Agenda item

Report and Appendices A to H attached

Members were asked to consider and note a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) prior to being presented at  which provided guidance on how Local Plan policies were applied and would be a material consideration when determining applications for planning permission within the Borough.

This “Local Design Guide” SPD had been prepared as part of a suite of guidance documents that expanded on policies within the adopted Local Plan (2019). The Local Design Guide SPD and accompanying technical appendices were intended as a guide for the design of development sites, with an aim to improving the quality of design within development proposals. They were as follows;

Appendix A- Stockton-on-Tees Local Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document Appendix B- Landscaping and trees- Technical Guidance and Standards

Appendix C- Play areas- Technical Guidance and Standards

Appendix D- Shop fronts and advertisements- Technical Guidance and Standards

Appendix E- Design Process Overview

Appendix F- Consultation Statement

Appendix G- Strategic Environmental Assessment Consultation Screening Report

Appendix H- Community Impact Assessment

The Local Design Guide SPD and accompanying technical appendices had been published for public consultation and the documents had been amended where appropriate based on the consultation comments received.

Adoption of the Local Design Guide would also see a number of existing SPD’s superseded.

The Officers recommendation was that the Planning Committee note the contents of the report and that the Local Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document be recommended for approval by full Council.

That the Planning Committee provide any comments on the SPD for consideration by Cabinet and Council; and

Note that the existing Supplementary Planning Documents (or elements of) would be replaced, full details of which were contained within the Officers report.

Members felt that they had not been given enough time to study the SPD fully and expressed that they wished a briefing session had been provided to enable them to go through the SPD in detail enabling them to make comments for consideration at Council.

The Planning Services Manger explained that the SPD was to provide guidance on how the Local Plan was interpreted and that the document was for guidance and not policy.

The Planning Services Manager also stated that he would be happy to go through some aspects of the plan at Planning training sessions and or put on a special training session focused on design.

A vote took place and the Officers recommendation was approved.

RESOLVED that:

The Planning Committee note the contents of the report and that the Local Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document be recommended for approval by full Council.

That the Planning Committee provide any comments on the SPD for consideration by Cabinet and Council; and

Note that the existing Supplementary Planning Documents (or elements of) would be replaced;

• Supplementary Planning Documents 1 - Sustainable Design Guide;

• Supplementary Planning Guidance - High Density Development, Flats and Apartments;

• Supplementary Planning Document - Shop Front Design and Advertisements, and

• elements of Supplementary Planning Document: Open Space, Recreation and Landscaping (section 8; Landscaping on development sites; Appendix 2 - Planting within Stockton-on-Tees; Appendix 3 - Tree protection; Appendix 4 - Tree planting specification for softscape areas)