The following motion has been submitted by Councillor Alan Shuttleworth:
“This Council recognises the work that our officers have taken in identifying all possible sites for residential development in accordance with the Government directive to meet the housing targets that they set for Eastbourne.
The Council notes that since this work was completed Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has stated that it is for Local Authorities to decide on whether or not sites are included in their Local Plan.
As the current position with preparations for the Eastbourne Local Plan have reached a stage where detailed assessment of the sites identified is conducted to inform a decision on whether they should be included or excluded from the plan as it progresses:
The Council resolves to commence that work immediately, starting with the two sites closest to the Pevensey levels, giving due consideration of the impact on the drainage infrastructure and the risk of flooding with the proximity to the Pevensey Levels, site of Special Scientific Interest.
Whilst the Council recognises the need for additional housing within the Borough, in order to achieve this, the Council calls upon Government to:
· Take action to progress the development on the many sites that already have planning approval; and
· To provide the necessary grant funding to enable the development of the Bedfordwell Road site to commence.”
Minutes:
Councillor Shuttleworth moved and seconded by Councillor Williams the motion as set out in the agenda.
Councillor Smart moved and Councillor Small seconded an alternative motion as follows:
“This Council recognised that it has been without a Local Plan for almost 6 years since 2018. That has left it vulnerable to developers experiencing the lack of a 5 year land supply to the Planning Inspectorate.
This Council welcomes the recent Bill which abolishes mandatory housing targets and contains other progressive measures; and
This Council welcomes the Government’s introduction of ‘Commencements Notices’ that will set out the timescales for build-out and allowing planning permissions to be revoked in instances of non-compliance; and
The Council will exercise the new discretionary power to charge 100% increased Council Tax on homes that have been empty for 1 year, holiday lets and AirBnB’s.
This Council will move expeditiously to prepare a Local Plan with an increased focus on employment growth and the related profession of infrastructure, amenities and housing to meet current and future residents’ needs.
With respect to housing, the Council should declare publicly how many homes should be built.
In the specific case of the much-delayed Bedfordwell Road site, it a business case cannot be developed to justify grant funding then the Council should seek to displose of its interest to a developer capable of delivering the affordable homes Eastbourne requires on this site.”
Councillor Shuttleworth advised that he could not support acceptance of the alternative motion without proper assessment, but that it raised a number of questions that needed to be answered. He proposed amending his motion to add an additional recommendation ‘That when bringing a report back to Cabinet on the local plan, officers consider and address the issues raised in the alternative motion’. Councillor Williams agreed to accept the amendment as seconder.
The motion (as amended) and the alternative motion were debated by the Council.
The alternative motion proposed by Councillor Smart was put to a vote and lost by 8 votes for, 19 against.
The motion as amended by Councillor Shuttleworth was put to vote and carried by 26 votes to 0, with 1 abstention.
RESOLVED (By 26 votes to 0 with 1 abstention)
‘This Council recognises the work that our officers have taken in identifying all possible sites for residential development in accordance with the Government directive to meet the housing targets that they set for Eastbourne.
The Council notes that since this work was completed Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has stated that it is for Local Authorities to decide on whether or not sites are included in their Local Plan.
As the current position with preparations for the Eastbourne Local Plan have reached a stage where detailed assessment of the sites identified is conducted to inform a decision on whether they should be included or excluded from the plan as it progresses:
The Council resolves to commence that work immediately, starting with the two sites closest to the Pevensey levels, giving due consideration of the impact on the drainage infrastructure and the risk of flooding with the proximity to the Pevensey Levels, site of Special Scientific Interest.
Whilst the Council recognises the need for additional housing within the Borough, in order to achieve this, the Council calls upon Government to:
· Take action to progress the development on the many sites that already have planning approval; and
· To provide the necessary grant funding to enable the development of the Bedfordwell Road site to commence.”
That when bringing a report back to Cabinet on the local plan, officers consider and address the issues raised in the alternative motion proposed by Councillor Smart and as set out above’.