Decision details

A report was received from the Head of Regeneration and Development which set out a change by the government to the internal space standards which could be required for all new housing developments.  This would be a policy to be included in the publication version of the Local Plan Part 2 which would state that all new residential development should comply with the standards set out in the Residential Design Guide (RDG), including the national space standards.

Councillor Sharpe introduced the report and explained that it was necessary to go through different iterations of the district plan, to show what had been deleted and what had been added.  The proposed change was due to the introduction of a new national standard of minimum internal space standards.  Whereas previously councils had had their own defined standards, councils now had to use the new national standards.  The current design guide contained the council’s own local standards so the policy documents needed to be amended.  This involved an uplift in living space standards, changes to the minimum floor area in bedrooms (a decrease to our own local standards).  The council did not have discretion; it was the national standards or nothing.  A quantity of housing was required to meet the needs in the town, but it should not be at the expense of quality. 

The Mayor commented that in some areas the national standards were better than ours, some were worse.  However, the important message was that the council would be applying standards when looking at planning applications.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.        approves for consultation the proposed changes to the table at 7.3.6 of the RDG as adopted in 2014.

2.        allows any post consultation changes of a minor nature to be agreed and signed off as the council’s adopted guidance by the Head of Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Development.

3.        delegates authority for the Head of Regeneration and Development in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Development to approve further regulatory or minor changes until such time as there is a full review of the RDG.