Agenda item

            Cabinet:

1       Approved the Planning Advice Note (as set out in Appendix 1) for use by the Regulatory Services Committee as ‘good practice’ guidance to demonstrate the Council’s commitment to economic growth;

2       Approved publication of the Note on the Council’s website; and

3       Notwithstanding (1) and (2), recognised that the current national planning legislation would continue to afford the policies in the Havering Local Development Framework (as the statutory Development Plan) greater weight than the Advice Note in the formal planning decision-making process.

The report sought Member approval for a non-statutory Planning Advice Note which would set out the key considerations that would be taken into account when determining planning applications for (non-industrial) business and employment uses within the Borough’s Industrial Areas.

The purpose of the note would be to demonstrate the Council’s ‘in principle’ commitment to responding positively to proposals which had the potential to grow the Havering economy.

The report made clear that the policies of the Havering Local Development Framework would continue to provide the formal policy context for the consideration of such proposals and would retain the statutory pre-eminence afforded by Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Reasons for the decision:

To set out the type of evidence that might be considered in respect of proposals in designated industrial areas and to reflect Havering’s broad support for measures that promoted economic growth. 

To assist officers and Regulatory Service Members when considering applications for non-industrial business uses within designated industrial areas by clearly setting out the considerations that might be taken into account. 

Other options considered:

The option of continuing to apply the Council’s planning policies as set out in the Local Development Framework and London Plan without the additional Advice Note had been rejected as it might have had an adverse impact on business growth in Havering for the reasons which have been set out in the report.  The adoption of the Advice Note would enable the Council to demonstrate its commitment to a prosperous local economy more quickly than formal alteration to the Local Development Framework.

            Cabinet:

1       Approved the Planning Advice Note (as set out in Appendix 1) for use by the Regulatory Services Committee as ‘good practice’ guidance to demonstrate the Council’s commitment to economic growth;

2       Approved publication of the Note on the Council’s website; and

3       Notwithstanding (1) and (2), recognised that the current national planning legislation would continue to afford the policies in the Havering Local Development Framework (as the statutory Development Plan) greater weight than the Advice Note in the formal planning decision-making process.