Contact: Stuart Roberts, ext 6782 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Individuals and organisations have been invited to make representations on the draft South East Plan which has been submitted to Government by the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA). This report recommends the representations which should be made by the County Council. They focus on three key themes: the amount of development proposed; infrastructure provision; and sustainable development and quality of life. Some of the proposed representations are in support of various policies in the draft Plan; others seek amendments to the document.

1.2 Issues arising from the representations made by all parties will be discussed at an informal public inquiry called an Examination-in-Public (EiP) during winter 2006/07. Selected issues only will be discussed and participation will be by invitation. It is proposed that the County Council should state its wish to participate in the EiP.

1.3 A draft list of the issues and participants will be published on 31 August 2006, with four weeks for comments.

1.4 The following decisions were made:

(i) That the following representations be submitted as the County Council's response to the draft South East Plan:

(a) To seek amendments to the following policies:

CC1 (Sustainable Development)

CC5 (Infrastructure and Implementation)

CC12 (Character of the Environment and Quality of Life)

H4 (Affordable Housing)

H5 (Housing Density and Design)

NRM1 (Sustainable Water Resources, Groundwater and River Water Quality Management)

NRM3 (Sustainable Flood Risk Management)

EN1 (Development Design for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)

W3 (Regional Self-sufficiency - Waste)

W4 (Sub-Regional Self-sufficiency - Waste)

C2 (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
BE5 (The role of small rural towns (Market
Towns)) - support text only
SH3 (Sub-Regional Strategic Gaps - South Hampshire)

SH11 (Transport Management and Integration - South Hampshire)

SH12 (Scale and Distribution of Housing Development - South Hampshire)

WCBV3 (Scale and Distribution of Housing Development - Western Corridor and Blackwater Valley).

(b) To support the following policies:

CC3 (Resource Use)

CC4 (Sustainable Construction)

H1 (Housing Provision - Support Plan, Monitor, Manage)

NRM4 (Conservation and Improvement of Biodiversity).

(c) To make a procedural representation in respect of the need to give adequate publicity to, and allow proper debate at the Examination-in-Public of, the Appropriate Assessment of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, including extending the Examination-in-Public programme if necessary.

(ii) That the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to finalise the formal representation forms for submission to the Examination-in-Public Panel.

(iii) That the County Council should seek an invitation to participate in the debates at the Examination-in-Public on the issues to which the representations relate.

(iv) That the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to respond during September on behalf of the County Council to the draft list of Examination-in-Public issues and participants.

1.5 The Environment Policy Review Committee considered a report on this matter on 22 June 2006.

2. Reason

2.1 This decision supports Aim 2 (Stewardship of the environment), Aim 3 (Achieving economic prosperity) and Aim 4 (Building strong and safe communities) of the Corporate Strategy, by ensuring the draft South East Plan protects natural resources and protected landscapes, by supporting economic growth, and by ensuring adequate infrastructure to support employment and housing growth.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Not to respond to consultation on the draft South East Plan.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or Other Executive Member Consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: ..................................... Date: ...................................

Councillor T K Thornber

765Decn/SR