Agenda item

This report outlines a request for additional budget to support the review of the Brent Local Plan and seeks approval for the necessary delegations to address the stages prior to submission of development plans for examination.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve £880,000 to be added to the Local Plan budget reserve to be used for the processes to support delivery of a review of the development plan documents.

(2)       To delegate authority to the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member Regeneration, Planning and Property to approve Development Plan consultation material to be issued in the stages prior to any final draft plan proposed to be submitted for examination.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 15 September 2025

Councillor Benea (as Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods & Regeneration regarding the provision of additional budget to support the review of the Brent Local Plan and seeking approval for the necessary delegations to address the stages prior to submission of development plans for examination.

In introducing the report, Cabinet noted the vital importance of the Local Plan in terms the framework provided to guide new development across the borough in order to ensure that it was able to deliver the homes, infrastructure and spaces needed reflecting current challenges whilst also protecting the character of the area.  As such, the need to ensure the Plan remained current and avoided becoming out of date was highlighted as a key consideration in any review to avoid shifting power away from local decision makers and the loss of the associated protection for local residents.

In recognising the impact over recent years of building safety rules, viability pressures and the challenging housing market, the Council was therefore seeking to act proactively in terms of the timing of the review.  Members were advised that by acting now the Council would ensure it had the tools required to help shape growth positively, fairly and sustainably for decades to come and in a way that was able to respond to continued population growth in a sustainable way, providing new homes, particularly affordable ones, while protecting Brent’s businesses, enhancing green spaces and ensuring Brent’s rich heritage continued to be safeguarded.

As an additional element, it was pointed out the review would also enable the Council to strengthen its response to the climate emergency, embedding higher environmental standards and supporting the ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030 whilst also providing the ability to strengthen policy where residents had raised concerns, whether that was limiting the over concentration of student accommodation or tackling the gambling harms linked to adult gaming centres.

In seeking to tackle the housing crisis, members were reminded that Brent had over recent years delivered more homes than almost any other borough in the capital with Councillor Benea outlining the determination to go further.  Whilst supporting the delivery of national housing targets, members were, however, assured that the approach would be based on a plan developed for Brent to ensure growth and development was targeted in the right places, around transport hubs and growth areas enabling new schools, parks, GP surgeries and other associated infrastructure to also be delivered in a way designed to use available land responsibly while protecting the character of the borough.

In addressing concerns regarding the scale and density of development, including the use of taller buildings, members were advised of the way in which the Plan was also designed to ensure the type of development reflected the nature and status of an area, including those designated as growth areas, enabling them to be matched with supporting infrastructure and also employment opportunities.

In recognising the focus of the review around responsibility, ambition and fairness members welcomed the approach outlined as a means of ensuring the Council retained the necessary tools to plan for the future not only in relation to meeting housing need but also protection of the borough’s heritage, social and cultural infrastructure and in seeking to safeguard its environmental and economic infrastructure whilst also strengthen community life.  On this basis Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve £880,000 to be added to the Local Plan budget reserve to be used for the processes to support delivery of a review of the development plan documents.

(2)       To delegate authority to the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member Regeneration, Planning and Property to approve Development Plan consultation material to be issued in the stages prior to any final draft plan proposed to be submitted for examination.