Agenda item

            The Sub-Committee considered a report which sought approval for the publication of the draft Town Centre Strategies for Halton Lea and Runcorn Old Town as Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD’s) for the purposes of statutory public consultation. The purpose of the SPD’s was to complement the Halton Unitary Development Plan (UDP), by providing additional guidance for those involved in the planning of new developments within Halton to:

(i)         enable the Town Centres to prosper without adversely affecting the health of any other;

(ii)            safeguard and strengthen the individual role of each town centre as a safe and accessible place to shop, work and enjoy;

(iii)       co-ordinate public and private investment decisions;

(iv)            improve the economic prosperity of the Borough through the creation of employment opportunities; and

(v)        ensure the highest standard of design and architecture within each town centre.

            Consultation which had taken place regarding the SPD and was outlined for consideration.

            In addition, a scoping exercise had been undertaken to determine whether or not a strategic environment assessment (SEA) was required to assess the environmental effect of the SPD. The conclusion was that an SEA was not required.

            The Sub-Committee was also advised that a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) was in the process of being produced and would be consulted upon at the same time as the respective Town Centre Strategies. Both the Halton Lea and Runcorn Town Centre Strategy SPD’s would also be subject to an appropriate assessment screening assessment.

            A further report would be submitted to the Executive Board seeking formal adoption of the Halton Lea and Runcorn Town Centre Strategy Supplementary Planning Documents. However, if comments were received during the public consultation process, which required alterations to be made to one or both of the SPD’s that materially affected the contents of the documents, a further period of public consultation may be required regarding those proposed alterations.

            It was suggested that authority be delegated to the Operational Director Environmental and Regulatory Services to approve any further statutory periods of consultation, on the SPD’s should they be required.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the two draft Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD’s): Halton Lea Town Centre Strategy and Runcorn Old Town Centre Strategy be approved (subject to being amended to reflect this Boards comments in relation to climate change) for the purposes of Statutory Public Consultation;

(2)            authority be delegated to the Operational Director – Environmental and Regulatory Services to determine all matters relating to the method, extent and content of the public consultation;

(3)       the comments received at the partnership consultation stage are noted;

(4)       further editorial and technical amendments that do not materially affect the content of the two SPD’s be determined by the Operational Director Environmental and Regulatory Services in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Planning, Transportation, Regeneration and Renewal, if necessary before the document is published for public consultation;

(5)            authority be delegated to the Operational Director Environmental and Regulatory Services to approve any further period of statutory public consultation, on the Halton Lea and Runcorn Old Town SPD’s should they be needed as a consequence of material changes being required to the documents as a result of comments received during the period of public consultation approved under recommendation 1;

(6)       the results of the public consultation exercises and consequent recommended modifications to the draft SPDs be reported back to the Executive Board for resolution to adopt as Supplementary Planning Documents; and

(7)            particular attention was brought to the need to include climate change issues as part of the SPD’s.