Lewes Councillors Back Calls For Planning System Changes

Lewes councillors have backed calls for changes to the planning system.

At a full council meeting on Thursday (July 15), Lewes councillors unanimously agreed two motions, both to do with planning and housebuilding. 

The first called on the council to make representations to the government on the planning reform bill, asking it to remove planning targets and to “put climate and biodiversity emergencies” at the heart of the proposals.

The second motion called on the council to back the introduction of new legislation on ‘healthy homes and places.’

The first motion was put forward by Cllr Zoe Nicholson (who was elected as council leader earlier in the same meeting).

She said:

“I know that many of you share the view of organisations like the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) … that the government’s proposed planning reforms threaten to bulldoze the environment bill and creates even less control over our current system than many of us would like.

“It deregulates it, it limits control and it potentially introduces zoning that will mean local people will have even less say over developments.

“Let’s face it, when the said charity, which isn’t exactly known for its hotbed of radicalism, says the bill looks set to make a developers’ paradise of our meadows and streams, then i think we really need to wake up and take some action together.

“This motion proposes we effectively lobby government and ask our local MPs to stand up for three particular things.”

These three calls were to abolish both housing targets and the housing delivery test, as well as to introduce new protections for climate and biodiversity within the planning system 

While no objections were raised to the core of the motion, the council’s Conservative councillors asked for an amendment adding an extra area on which to lobby the government.

This amendment, put forward by the council’s planning committee chairman Sharon Davy, called for the council to request that neighbourhood plans be ‘retained and strengthened’ as part of any potential planning reforms.

Cllr Davy said: “Our adopted neighbourhood plans represent many of our residents visions of how they wish to see their towns and parishes evolve. 

“Under the 2011 Localism Act a neighbourhood plan forms part of the statutory development for Lewes district and when determining planning applications. It is crucial that local plans must be given equal weight especially at examination level.”

The amendment was accepted by Cllr Nicholson and the motion was unanimously agreed shortly afterwards. As a result, cabinet member for planning Cllr Emily O’Brien is to write to secretary of state for housing Robert Jenrick setting out these requests and to local MPs asking for their support.

The second motion was put forward by Cllr O’Brien. It called on the council to give its support to the Healthy Homes Act – a piece of potential legislation based on the ‘healthy home principles’ campaigned for by the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA).

The potential legislation would see these principles – which include access to green spaces and low emission designs – become part of planning law.

On top of this, the motion also called on the council itself to look at adopting the principles as part of its new Local Plan and other decision-making policies. 

Cllr O’Brien said: “I understand we are the first council that is supporting this campaign by looking to adopt the principles at a local level. We have a chance to do something really new and important around doing the best for residents. 

“I think everyone in the room would agree that our mental and physical health is deep affected by where we live and how the places around us are designed.

“Good housing and well-designed communities are absolutely essential to both our physical and our mental health and our wellbeing.”

Again no objections were raised to the motion, but there was some criticism of the council’s record in living up to these principles in its council house building schemes.

Cllr Steve Saunders (Ind, Newhaven North) said:

“I find it quite ironic with the council having recently built [housing] in Fort Road, Newhaven with no play space. 

“The planning committee has just passed an application from the council for another multi-occupancy residence at the old police station site, which again does not include any play space.

“It will be interesting to see how this council moves forward with their future applications and future development sites … and makes sure each development the council brings forward includes what we are asking the government to ensure happens in future developments.” 

This view was disputed by Cllr O’Brien, who argued that the schemes mentioned were of high quality. 

Nevertheless, the motion was unanimously agreed when put to the vote.