To approve the submission of the draft Croydon Local Plan Review and its associated Sustainability Appraisal.
Minutes:
Mayor Jason Perry in moving the recommendations, stated that the report outlined how housing needs would be achieved whilst preserving Croydon’s character and creating vibrant places for people to live, work, and visit. He highlighted the following areas of the Plan:
· new policies on Houses with Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to minimise that often negative impact on neighbours, with new policies focused on the environmental impact, such as in stores, as well as the cumulative impact of an over, concentration of HMOS within a particular area.
· climate change policies, which bring Croydon into line with 2021 London Plan for achieving Next Zero with post, development monitoring being put in place.
· amended policy around cemeteries and burial grounds to meet the burial needs of all communities within the borough.
He further stated the following:
· the views of communities, given in the 2022 consultation, and more recently, through workshops with Resident Associations, and councillors had been taken on board to ensure that the changes to the local plan would serve Croydon residents.
· the Plan would ensure contribution to meeting housing needs and supporting sustainable development whilst protecting the character of Croydon’s neighbourhoods.
· the Plan had been reviewed at a scrutiny sub-committee and a six, week consultation would take place this summer to gather the opinions of residents, businesses, and community groups about the proposed changes and to test the soundness of the plan against the Council’s evidence base.
· the acceptance of the Labour Group amendments.
Councillor Mohammed Islam, stated that after various meetings with local communities, it became clear that there was a need to ensure a provision of burial facilities that met the needs of all people in our borough.
He stated that the nearest Muslim burial ground, Eternal Gardens in Campbell Park, Sidcup was nearly an hour driven from Croydon, a journey that could be daunting and burdensome, especially during time a time of mourning.
With the Labour Group amendment, residents could look forward to a future where the establishment of new burial grounds in the borough was not encumbered by policy restriction.
Councillor Chris Clark stated that there were thousands of people on the council housing waiting list and according to the 2023 Strategic Housing Market Assessment, 1,817 new affordable homes must be built each year meet this level of need. The labour Group amendment which proposed representations to the government to make changes to national planning policies would enable this level of annual need for affordable homes to be met, and the Council would work with partners, including the Greater London Authority and the Government, to maximize the delivery of affordable housing in our Croydon every year.
He highlighted other proposed amendments from the Labour Group such as:
· to reduce the environmental impact and effects on neighbours of any new Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) by making it a requirement that they must have adequate space for recycling.
· to facilitate the delivery of additional spaces will meet the future needs of all communities in our borough by making clear that meeting places in the borough for voluntary and community sector organisations were desired and therefore to be protected and their availability improved.
· to promote the delivery of air quality, positive developments. To encourage modern, energy efficient building techniques for the construction of times.
· to make it clear that the most appropriate site for a new university in Croydon was in the town centre.
Councillor Jeet Bains who seconded and reserved the right to speak stated that the local plan review, evidence space had been updated and the Plan would contribute to meeting the borough’s housing need which was a confirmation of the Special Strategy to concentrate development in the most sustainable locations, the inclusion of a new policy in respect to HMOS, the identification of local green spaces, and updating policies to address climate change.
In closing, Mayor Jason Perry said that it was important to consider the impact of new schemes on the environment especially in case of HMOS, the new bespoke policy would ensure air quality, meet minimum space standards and the threat of over spilling bins would no longer be the norm in future.
For the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet report 27th March 2024, associated appendices (Appendix 1) and Labour Group amendment, Council RESOLVED to agree:
1.1 The submission of the draft Croydon Local Plan Review and its associated Sustainability Appraisal (as per Appendix 1 but subject to the amendments set out in 4.6, the Labour Group amendment and any further minor changes arising from any representations received) to the Secretary of State following the conclusion of the statutory 6- week publication and consultation period in accordance with; Section 20(1) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and;
2.1 Delegate to the Corporate Director for Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, the making of minor modifications and factual corrections to the draft Croydon Local Plan Review and its associated Sustainability Appraisal arising from any representations received and prior to submission to the Secretary of State.
Supporting documents: