To provide General Scrutiny Committee with an update in regards to the operation and future development of the former Holme Lacy Primary School.

The Committee received a report from the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regulatory Services and Community Safety which provided an update in regards to the operation and future development of the former Holme Lacy Primary School.

During discussion the following principal points were noted:

·        The definition of affordable housing as described in annex 2 of the National Policy Planning Framework was housing for sale or rent for those whose needs were not met by the market (including housing that provided a subsidised route to home ownership and/or was for essential local workers.) Social housing was housing delivered by the Local Authority or other organisations such as Connexus in Herefordshire which charged a social rent for those on low incomes. Rents were set by a national rent officer for the Herefordshire area.

·        Within the planning process it could be specified that houses would only be available for those living and working locally.

·        Paragraph 9 of the report spoke of pre-application planning advice but the distinction was made that this was for the previous application done by Keepmoat. The Council, as landowner, had not yet sought pre-application advice as the proposal was in its very earliest stages and was not yet at the planning process stage.

·        All aspects of social amenities, including the capacity of GP services, would be rigorously considered by planning officers and the Planning Committee and put out to public consultation during the planning process stage.

·        The lack of amenities for new developments was something that always commented on at Planning Committee and yet virtually all applications were passed, as broad planning rules were set by national government rather than locally in Herefordshire.

·        The Council’s commitment to providing affordable housing of the highest standard was commendable but the issue of associated infrastructure needed to be addressed.

·        Comments from the Committee on how the assessment of current community infrastructure could be improved, and sustainable communities for the future could be delivered, would be welcomed.

·        The Heads of Terms information that accompanied planning applications going to committee clearly indicated the contributions that would be made to local transport, open green space, the library service, schools, the Wye Valley Trust Hospital and the CCG (for improvements to GP services). These outside bodies then had a responsibility to bring forward the services needed.

·        A point of clarification was made around the assumption that affordable housing was just for those on a low income. High earners often could not save for a deposit because of the high levels of rent paid and were therefore also in need of affordable housing.

·        Councillor Tyler, the Cabinet Member for Housing, took on board the comments made by Councillor Summers and committed the project management board to consult more with ward members.

·        At the Cabinet meeting held on 16 September 2021 new higher level environmental building design standards were approved.

·        As part of the drive to reach the Council’s zero carbon emission target by 2030, the Council was looking at more efficient heating sources such as solar and ground  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34