Agenda item

The Commission considered a report of the Chief Executive concerning the current position in relation to the East Midlands Regional Plan arising from the Cabinet’s consideration of the matter on 6 October 2009. A copy of the report, marked ‘D’, is filed with these minutes.

The Chairman advised members that a recent meeting of the East Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA) Board had resolved to endorse the County Council’s view that it would be beneficial to approach the Minister for Housing with a view to achieving a deferral of the partial review of the Regional Plan, given the current economic and housing market uncertainty and the limited availability of data and evidence relating to the impact of the economic downturn of the future requirement for new homes.

It was reported that the timetable requiring Section 4(4) Authorities to submit advice on the review by 31 December 2009 would not allow full and proper consideration of consultation responses from key stakeholders. Members were further advised that, as the review only affected housing projections after 2021, it was not necessary to carry out a review of the housing aspects of the Regional Plan at this time.

Arising from questioning, the Commission was advised:

• That there existed a possibility that Regional Spatial Strategies could be abolished. If this were to be the case, there would likely be an increased level of responsibility placed on local members and councils in identifying areas for land development;
  
  
• The current levels of vacant new properties would be taken account of when assessing new housing provision;
  
  
• As no alternative proposals were currently available for Option 4, and in light of the Government’s rejection of the Co-Operative Group’s plans for an Eco-Town in Stoughton, EMRA had been advised that the Authority believed it should be rejected at this stage.

RESOLVED:

(a)               That the current position in respect of the Regional Plan be supported and that the summary timetable for the partial review be noted;

(b)               That a further report setting out the views of the County Council as a Section 4(4) Authority be submitted to the next meeting of the Commission.