Agendas, Reports & Minutes of Meetings

LOCAL PLAN REVIEW CABINET ADVISORY GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 2020/21

Introduction and Background

It is anticipated that the Local Plan will be adopted in Spring 2020.

As a result of the Secretary of State’s intervention in the Local Plan process, the Council was directed to complete a review of the Local Plan within six months of adoption.

The term “review” has previously been used to describe the whole Local Plan process from early stages through to adoption. Government guidance now identifies two stages - review (when work is undertaken to determine the need for, and scope of, any update to a Plan); and update (the process of further evidence-gathering; policy formulation and assessment; engagement and consultation; and the formal Publication and Examination processes, through to adoption).

The review process is a Council-led process, but also involving key external stakeholders as appropriate, of reviewing policies and key issues to assess whether the Local Plan needs to be updated, and to determine the scope of any update.

Some issues have already been identified through the current Local Plan process as requiring review:

·  To consider the implications of climate change;

·  To review the provisions of the Plan in relation to Manston Airport in the light of a decision on the Development Consent Order;

·  To assess the implications of the Local Housing Need Methodology on housing requirements for the district;

·  To consider the provision of Gypsy & Traveller sites to meet identified requirements; and

·  To ensure compatibility with the most recent National Planning Policy Framework.

Other issues may emerge during the review process.

Purpose of the Local Plan Cabinet Advisory Group

·  To consider the need for an update of the Thanet Local Plan;

·  To consider the possible scope of an update to the Plan; and

·  To advise Cabinet of the views expressed by the Group.

Membership, Chairmanship and Quorum

Terms of Reference

1.  To review the adopted Local Plan and establish whether an update is necessary;

2.  If so, to consider the scope of, and work programme for, any update of the Local Plan;

3.  In their considerations, the Group should have regard to compliance with the relevant legislation, government policy and guidance, to the other parts of the Development Plan for the area and to all other material considerations, including emerging evidence;

4.  The Group will receive briefings from Officers in the review process about key issues and outcomes from evidence-gathering and discussions with stakeholders;

5.  Following the final meeting of the Cabinet Advisory Group, the key findings/conclusions/ recommendations of the Group will be presented to Cabinet.

General

The work of the CAG is restricted to the stated terms of reference highlighted above unless they are reviewed by the Leader.

Notes

This Cabinet Advisory Group was established through terms of reference approved by an Individual Cabinet Member decision made by the Leader of Council on 28 January 2020.