Agenda item
THE LONDON PLAN
The Committee will hear a presentation on this topic at the meeting.
Minutes:
The Committee heard a presentation from Ellie Kuper Thomas, Planning Officer, on the new London Plan. The Greater London Authority’s London Plan is being consulted upon until March 2018 for implementation and adoption in 2019. The Tower Hamlets Local Plan will be adopted in autumn 2018.
Ms Thomas explained that the key issues in the London Plan were:
· Ensuring good growth that is both sustainable and inclusive
· Re-balancing housing delivery
· Determining a policy on small site delivery
· Determining a policy on the green belt
The London Plan – themes included:
1. Planning London’s Future – target to make 80% of journeys sustainable.
2. Spatial Development Patterns – identifying strategic areas of regeneration.
3. Design – managing the impact of tall buildings and introducing tall building zones.
4. Fire safety.
5. Social Infrastructure – more public toilets
6. Economy – 400m hot food takeaway restriction zone to schools.
7. Pub protection policy, new emphasis in heritage policy
8. Green Infrastructure – new urban green factoring score to be introduced
9. Sustainable Infrastructure – air quality policy and circular economy of recycle and reuse.
10.Transport – target of 80% of all journeys to be made by public transport, bicycle or foot by 2041.
With regard to housing, the London target is to build 660,000 new homes, 65% of which should be affordable. Therefore the new Tower Hamlets housing target has reduced 3,931 to build 3,511 new homes a year.
Ms Thomas explained that eighteen new policies on housing were to be introduced. These included:
· Increasing housing supply
· Presumption in favour of small site development where no design code is present.
· Identifying ‘meanwhile’ use of sites for housing
· Increasing affordable housing target to 50%
· Threshold approach to applications
· Affordable housing tenure
· Redevelopment of existing housing and estate regeneration
· Ensuring best use of stock – to target voids and holiday let issues
· Housing size mix - determining suitable housing unit mix but not setting prescriptive dwelling size mix requirements for market and intermediate homes.
· Supporting build to rent and reducing affordable housing targets on such developments.
· Widening the definition of gypsy traveller
· Student Accommodation – increasing the target to 35% of affordable student accommodation.
· Introducing purpose built shared living
Questions and comments from Members
Some Members expressed concern that the increase in development projects would impact urban density, narrow streets, increase pollution levels, impact access to community services such as GP surgeries and negatively impact community cohesion. She elaborated by saying that some of the newer developments seemed to be purposefully segregating its residents from the wider community by restricting the use of the new building’s gyms and swimming pools to residents only.
They also queried why Tower Hamlets was seeing more development compared to outer London. Ms Thomas explained that it was due to a mixture of east London being a popular location and because there were a large number of feasible sites identified for development.
When asked if the Council knew where the 3511 new homes would be built, it was confirmed that the Council had a good idea of where development would be taking place due to site mapping exercises.
With regard to protecting pubs, Councillor Pierce asked if the plan included a more generous Section 106 agreement in order to enable businesses to thrive. Ms Thomson said that there was nothing specific on S106.
The Committee requested to learn more about the work of the Conservation and Design Advisory Panel (CADAP) to find out who they were and how the community could engage with their work. They requested a briefing note on CADAP.
ACTION: Michael Ritchie, Place Shaping Team Leader – Strategic Planning LBTH, to write a briefing note on the Conservation and Design Advisory Panel.
Members asked for clarification on the term ‘meanwhile use’, it was explained that this was the redevelopment of empty commercial premises for non-commercial use. Members agreed that the spaces should be utilised for community benefit.
Councillor Andrew Woods raised concerns about the small sites policy. He used an example from his ward to illustrate how the policy could be exploited. He said that there was an unsuccessful attempt to convert a garage space into a tall tower block of one room apartments. Ms Thompson assured Councillor Woods that there were design codes in place to prevent incongruous development.
Ms Thomas reiterated that the deadline for comment on the consultation was 2 March 2018. Members were instructed to get in touch with Ms Thomas if they had comments to add to the Council’s response.
RESOLVED
To note the presentation on the London Plan.