To consider the Herefordshire Travellers Development Plan Document (DPD) for pre-submission publication in accordance with regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (as amended) prior to its consideration at full Council on 13October 2017; and

To report the recommendations of General Scrutiny Committee of 11 September in relation to the Travellers Development Plan Document; and

To refer the DPD to Council with a recommendation that, following the completion of the presubmission publication period and consideration of duly made representations, it be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent testing in accordance with section 20(3) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

That:

(a)  the responses at paragraph 40 to the recommendations made by General Scrutiny Committee be agreed; and

(b)  the following be recommended to full Council:

              (i)      the draft Travellers Sites Development Plan Document 2011 – 2031 at appendix 1 be approved for pre-submission consultation;

             (ii)     authority be delegated to the Programme Director Housing and Growth, following consultation with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure, to make any technical amendments required to the draft Travellers Development Plan Document and supporting documents resulting from the completion of ongoing technical work before pre-submission consultation begins;

             (iii)     authority be delegated to the Programme Director Housing and Growth, following consultation with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure, to make any minor textual or graphical amendments, prior to the submission to the Secretary of State; and

             (iv)     following completion of the pre-submission publication of the Travellers Sites Development Plan Document and its supporting documents, the documents be submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination in Public.

Not to produce a Travellers’ Sites DPD. This is not recommended because the document is a required element in the local development scheme and when adopted will form part of the Herefordshire Local Plan. The inspector’s report to the core strategy examination stated that the council must make the submission and adoption of a Travellers’ Sites DPD a key priority in order to plan effectively for the needs of the travelling community, meet the requirements of National Planning Policy for Traveller Sites and comply with the public sector equality duty.

Not to delegate authority to make necessary and minor amendments. This is not recommended because it would be impracticable to await a further meeting of full Council to address such issues.