convened to consider projects meriting investment in the areas surrounding the sites and consideration would be given to an appropriate mechanism to channel member input. Councillor Mashari confirmed that she would meet with Tom Cardis to further discuss how areas surrounding the OPD site could benefit from the funding available via the unallocated Section 106 monies.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.