York’s Conservative Group will use their motion at this month’s Full Council to call for a group to be set up to look at improvements to planning in York, with a particular focus on Section 106 – these are payments made by developers to compensate communities for the harms the developments will cause.
The Conservatives have flagged a number of concerns including:
1. Millions of pounds held by CYC but unspent, this is money which should have been spent in communities and could now be at risk of being clawed back by developers.
2. A lack of sufficient process on following up consultee responses – for example two recent approved large housing developments have seen no funding whatsoever to the NHS, when typically such building would be expected to have over £1 million provided for doctor improvements etc.
3. Ward members and communities not consulted on S106 agreements which have meant development harms not being addressed, which could have been flagged by locals who know their areas best.
4. Breaches of planning rules not being adequately monitored or enforced – for example at the Copmanthorpe site (pictured) the conditions said works traffic was banned from driving through the village yet Cllr Steward saw numerous breaches including a convoy of six wagons drive all through the village and then park up (some on the pavement) as they were also there too early. His intervention saw four inch square plastic laminate signs which were ignored replaced with two foot square metal signs, but this should have been resolved within the S106.
Cllr Chris Steward said
After the passing of York’s Local Plan we are going to see a big increase in building across the city, now is the best time to ensure the processes are correct so that residents do not unfairly suffer with inadequate infrastructure and builders pushing boundaries of what they are allowed to do on matters like working hours and conditions.
The full text of the motion is below:
Council believes with York now having a Local Plan and set to deliver much needed homes it is more important than ever that the planning system works with residents for residents, and it does not believe this is how many residents currently feel it to be the case.
Council notes there are set to be changes nationally in planning process and elsewhere on the agenda likely to be changes to committee working in York.
Council calls for a cross-party Task & Finish group of the Planning Committee to be set up to look at improvements to the planning system and specifically the S106 process including the following:
A review of outstanding S106 money and the plans to spend it (and absolutely ensure any risk of it needing to return it to developers is minimised)
Improving the process of ensuring all consultees respond to S106 enquiries (noting for example a notable number of large applications which have received no NHS response)
Creating a system for ward members to be consulted on S106 agreements
Ensuring the monitoring of S106 agreements is rigorous and breaches are swiftly acted upon
