Report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing attached

This report covers the proposed response to the Planning White Paper, published for consultation by the Government which closes on 29 October 2020.  It also includes the response to the Government consultation on “changes to the current planning system” which required a response by 1 October.  The report also covers the recent changes to the permitted development rights regime, highlighting some of the potential challenges the new rights may bring to the city and concludes with an update on the emerging Local Plan for Manchester and the next steps for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF).

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing, which informed Members of the proposed response to the Planning White Paper, published for consultation by the Government which closed on 29 October 2020.  It also included the response to the Government consultation on “changes to the current planning system” which required a response by 1 October.  The report also covered the recent changes to the permitted development rights regime, and concluded with an update on the emerging Local Plan for Manchester and the next steps for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF).

The main points and themes of the report included:-

·                A summary of the proposed planning reforms and the significant challenges these would bring to how the Council used the planning system to enable and deliver key outcomes for the city including economic and sustainable growth, jobs and new homes;

·                An overview of the key matters for consideration in the Council’s response to questions posed in the Planning White Paper;

·                A summary of the proposed changes to permitted development and use class changes and how this might impact on manage the quantum and mix of development in key parts of the City;

·                The  next steps associated with the development of the Local Plan, which included consultation on a Scoping Report for the Integrated Assessment; analysis and further commissioning of key elements of an evidence base and development of a draft Local Plan;

·                The GMSF was reaching an important stage with a final publication version of the plan due to be consulted on from early November until 31 December 2020; and

·                The plan was then intended to be submitted for examination in summer 2021, with the Council’s Executive being considering a report on 14 October 2020 recommending approval of the Publication consultation.

Some of the key pints that arose from the Committees discussions were:-

·                There was concern that the proposals within the Government White Paper would remove the ability for local people to shape the place in where they lived;

·                The proposals failed to address the issues Manchester faced in relation to planning and they would not help Manchester deliver its affordable homes strategy;

·                There was concern in relation to the proposal to increase the further digitalisation of both local plan and development management processes;

·                There was also concern about the proposal to introduce a fast-track for beauty through changes to national policy and legislation;

·                There was concern that proposals to set some policy targets at a national level rather than at a local level could have a negative impact on Manchester to deliver its net zero carbon development target by 2028;

·                Further clarity was needed on what the prior approval process proposals in regards to permitted development would mean;

·                The driving principle of the Council’s response to the White Paper should be centred around the fact that the proposals would diminish the opportunity for locally distinctive policies that reflect specific local conditions and drive the Council’s priorities;

·                There was a lack of detail in the White Paper around how the proposals would address climate change;

·                There was concern that the proposal to outsource Listed Building consent would have a negative impact on the Council’s enforcement powers;

·                It was felt that the response around the class order change relating to the conversion of office space to residential space could be strengthened;

·                The proposals were a threat to the Council’s ability to achieve its priorities for the city and to local democracy and Government was misunderstanding what was slowing down house building in the country;

·                There was concern around the impact to fire safety in light of the proposals within the White Paper;

·                It was heartening to see the views of local residents as to how they would like to see Manchester develop as part of the Issues consultation of the Local Plan, however was the level of responses received been enough to give the process legitimacy;

·                There was concern about the proposal to compress some of the later stages of the Local Plan in order to allow the Plan to be adopted in  2023; and

·                How was the Council proposing to act on TFGM’s response to the Issues consultation in relation to public transport and zero carbon targets.

The Committee was advised that Government felt by setting a number of policies at a national level would reduce the duplication of these across numerous local authorities.  However  it was commented that this ignored the need to acknowledge the distinctiveness of local areas, such as Manchester.

The Director of Planning supported all the concerns that had been raised by the Committee, noting specifically the difficulty the Council would face in trying to deliver its Zero Carbon target if these targets were set nationally and those around the ability to locally determine fire safety requirements in developments .  In terms of prior approvals, this was already in place for particular developments, and allowed developers and applicants to submit proposals for assessment, however, the Council was limited in refusing these developments at present.  She agreed that further detail was needed from Government on how the proposal to outsource building consent work in regards to enforcement powers that the Council currently had available.

The Committee was advised that Government had already introduced measures around class order changes, however there was a legal challenge taking place brought by a number of civic societies against the introduction of these orders.  The Council was awaiting the outcome of this challenge before it determined what response it might need to take.

It was reported that the Council wished to press on with the local plan within the current legislative framework whilst acknowledging the risk should the proposals within the White Paper be adopted wholesale and the impact of these on the Local Plan.  It was commented that transitional arrangements would be put in place which should result in Manchester adopting a Local Plan that it wanted which would then mean any future review would need to be undertaken under any new legislative framework

The Committee was advised that the level of responses to the Issues Consultation on the Local Plan was in line with similar consultations around the Core Strategy at a similar stage.  It was explained that there had been quite a significant response to the Our Manchester Strategy re-set which covered similar issues so Officers were liaising with colleagues on these responses to help feed into the Local Plan consultation. 

Officers acknowledged that the response from TFGM was a key response and they were working closely with colleagues on transport issues.  One aspect that would be brought forward would be a refresh of the Transport Strategy 2040 and a local implementation plan, picking up key local transport streams outside of the city centre.

Decision

The Committee:-

(1)       Supports the Council’s draft response to the Government White Paper.

(2)       Requests that the Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport and Officers take on board the comments made by Committee Members to strengthen areas of the response were appropriate.

(3)       Notes the updates on the emerging Local Plan for Manchester and the next steps for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF).