Report by the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.
Recommendations:
That Cabinet:
1. Approves public consultation on the draft Bassingthorpe Farm Supplementary Planning Document.
2. Authorises the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment in consultation with Assistant Director – Legal Services to explore collaborative arrangements and negotiate draft terms with the majority landowner to progress delivery of Bassingthorpe Farm.
3. Notes further reports will be submitted to seek Cabinet approval of the Bassingthorpe Farm Supplementary Planning Document following consultation and any proposed terms with the majority landowner for the delivery of the site.
Minutes:
Consideration was
given to the report which presented the draft Bassingthorpe Farm
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), attached to the report at
Appendix 1, for public consultation. Bassingthorpe Farm was
identified as a Strategic Allocation in the Rotherham Local Plan,
including provision of around 2,400 new homes, 11 hectares of
employment land, a local centre and a primary school. The draft
Bassingthorpe Farm Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provided
more detail on existing planning policies to help bring forward the
site for development.
The purpose of the Bassingthorpe Farm SPD was to:
· Guide submission of planning applications and ensure timely delivery of strategic infrastructure on and off site.
· Ensure the provision of appropriate social and community facilities.
· Support any future funding bids for national grant opportunities.
The report set out various details from the SPD including the vision and principles; policy compliance; school provision; flood prevention; topography; climate change; the spatial framework; character areas; phasing; infrastructure; design codes and land ownership and delivery.
Preparation of the draft SPD attached at Appendix 1 had been undertaken
by consultants appointed by the Council. This included consultation with
other relevant services within the Council including Transportation, Housing,
Climate Change, Public Health, Ecology, Rotherham Investment and
Development Office (RiDO), and Drainage, and with representatives of
Fitzwilliam Wentworth Estates. It was anticipated that further engagement would be arranged during the consultation period to allow stakeholders to raise any specific questions and provide feedback on the detail of this draft SPD.
Consultation would be undertaken in accordance with the Council’s adopted
Statement of Community Involvement. This Statement set out how the Council involved the public and stakeholders in producing planning policy
documents and consulting on planning applications. A full consultation and
communication plan would be developed. Consultation would involve engagement with the public and stakeholders through a series of in person
events and drop-in sessions, accompanied by online accessibility to the
document and response form.
Subject to approval by Cabinet, it was proposed to undertake public consultation over a four-week period in Spring 2025. The exact dates would be confirmed nearer the time. Following consultation, any comments received would be considered in producing the final version of the SPD and a consultation feedback report prepared detailing the main issues raised and how these had been addressed. A further report would be brought to Cabinet later in 2025 seeking adoption of the SPD. The timing of this further report would be dependent on the timing of the consultation and the volume and nature of the consultation responses to the draft SPD.
Resolved:
That Cabinet:
1.
Approves public consultation on the draft Bassingthorpe Farm
Supplementary Planning Document.
2.
Authorises the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment
in consultation with Assistant Director – Legal Services to
explore collaborative arrangements and negotiate draft terms with
the majority landowner to progress delivery of Bassingthorpe
Farm.
3. Notes further reports will be submitted to seek Cabinet approval of the Bassingthorpe Farm Supplementary Planning Document following consultation and any proposed terms with the majority landowner for the delivery of the site.
Supporting documents: