Agenda item

To consider the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan Update.

The Business Manager Strategic Place advised Members on the progress of preparing the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) and to recommend that a public consultation on a new vision for the plan, together with engagement on homes and infrastructure matters is held in October and November 2018.

He advised Members that the GESP was a combined plan of the four Local Planning Authorities of East Devon, Exeter City, Mid Devon and Teignbridge to cover the strategic maters for their area known as the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan. Devon County Council supported the plan. The four GESP local planning authorities would need to sign the document off before it could be published.

The Leader stated that by working together the five Authorities would be in a stronger position to put bids to Central Government for Infrastructure Funding to accompany the development in the Greater Exeter Area. 

During discussion Members raised the following points:-

·         Clarification as to the signing off of any amendments

·         Welcomed the approach to sustainable transport

·         Should there be a commitment to install electric charging points in car parks and on new housing developments?

·         Did the plan address transport issues of the rural districts

·         There was no mention of improvements to the A379

·         Allocation of Community Infrastructure Levy to Town and Parish Councils.

The Business Manager Strategic Place clarified that the Vision was now open and clear and in three sections covering ‘the plan’, ‘the priorities’ and ‘the place’.  It was expected that the plan would be adopted in 2021 and would run until 2040, the Teignbridge Local Plan expired in 2033. The final version of the GESP would need to be approved by Full Council. Measures would be considered to address transport from rural to urban areas including park and ride, car sharing clubs and transport exchange hubs.  Digital technology would be key to improving transport across the area. The consultation would be the opportunity for individuals to put forward suggestions, the transport scheme highlighted in the document were those that already had secured funding. The current housing target for the GESP area was currently 2600, new homes per year, although this would change in the future with new data, and development would be seamless across the district’s boundaries being in the most appropriate locations. The Council did not have a policy for the installation of electric charging points on new developments. The local proportion of the Community Infrastructure Levy would be for the Town/Parish Councils to spend as they see appropriate.

The Leader stated that a Sports Zone and Concert Venue to support the GESP area was an aspiration and that work would be undertaken on this in due course.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan document “Our Vision and how we make it real” attached as Appendix A to the circulated report be approved as the basis for public consultation; and

(2)        modifications to the draft consultation document could be made with the agreement of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, jointly with the equivalent Portfolio Holders in the other GESP local planning authorities.