Concerns wait for plan review could open door to 'aggressive' development
The concerns were raised at a meeting of Breckland council's cabinet on Monday September 20, 2021 - Credit: IAN BURT
A councillor has raised concerns that a period of three years in which a policy document could be out of date could open the door to “aggressive” housing development.
At a Monday meeting of Breckland District Council’s cabinet, deputy leader Paul Claussen said a policy in its Local Plan needed reviewing.
Breckland council's Conservative deputy leader Paul Claussen - Credit: Breckland council
A council report says that due to “a number of changes which have occurred since the Local Plan was adopted”, one of its policies is outdated, and needs reviewing - but doing so will only bring the plan up-to-date until 2024.
A "substantive review" of the entire plan is proposed for completion by 2027.
Independent councillor Roger Atterwill said: “We find ourselves in a situation where our existing local plan policies will not hold weight, possibly for a period of up to three years before the new plan is adopted in 2027.”
He then asked: “What that will mean for communities in terms of aggressive development applications coming their way?”
Council officer Simon Wood said: “We’ve responded to circumstances that are largely outside of our control and have come forward with a solution which we think is responsible.”
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He said the policy review was only one of “a suite of things that contributes to decision-making” on planning applications and the council remained “in a robust position for some years to make decisions based on the development plan".
Mr Atterwill also told Mr Claussen he was surprised a working group of councillors hadn’t been consulted on the proposals before Monday’s meeting.
He said: “I think that’s a little bit arrogant to be honest, and I’d like to know why that working group wasn’t consulted.”
Independent councillor Roger Atterwill - Credit: Archant
Responding, Mr Claussen said: “What we have is officers coming... wanting this paper to come to this cabinet meeting.
“There was only just enough time to get it through the process, so I had to take the decision, which an executive member is allowed to take, and many councils have only the executive member having oversight.”
Mr Claussen later said of Mr Atterwill: “He’s the only councillor in my entire time here that makes personal comments and I would just like to say what Margaret Thatcher said - when you get personal, it tends to show you’ve lost the policy argument.”
The cabinet then voted to proceed with the recommended timeline for the policy review and substantive review.
