Minutes
Meeting Title:
/ Infrastructure Providers GroupDate:
/ 7th July 2011Time:
/ 10.00 – 12.00Location:
/ Council Chamber, Carrick House, TruroChaired by:
/ Corine DykeAttendees:
/ Corine Dyke (CC planning), Heidi Sims (CC planning), Sarah Thorneycroft (CC Planning), Miles Carden (MC), Dan Ratcliffe for Alyson Cooper (CC Historic Environment), Andrew McDouall (Natural England), Chris Vercoe (Devon and Cornwall Police), Claire Burch (Network Rail), Suzi Benson for Colin Edwards (CC Property), Dave Watkins (CC Hydrology), Elizabeth Fletcher (CC Schools), Hilary Gooch (CC Green Infrastructure), Jeff Evenett (SW Ambulance), Louise Geddes-Brown (CC Property), Mark Beighton (South West Water), Mark Harvey (CC Transport policy), James Evans (CDC), Neil Hayhurst for Peter Rugg (CC Planning), Philip Heseltine (Plymouth Head of Transport), Rachel Bice (CC Waste), Shaun Pritchard (Environment Agency), Paul Webber (CC Planning), Matt Williams (CC Planning), Ben Bassett (CC Planning)Apologies:
/ Andy Stevenson (CC Highways), Anne McSeveney (CC Shared Services), Chris Pollard (CC Property), Garth Weaver (RCHT), Ian Parsons (Highways Agency), Jackie George (CDC), John Dixon (Plymouth CC), Mark Howarth (Western Greyhound), Mark Summers (CIOSPCT), Martin Clemo (CC Flood Defences), Matt Sidney (CC Transport), Nigel Ashcroft (CDC), Paul Martin (CC Waste), Peter Hearn (Plymouth IDP), Rob Lacey (CC planning), Steve Crummay (CC Natural Environment), Steve Havers (CC Planning), Ted Simpson (CFRS), Terry Grove-White (CC planning), Tim Wood (CC Transport), Tony Berndes (Western Power), Versha Koria (HCA), Miriam Hoole-Jackson (CC Planning),Minutes
/Action
/1
/Welcome and apologies
· Corine Dyke opened the meeting with introductions.2
/Infrastructure Delivery Plan project update (presentation on website)
· Core Strategy: CD outlined progress with the Core Strategy and how the IDP Schedules fit into this process. The specific town housing growth figures are emerging underpinned by evidence from the Town Frameworks. This work will continue throughout July and August, with a ‘preferred approach’ going to Cabinet in September before going out for public consultation in October. Will look at Falmouth/Penryn and Saltash today in terms of the impact housing growth has on infrastructure.
· Infrastructure Requirements: ST presented an extract of information that will be sent to all providers that gives an overview of the settlements that will be allocated significant growth (‘000) and those that are likely to be allocated modest and local needs growth. This will be accompanied by maps. As figures emerge for growth levels outside of the main towns these will be passed on. ST will be contacting all providers to get their feedback on how growth will impact on their infrastructure and what it will mean in terms of the provision of new infrastructure.
· Costing the Core Strategy: Work has been undertaken at a Cornwall wide level and incorporates as much data as we have on infrastructure costs. This is our best guess at this stage as not all infrastructure types are included. It appears that dispersing growth is likely to be about 4-5% more expensive than concentrating growth in the towns. This will form part of the evidence base. Once we have confirmed figures for growth at a local level the same exercise will be repeated for each community network area providing a more realistic picture of infrastructure costs.· Priorities: Work is taking place to bring together local priorities for infrastructure, and we are working with the Localism Team to identify and fill gaps in our information.
· Community Infrastructure Levy: currently working with the Affordable Housing team to assess viability of the CIL and affordable housing targets on housing sites. We hope to use the same consultants to assess viability on other development sites such as industrial, retail, etc. On track to publish our preliminary draft charging schedule in the autumn.
· IDP Update Report: we did intend to publish an update report in June but this has proved impossible given the resources we have. We will therefore publish this information in a series of short reports over the next couple of months, and let you know of their availability by e-mail and the Newsletter.
· IDP Database: HS gave a presentation on how the IDP database is developing, the links to other strategies such as the Local Investment Plan, and the types of reports it can produce. It is hoped to link every record to our GIS, and then share this information with everyone via the HCA’s SIGNet system, which will allow sharing between IDP partners via a secure website.
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/ Re-Locating Infrastructure – Chris Vercoe (Devon & Cornwall Constabulary) – presentation available on web site· Chris gave an overview of the approach D&C Constabulary are using to plan their resources to deal with housing growth. This is based on a national toolkit devised by the Association of Chief Police Officers.
· This system takes the housing growth figures proposed, identifies the extra population arising out of this growth, and equates this to additional workload created and impact on the police estates.
· Chris used the example of growth in East Devon to illustrate how the toolkit works, and growth in this area, including the new settlement of Cranbrook would result in additional costs of £2.6 million which suggests a CIL charge of £142 per dwelling.
· His team are working on toolkits for the rest of the force area.
Questions:
· Some query over the dwelling to population figures – need to take into account reducing household size, etc.
· How will secure by design principles impact on the CIL charge – should pay less? Secure by design is not compulsory in housing developments so difficult to estimate how many will be built in this way. CC is looking to incorporate these principles into the Design Guide. It can be a good selling point in commercial developments.
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/ Core Strategy update and growth figures· Paul Webber gave an overview of responses received from the Core Strategy Options Report consultation. No clear preference has emerged on either the level of growth or how it should be distributed.
· Evidence is emerging on the levels of growth that are acceptable at a local level for many of the main towns in Cornwall as part of the Town Frameworks and other plans.
· This will be used with Members at an informal Planning Policy Advisory Panel (PPAP) meeting planned for the 18th July, taking a growth figure of 48,000 as their starting point.
· Members will then meet formally at PPAP meetings on the 4th and 26th August – the final ‘preferred approach’ to be signed off at the 26th August meting so that it can go to Cabinet in September and then out for public consultation.
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/ Falmouth/Penryn· Matt Williams (MW) gave an overview of the process used by each town framework to assess sites around each of the main towns and to identify those that were the most appropriate to be considered for new development.
· He then gave a brief summary about the sites that had been identified for consideration around Falmouth and Penryn, summarising the issues that had been identified in each one such as transport, topography and other constraints.
· This equates to about 3,600 new dwellings.
· There is a pro-active steering group in Falmouth/Penryn
· The group was then asked to feedback their initial thoughts on the proposed areas and level of growth.
· Mark Beighton (South West Water) there is a hydraulic model available for Falmouth/Penryn which can be re-run to test the growth options proposed. Expensive and resource hungry so need some realistic options to test before running the model – MW to supply. There are issues with saline infiltration in the area. Depending on what level of growth is chosen there may be a requirement for upgrades or even a new waste water works.
· Philip Heseltine (Plymouth CC) – proximity to rail stations – transport is already looking at integrated transport solutions.
· Shaun Pritchard (Environment Agency) – higher levels of growth than those proposed would be good in terms of getting more through CIL
· Dave Watkins (CC Environment) – we are confirming local flood risk strategies over the next 12 months and CIL can be used for flood defence.
· Elizabeth Fletcher (CC Schools) – growth at the proposed level would require a new primary school, growth at a higher level would require 2 new primary schools and a new secondary school.
· Jeff Evenett (SW Ambulance) – Falmouth has a fit for purpose ambulance station so growth close to the town centre will be better. There may be a requirement for additional staff and vehicles to cope with high levels of growth.
· Dave Watkins (CC Environment) – surface water drainage may be an issue because of the topography of the area – MW the sites most affected have already been discounted.
· Louise Geddes-Brown (CC Property) – queried where the jobs were being created – MW plans for an additional 1,500 new jobs at Falmouth Docks, but may need to look at additional employment opportunities on the sites identified. There are some small sites around Mabe but these should reflect the aspirations of Mabe not Penryn. / MW
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/ Saltash· Ben Bassett (BB) gave an overview of the sites that have been identified around Saltash.
· The proximity to Plymouth has a massive impact on the town as many people work in Plymouth, and this has affected the viability of the town centre.
· Historically there have been many urban extensions remote from the town centre, and people commute to Plymouth from here.
· Saltash is looking at options of 1,000 up to 3,500 new dwellings.
· The group was then asked to feedback their initial thoughts on the proposed areas and level of growth.
· Mark Beighton (South West Water) a hydraulic model is also available for Saltash. There are also saline infiltration issues in Saltash. If the small housing sites went ahead the current infrastructure could cope. If the larger, higher growth options were proposed significant new investment would be required in terms of a new pumping station and bridge crossing to Ernesettle or a new waste water works being developed at Saltash. Need to build in long lead in times in order that planning be approved, funding agreed etc.
· Rachael Bice (CC Waste) – if lower levels of growth are proposed there may be a need for a new Household Waste Recycling Centre – if higher levels were proposed it would definitely be needed.
· Elizabeth Fletcher (CC Schools) – there is capacity to cope with lower levels of growth, higher levels of growth may mean that the re-location of the secondary school will have to be considered again.
· Philip Heseltine (Plymouth CC) – queried the evidence for needing 3,500 new dwellings as concerned about increased travel into Plymouth. Plymouth is sticking to its growth agenda and will increase its pull from East Cornwall. There are travel options being looked at such as a park & ride on one of the sites, giving public transport priority, different bridge toll rates, etc. The Tamar Bridge has capacity at the moment, but high levels of growth could increase traffic by 550 cars at the peak times, and may be at capacity by 2023 or earlier. We are able to use Parliamentary Act to fund better transport links to the City centre, Derriford Hospital and perhaps some of the main employment sites. Saltash station I in a poor state of repair.
· Mark Harvey (CC Tranport) – Plymouth will always be a draw in East Cornwall. Also need to consider how residents of sites north of the A38 will walk or cycle into the town centre – could be expensive in terms of road crossing/bridges.
· Jeff Evenett (SW Ambulance) – the current station should be able to cope with lower levels of growth but higher levels would require the station to be re-located – happy to investigate a co-location opportunity.
· Miles Carden (CDC) – queries the employment site identified – steeply sloping so may only be able to use part of it. Would need to develop on large sites north of A38 to get enough employment in the area.
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/Date of next meetings – outlook appointments to be sent
· 15th September, 2.00-4.00, Carrick Council Chamber· 13th October, 10.00-12.00, Carrick Council Chamber / ST
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