Decision details

6.1

The Executive Director of City Futures submitted a report and associated appendices recommending the Council’s response to the representations received as a result of public consultation on the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan that took place from 9th January to 20th February 2023. The main body of the report highlights the key issues that were raised and outlines the recommended Council response. Recommended responses to all the main issues raised in the representations are set out in the Consultation Statement on the Publication Draft Plan (Appendix 1).

Appendix 2 recommends a schedule of suggested amendments to the Plan that are derived from the recommended responses. Officers consider that these amendments are needed to make the Publication Draft Plan ‘sound’. If approved by full Council, they would be submitted to the Government alongside the Draft Plan. The amendments will then be considered by an independent Planning Inspector as part of the public examination (following submission of the Plan to Government).

Appendix 3 of the report lists recommended other minor amendments to the Plan to correct errors (mainly typographical) or update factual information that has altered since the Plan was approved by full Council in December 2022. These do not need to be considered by the Planning Inspector.

The proposed amendments are set out in a tracked change version of the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan at Appendix 4 (showing all the suggested changes that are listed in Appendices 2 and 3).

Appendix 5 provides a list of the ‘submission documents’ and, when relevant, refers to updated positions on these documents. Updates will generally have resulted in response to comments received as part of the public consultation, and/or owing to the iterative nature of these documents.

The report also sets out the timetable and process for submitting the Sheffield Plan to the Government for public examination.

6.2

RESOLVED: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) endorses the recommended responses to the main issues raised in representations on the Publication Draft Plan set out in the Consultation Statement (Appendix 1);

(b) endorses the suggested amendments to the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan set out in Appendix 2 and shown as tracked changes within Appendix 4;

(c) endorses the suggested other minor amendments to the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan set out in Appendix 3 and shown as tracked changes within Appendix 4;

(d) notes the ongoing evidence updates with respect to the relevant ‘submission documents’ as set out in the main body of the report and within Appendix 5;

(e) delegates authority to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Chair, Deputy Chair and Spokesperson of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, to bring forward further minor amendments to the Publication Draft Sheffield Plan and updates to associated documentation prior to consideration by full Council; and

(f) refers this report to full Council in accordance with the constitution to seek

approval to submit the Draft Sheffield Plan and associated documentation to

the Government for independent examination.

6.3

Reasons for Decision

6.3.1

Once adopted, the new Sheffield Plan will make a major contribution to the future development of the city and will guide development over the next 15-20 years. It is important that the plan is adopted as soon as possible.

6.3.2

The documents that are the subject of this report (Part 1: Strategy, Sub-Area Policies and Site Allocations, Part 2: Development Management Policies, Annex A: Site Allocation Schedule, Annex B: Parking Guidelines, Policies Map and Glossary) comprise the draft development plan documents for Sheffield. They were published under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). The submission documents will include such documents as fall within the definition at Regulation 17 (as agreed by full Council on 14th December 2022).

6.3.3

The suggested amendments to the Draft Sheffield Plan set out in Appendix 2 of this report (and shown as tracked changes in Appendix 4) may or may not be supported by the Inspector. The Planning Inspector will only consider whether the plan is sound and whether it complies with the legislation. However, proposing amendments now should help to save time at the public examination hearings. It also shows respondents to the consultation how the Council has been able to take on board their comments

6.3.4

The Draft Sheffield Plan represents the Council’s firm proposals for the development of the city over the period to 2039. The public consultation, seeking views on the ‘soundness’ of the Plan is a required stage before the Draft Plan is submitted to the Government for public examination.

6.3.5

The recommendations reflect earlier decisions taken by full Council on 14th December 2022 for decisions on any desired amendments to the Plan to be taken by the Strategy & Resources Policy Committee and then full Council.

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

6.4.1

The options available to the Council in terms of proposing amendments to the Sheffield Plan are outlined in paragraphs 1.5.1 to 1.5.6 of the officer report. This will be a matter for the Strategy & Resources Committee and Full Council to consider.