Action on Strategic Local Plan
Action is underway to review the Strategic Local Plan (SLP) for the St Albans District.
The SLP, drawn up by St Albans City and District Council, identifies land for housing and other building developments up until 2031.
A Planning Inspector’s ruling that the Council did not meet its duty to co-operate with neighbouring local authorities was upheld this month by the High Court.
That has meant the Council cannot proceed with the SLP without considering changes, particularly to the figure for the number of homes needed in the District.
In response to the High Court decision, the Council is now preparing a series of measures to overcome the Inspector’s concerns.
The first move will be a meeting of all the Council’s political group leaders and planning spokespersons.
This has been scheduled for next week and is intended to ensure continued cross-party support for the Council’s approach to the SLP.
Following this, fresh talks with neighbouring authorities will be arranged to try and reach an agreement on improving cooperation.
Discussions will take place with adjoining and nearby councils including members of the South West Herts Group (SWHG).
SWHG objected to the SLP on the grounds that the Council had failed to co-operate with them on the issue of housing need.
A date for the talks has yet to be confirmed, but it is hoped it will take place before the autumn.
In a further move, the Council will seek a meeting with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
This is because the DCLG is due to unveil a new methodology for calculating housing need. The Council will seek clarification on how this might impact on the SLP.
Councillor Mary Maynard, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “We are going to be very busy over the summer ensuring that the SLP can hurdle the obstacles in its way.
“A lot of hard work has gone into getting to this advanced stage and I am determined that we will continue to progress and maintain cross-party support.
“We disagreed with the claim we had failed to co-operate with other local authorities and were disappointed that our High Court challenge failed.
“However, that legal issue has been settled now. We have to accept it and move forward with the effort to finalise an SLP for the District.
“The key will be our talks with neighbouring authorities and the Government over the District’s housing need.”
Councillor David Yates, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on planning, said: “I hope that further discussions with our neighbours will also enable us to present a single voice to the County Council and the Government on the infrastructure deficiencies across our area.
“Many of the problems that each of us are facing simply cannot be solved by a single local authority”
Councillor Iain Grant, Labour group spokesperson on planning, said: “With the government set to make potentially significant changes in the near future to the framework under which the SLP would be assessed and examined for soundness, particularly on housing need, it will be helpful to discuss those changes with neighbours and seek to share our understanding of their implications.”
Last year, the Council submitted its draft SLP for approval to the DCLG and Planning Inspector David Hogger examined it. He concluded that the Council had not met its duty to co-operate.
The Council began legal proceedings to challenge his ruling in January this year and was allowed a Judicial Review. However, Judge Sir Ross Cranston upheld the Inspector’s ruling earlier this month.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Mary Maynard, Portfolio Holder for Planning, St Albans City and District Council. Tel: 01582 620801.Email: Cllr.M.Maynard@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council
Tel: 01727 296130. E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk