Agenda and minutes

In the event the fire alarm sounds attendees will be advised to evacuate the building via the nearest fire exit and assemble at the Bottle of Notes opposite MIMA.

The Chair welcomed all those present and advised attendees of the fire evacuation process.

To receive any declarations of interest.

The Chair announced the passing of Brian Dinsdale, the former Chief Executive of the Council between 2003 and 2005 and prior to that he had been Chief Executive at Hartlepool Council since 1988.  The Chair invited Members to join her in a minute silence.

The Chair invited the Executive Member for Development to present the report.

The report sought approval of the Publication Local Plan, which set out the Council’s emerging planning policy framework that would guide development and decisions on planning applications and covered the period 2022 – 2041. Critically, it set out the housing allocations where new housing development was proposed to take place, alongside other planning policies for housing; economic growth; green and blue infrastructure; physical, social and environmental infrastructure; the historic environment; and design/placemaking.

Once agreed, the Publication Local Plan would be subject to a statutory period of public consultation, following which the plan would be submitted to the Government for Independent Examination ahead of its adoption. There was a statutory duty for the Council to prepare a Local Plan for its area. The Publication Local Plan had been prepared in accordance with national policy and legislation, taking into account other Council plans and strategies. This included being based on a robust evidence base.

It had been informed by two earlier public consultation exercises. The implications of the recommendations had been considered by the appropriate officers of the Council and were set out in the main body of the report.

The implications of the report had been considered by officers and the existing Local Plan was not fit for purpose.

Members were advised the Local Plan was an important document and the current Local Plan was not fit for purpose. The updated plan would address the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework which were detailed in the report.

The plan would give the Council an opportunity to determine where new housing was built rather than leave it to developers. Due to changes in the National Planning Policy Framework, there were transitional provisos which would allow Middlesbrough to increase the number of its dwellings to 418 throughout the plan period. National guidance allowed for up to 522 dwellings per year and as such if the report was not agreed the Local Plan would need to be reconsidered using the higher number of 522 dwellings.

The Executive Member commented there had been concerns from residents about aspects of the previous Local Plan. These had been considered in the updated version, such as the allocation of a traveller site which was now to be Canon Park. 

The Executive Member invited questions from Members of the Council.

A Member commented it was a relief to see an updated version of the Local Plan before Council and there were several important elements of it. One of those related to hot food takeaways, and while it was important to consider wider health implications of this, it was also important to recognise the economic benefits. Another important part of the plan concerned  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/108