Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 30 January 2025
The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Planning and Conservation Committee – 30 January 2025 – agenda and papers
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Planning and Conservation Committee – 30 January 2025
PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
Minutes
Date: Thursday 30 January 2025
Time: 4.00pm – 4.30pm
Location: Council Chamber, The Council House • North Street • Chichester • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ
PRESENT: Councillor Butler – Chair (AB), Vivian – Vice-Chair (JV), C Gershater (CG), McHale (SM)
EX-OFFICIO: The Mayor, Councillor Quail (SQ).
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk (TC), Planning Advisor via Zoom (PA), Communications, Civic and Council Support Officer (CCSO), Councillor Chant (RC), Councillor Squire (KS), Bill Brisbane of Chichester District Council and Cabinet Member for Planning (BB) and Councillor Simon Oakley of West Sussex County Council (SO).
101. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Hitchman (GH)
102. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
None were declared.
103. MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 7 NOVEMBER 2024
Committee APPROVED and signed the minutes as a correct record the minutes of the Planning and Conservation Committee meeting held on 5 December 2024.
104. UPDATES ON ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING
To note the completion of the following actions:
Minute 99 – PA delegated authority of planning applications until the next Committee meeting on Thursday 30th December 2025
The committee noted the PA update.
105. The Chair moved the following item up the agenda:
INSPECTION OF CHICHESTER DISTRICT COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN
The PA summarised for the Committee the advice of the Planning Inspectorate in its initial letter following the recent examination hearings of the Chichester District Council Local Plan. The inspector indicated that the Local Plan is capable of being found sound, subject to some modifications. Importantly, the inspector accepted the proposed reduced housing target of 575 dwellings per annum for the first five years of the plan period, with an increase in housing delivery required for the later period of the plan.
The suggested modifications will be made, and the revised plan will then go out for further community consultation. Following this, all representations will be sent to the Planning Inspector for final review, with the hope that the Plan will be accepted as ready for adoption, which should then be possible by late July 2025.
Once adopted, work on a new Local Plan will need to begin almost immediately, as it is likely to take approximately 5 years until the next Local Plan can be adopted. The next Local Plan will be required to meet the new housing target in the latest National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which has been set at approx. 1,300 homes per year for the whole of the CDC area (including that within the SDNP).
BB advised that from July 2026, the Chichester District Council (CDC) will have to apply a 20% buffer to the agreed housing targets (although this is still less than the new target of 1,300 homes), resulting in an increase in annual housing delivery numbers.
RC asked what new sites will be brought forward to achieve the 20% uplift. BB responded that this is currently being assessed. It is hoped that the regeneration strategy may be able to meet some of the requirements, but this will depend on increasing the wastewater treatment works (WWTW) capacity at Apuldram, as the lack of sewage connection availability is a development constraint.
CDC is still uncertain about the implications of Local Government reform and how this may impact commencing work on preparation of the new Local Plan.
106. APPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING PERMISSION
CC/24/02805/LBC
Committee noted the City Council’s own application, for a replacement lantern within the Council House.
CC/24/02910/PA3M:
Committee has NO OBJECTION
107. NEW PLANNING ITEMS RECEIVED SINCE PUBLISHING OF AGENDA
No new items were presented.
108. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE
The TC advised that the consultant had now largely completed their report, which had been delayed allowing it to incorporate the Planning Inspectors advice on the Local Plan update and to take in to account changes in the National Planning Policy Framework and proposed English Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation.
The final report will be circulated to all councillors as soon as it is available and will be an item on the Full Council agenda on 19th February.
109. NET ZERO WORKING GROUP
The committee reviewed the minutes and reports from the Net Zero Working Group Meeting on 4 DECEMBER 2024 and noted the progress the City Council is making towards their Net Zero commitments.
The Chairman advised that she has been approached by a local organisation about the possibility of organising a future energy workshop in the Assembly Room, for the community to attend and find out more about how they can reduce their energy usage.
The Committee agreed that the proposal be taken back to the Net Zero Working group to incorporate into their planned workshop.
110. REVISED NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (DECEMBER 2024)
The PA updated the committee on the recent changes to the NPPF that had been outlined in her report. The key change that impacts Chichester is the housing requirement for CDC, which is now increased to 1,300 new dwellings per year. However, once the new Local Plan is adopted later this year, this new, higher housing target will not be effective for a period of 5 years, until the new Local Plan and its adopted housing target becomes out of date. Instead, the lower target of 575 dwellings per year in the CDC area (excluding the SDNP area) will apply.
111. ENFORCEMENT MATTERS
No matters were discussed.
112. TRAFFIC ISSUES
The City Council had received notification of a proposed TRO to impose a 30mph speed limit on the A259 Cathedral Way. The Committee considered the proposals and had no objection, although they were concerned that the adjoining road at Via Ravenna should also be reduced to 30mph to avoid driver confusion.
RC asked if it would be possible to deploy SID devices in St James’ Road – TC requested details of possible locations to explore with WSCC, for their potential to be licenced.
113. ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NEXT AGENDA
Net Zero Working Group Minutes
114. DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING
DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: Thursday 27 February 2025
The meeting closed at 4.30pm.
ACTIONS ARISING FROM THIS MEETING
| Minute ref. | Action | Assigned to |
| 108 | Neighbourhood Plan Update to be placed on the Full Council Agenda on Wednesday 19th February. | CSSM |
| 109 | Incorporate local organisation to the Community Workshop Planning on Energy, for Net Zero Working Group. | PMM |
| 112 | Provide comments from Committee that the adjoining road should also be considered as a 30mph road. | TC |
| 112 | Request licence from West Sussex County Council to install SID device on St James’ Road. | TC |
| 113 | Net Zero Working Group Minutes from Thursday 23 January 2025, to be placed on the next Planning & Conservation Agenda. | CCCSO |