Report of the Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing

 

TO THE MEETING OF FULL COUNCIL

ON WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2007

 

 

1.                  Assets

 

Surplus assets for disposal

 

Pre-tender discussions have been held with three leading international firms over the professional representation of the Isle of Wight Council and Partners in the disposal and regeneration of assets in public ownership.  An essential feature of the proposed tender will be the supply of additional operational resources on a project by project basis.  Tender documents are in preparation, incorporating input derived from the pre-tender meeting and visits to sample sites for regeneration.  It is expected that the selected firm will be appointed by the end of March.

 

Disposal and regeneration of Council-owned land may, in some cases, need to be considered against existing, saved, Unitary Development Plan policies pending completion of the new Island Plan and Area Action Plans.  Any time slippage in receiving approval from the Government Office South East to the saved policy, or in complying with the Government Office of the South East’s interpretation of UK habitat regulations (originating from EU directive and adopted by Government) would react adversely on the Council’s capital reinvestment programme (see Policy Formulation, below). 

 

Sustainability

 

Sustainability specifications for the Pan urban development project, which are in draft for discussion, will be applied more generally to the regeneration of Council sites where practicable.  I have asked officers to consider whether grey water system installation could be a condition of the approval of new build planning applications.

 

2.                  Planning

 

Policy formulation

 

The Government Office for the South East has objected to the Core Strategy, which was submitted by the IW Council for Government approval in accordance with the approved timetable, due to emerging interpretation of UK habitat regulations.  It is likely that the Core Strategy will need to be amended and resubmitted.  In the meantime those parts of the Unitary Development Plan that are still relevant to the Island’s economic development will be retained as the planning framework.  The Government Office may permit departure from outdated elements of the Unitary Development Plan on a case by case basis.  This permission is yet to be confirmed.

 

Pre-application process

 

It has been agreed by the Cabinet that Ward Councillors and Planning Officers shall be engaged invariably in pre-application discussion with landowners and developers.  A formal protocol is in preparation.  The Head of Planning is coping with a heavy backlog of difficulties arising from the planning process before he took office and this protocol may not be finalised for some weeks.


3.                  Housing

 

Housing Strategy

 

Draft strategy has been shared with a number of stakeholders, prior to the document being submitted to Cabinet in March.  Reaction has been positive, subject to doubts about the necessary land being made available to developers and consistent planning decisions.  Rural affordable housing provision has been highlighted as an urgent requirement.

 

Major projects

 

Pan Urban Development is on target.  Release of Council and other Public Authority land for regeneration has been referred to in the first paragraph of this report.

 

 

 

Cllr George Brown

Cabinet Member for Assets, Planning and Housing