Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Cereste, Councillor Dalton and Councillor Lamb.

No declarations were received.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 March 2010 were approved and signed as an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2010 were approved and signed as an accurate record.

Councillor Lowndes, as Chairman of the Central and North Neighbourhood Council, introduced the report in order to highlight the concerns of local residents and Councillors expressed at a recent Neighbourhood Council meeting concerning traffic congestion and to request that Cabinet considers liaising with retailers to implement measures to alleviate the persistent traffic problems currently experienced along Maskew Avenue, Bourges Boulevard and into New England.

Cabinet was advised that officers were in communication with the owners of the retail land and a meeting had been arranged with the Highways Team in which the views of Cabinet could be passed on.  In response to a question, Cabinet was further advised that relevant traffic modelling and analysis had been carried out when the original plans for the works were drawn up.

CABINET RESOLVED TO:

(i)         Liaise with local retailers to alleviate traffic congestion around the Maskew Avenue Retail Park with emphasis on completing the works by the end of this year.

REASONS

To improve traffic access to and from the road network around Maskew Avenue Retail Park.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

Do not liaise with retailers to request commencement of works to the parking area – this could result in works being left unstarted for a longer period of time with no start or end date for works.  This would result in continued congestion for road users, hazards for emergency vehicle access and residents trying to access local services.

This report was submitted to Cabinet: (a) following approval of the Council’s Local Development Scheme by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government; (b) in accordance with the Peterborough Local Plan (First Replacement) 2005; and (c) following approval by Cabinet of a consultation draft Hospital Site SPD on 29 March 2010. 

Following the consultation period, the following aspects had been added to the draft version of the report previously approved:

·         Additional references to historic assets (listed buildings etc) incorporated to the text, further ensuring they are carefully considered as part of detailed planning application process;

·         New reference added to the SPD for the need for a single wider Nature / Biodiversity / Open Space / Green Infrastructure Strategy as part of a future planning application;

·         Additional reference to the need for future detailed development proposals to consider particularly carefully the issue of parking, both on site and off site. Parking was an issue frequently raised during the consultation exercise, probably reflecting the high level of on-street parking which currently exists in the neighbouring area;

·         Reference added to the need to consider the RECAP Waste Management Design Guide Toolkit Assessment.

Cabinet was advised that it was hoped a planning application would be submitted for the site as early as next year. 

The Policy and Strategy Manager advised Cabinet that traffic from the site was not considered to cause any problems and that the site would serve as an adequate gateway to the city centre with the retention of mature trees and most of the historic buildings.

CABINET RESOLVED TO:

         Adopt the Peterborough District Hospital Site Supplementary Planning Document as formal planning policy as part of its Local Development Framework.

         CABINET FURTHER RESOLVED TO:

         Include additional wording in section 6 (Application Stage) of the planning document to address concerns over construction traffic as detailed below:

Construction ManagementPlan - As part of a detailed planning application for the Hospital Site, a Construction Management Plan shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.  This shall include amongst other matters:

•     a noise management plan including a scheme for the monitoring of construction noise;

•     a scheme for the control of dust arising from building and site works;

•     a scheme of chassis and wheel cleaning for construction vehicles including contingency measures should these facilities become in-operative and a scheme for the cleaning of affected public highways;

•     a scheme of working hours for construction and other site works;

•     a scheme for construction access from Thorpe Road, and other neighbouring roads if applicable, including measures to ensure that all construction vehicles can enter the site immediately upon arrival, adequate space within the site to enable vehicles to load and unload clear of the public highway and details of any haul routes across the site;

•     a scheme for parking of contractors vehicles;

•     a scheme for access and deliveries including hours.

REASONS

          All statutory regulations regarding consultation had been completed and representations received taken into account.  Having  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Cabinet received the report outlining the scope, purpose and objectives of the Peterborough Rural Housing Strategy.  The strategy represented a joint response from Peterborough City Council (PCC) and the Greater Peterborough Partnership (GPP) to rural housing issues as identified in the GPP’s Rural Vision and Strategy.

Cabinet was advised that the Rural Housing Strategy sought to empower rural communities to address rural housing issues for themselves. The strategy document focused upon the three priorities:

·         Affordable Housing;

·         Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty; and

·         In-keeping design.

In response to a question, the Housing Strategy & Enabling Officer advised members that the document would be reviewed after 3 years to allow it to be updated and amended as necessary to remain relevant and useful.

Overall, Cabinet was supportive of the document and requested that an update on its progress be submitted to a Cabinet Policy Forum in six months time.

CABINET RESOLVED TO:

         Adopt the Rural Housing Strategy as a supporting document to the Peterborough Housing Strategy.

REASONS

         The Rural Housing Strategy represented a joint response between PCC and the GPP to address rural housing issues identified in the GPP’s Rural Vision and Strategy; lower levels of affordable housing, energy efficiency, fuel poverty and in-keeping design. The Rural Housing Strategy set out measures that sought to enable rural communities to address rural housing-related issues for themselves, with the assistance of both PCC and the GPP. The focus on empowering rural communities was essential in order to address many of the priority areas of the Rural Housing Strategy. The Rural Housing Strategy set out measures to connect rural communities with the agencies and services that would enable them to address issues, such as a lack of affordable housing for local people, for themselves.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

         The only alternative was not to prepare a Rural Housing Strategy and instead rely on the GPP Rural Strategy and Vision and existing wider Housing Strategy to deliver these aims. However, it was felt that it would be more appropriate to produce a document which had a separate focus for specific rural housing issues.

Cabinet received a report updating it on the progress being made in response to petitions received at Full Council in accordance with Paragraph 13 of the Council’s Rules of Procedure.

The clerk read out a statement from Councillor Sandford advising Cabinet of local support in opposing proposals to provide allotments on parkland in Gunthorpe and at Werrington Paddocks as contained in the petitions in sections 4.3 and 4.4 respectively of the report.

Councillor Holdich advised members that the issues in the petition concerning the playing field at Norwood School had been resolved with the public.

Councillor Lee advised members that the issues in the petition concerning the Dell Park had also been resolved.

Councillor Seaton requested that officers keep ward councillors updated concerning developments over traffic and noise pollution as contained in the petition at paragraph 4.6 of the report.

CABINET RESOLVED TO:

Note the actions taken in respect of petitions presented to Full Council.

REASONS

The Council’s Rules of Procedure require that Council receive a report about the action taken on petitions.  As the petitions presented in this report had been dealt with by Cabinet Members or officers it was appropriate that the action taken was reported to Cabinet, prior to it being included within the Executive’s report to full Council.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

Any alternative option would require an amendment to the Council’s Constitution to remove the requirement to report to Cabinet.