Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received From Deputy Michael Cassidy, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Deputy John Fletcher, Dawn Frampton, Antony Manchester, Deputy Brian Mooney, Alderwoman Jennette Newman, Judith Pleasance, Alderman Simon Pryke and Ian Seaton.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 21 November 2023.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 November 2023, be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk setting out the list of Outstanding Actions.

In relation to Item 1 – Members’ Training, an Officer informed the Committee that training would be arranged in relation to heritage, archaeology and daylight and sunlight as requested by Members in Spring 2024.

An Officer informed the Committee that Item 2 – Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) would be considered at this meeting and if approved it would return to the committee following public engagement in early 2024. He also stated that in relation to Item 3 – Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Emission Data Monitoring in Major Planning Applications, the carbon monitoring data had now been published on the Climate Action Strategy Dashboard, and this would be updated regularly. Subject to Committee approval both Items 2 and 3 could be withdrawn from the outstanding actions list.

RESOLVED – That Item 2 be withdrawn from the outstanding actions list subject to the Committee approving the Sustainability SPD and that Item 3 be withdrawn from the outstanding actions list.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk setting out the current Terms of Reference for the Planning and Transportation Committee.

A Member commented that the title in (q) required updating.

RESOLVED - That the terms of reference of the Committee (as set out at Appendix 1 to the report) be approved for submission to the Court of Common Council in April 2023 subject to the title in (q) being amended to state “Executive Director of Environment”.

Report of the Interim Executive Director Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director Environment regarding the Creechurch Conservation Area Proposal.

An Officer stated that in July 2023, the Committee had approved a public consultation on the proposals for the Creechurch Conservation Area. This public consultation ran from September to November and involved consultation on three principal options for the conservation area boundary, plus the addition of a fourth option for respondents to suggest their own alternative boundary. Over 900 responses were received. The Officer stated that this was unprecedented and a very welcome level of engagement. 84.5% of respondents voted for option 3 – the option tabled by Bevis Marks Synagogue.

The Officer stated that the consultation responses received had been considered by Officers. Responses included new information, including additional detail relating to specific sites within the proposed boundary, within the wider area, and more generally relating to the history of the area and the communities that had settled in the area. Taking this into account, Officers recommended that the Committee designate a proposed conservation area with the boundary set out in Appendix 1 of the Officer report, as this boundary best captured the special architectural and historic interest present in the locality and best discharged the City’s statutory duties under policy and legislation in respect of conservation areas.

In response to Members’ questions in relation to the timeline for the conservation area being approved by the Court of Common Council and adopted, an Officer stated that subject to the conservation area being approved by Committee, a report would be submitted to the Court of Common Council on 11 January 2024 and if approved, it would take effect immediately. A management plan would then be prepared and subject to the Committee’s approval would go out to public consultation in late spring/early summer 2024.

Report of the Interim Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Interim Executive Director Environment on the Planning for Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which set out guidance, requirements and processes for the environmental sustainability aspects of proposed development in the square mile.

An Officer stated that the SPD had been informed by internal consultation on five sustainability topics plus stakeholder events for the general public, industry experts and local authorities. The insights gained from three years of detailed negotiations with applicants on sustainability had also been included. The SPD sought to support applicants to achieve best practice outcomes for their site.

The Officer stated that subject to the Committee’s approval, consultation events and workshops would take place in spring 2024. Following a review of responses, the SPD would be submitted to the Committee in Autumn 2024.

The Committee noted a presentation from Officers which outlined detail contained within the SPD.

A Member asked how the SPD linked to the City Plan. An Officer stated that the SPD and the City Plan were aligned. The SPD was also aligned with the adopted Local Plan.

A Member sought clarification on the biodiversity requirements. An Officer stated that a key piece of evidence had been published setting out the background and the evidence for the requirement for three biodiversity units per hectare and this was also set out in the City Plan. Officers would ensure that the SPD cross referenced these specific pieces of evidence and policy where they were not already referenced.

A Member welcomed the high standards being set for sustainability across the City. He asked how these would be balanced against ensuring the City remained economically competitive and a welcoming place to invest. The Officer stated that this was considered in the development of this guidance, and that developers and occupiers were keen

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor regarding the Salisbury Square Development for the Appropriation for Planning Purposes. The City Surveyor stated that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda to enable a procedural error to be addressed. He informed Members that the report would be brought back to the Committee in early 2024.

Report of The Chamberlain and the Interim Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of The Chamberlain and the Interim Executive Director Environment regarding the revenue and capital budgets for the Planning & Transportation Committee for 2024/25.

A Member requested clarification on the unallocated savings. An Officer stated that the unidentified savings were a result of previous savings exercises held corporately for fundamental review and as part of the Target Operating Model savings of 12%. In Appendix three, there was a category entitled “savings to be applied”. Originally there was a target of £1,728,000. This was mainly identified with generating additional income which was identified in the report and some various expenditure efficiencies. This was now £110,000 and the Interim Executive Director had further plans to reduce this to a balanced budget throughout 2024/2025. The Member also enquired about the proposed staffing numbers particularly the highways and structural inspections number of staff, which was decreasing. The Officer stated that the numbers were derived from discussions with the service directors. It was considered that the required service could be delivered with the proposed staffing numbers.

A Member asked whether income could be raised from the dockless bike schemes. An Officer stated that income from the e-scooter trial was included. This was a regular payment. There would be income from the dockless operators contributing to new bays and research and this would be included once received.

RESOLVED - That Members of the Committee

1.       review and approve the proposed revenue budget for 2024/25 for submission to

          the Finance Committee;

2.       review and approve the proposed capital budgets for 2024/25 for submission to

          the Finance Committee;

3.       agree that amendments for 2023/24 and 2024/25 budgets arising from changes

          to recharges or any further implications arising from subsequently approved

          savings proposals, changes to the Cyclical Works Programme, or changes to

          the resource envelope be

Report of the Director of Planning & Development.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Planning & Development on the review of the local list of information required with planning applications.

An Officer informed the Committee that an addendum report had also been published and circulated.

A Member sought clarification on the health impacts assessment, particularly regarding suicide prevention measures. She also stated that reports should detail information on health impacts. An Officer stated that in terms of security and safety from terraces, there was a separate entry for that under risk assessments for external terraces. This captured the latest advice note on suicide prevention measures on these terraces. The City had produced its own guidance on health impact assessments and the detailed guidance would be followed for any applications that came forward.

In response to a question from a Member about the approach to sustainability, an Officer stated that sustainability was covered in the local plan and the city policies, and items were largely itemised individually throughout the document. There were separate ones on biodiversity, circular economy, whole life cycle and carbon. These elements had their own requirements to the specific documents that were required for particular categories of applications. Generally, they were very specific in terms of all the documents that would be required for the majority of applications, including major applications, but sustainability was also a consideration for any schemes that came forward.

A Member enquired further on the issue of health impact assessments to include the provision of health services. She stated that if schemes were increasing the number of people in an area, this would impact on general practices and dental services which were already under stress. Therefore, the provision of health services should be considered. The Officer stated that this would be covered in the City Plan which had a policy

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Committee received a report of the City Surveyor on the availability and performance of publicly accessible lifts and escalators monitored and maintained by City Surveyor’s, in the reporting period 3 November 2023 to 24 November 2023.

RESOLVED – To note the report.

Report of the Interim Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Interim Executive Director Environment regarding the risk management update which provided the Planning and Transportation Committee with assurance that risk management procedures in place within the Environment Department were satisfactory and that they met the requirements of the Corporate Risk Management Framework.

RESOLVED – To note the report.

The Committee received the draft public minutes of the meeting held on 7November 2023.

RECEIVED.

The Committee received the public minutes of the meeting held on 20November 2023.

RECEIVED.

A Member requested that a resolution from the Cripplegate by-election be discussed as the Court of Wardmote only sat once a year. She stated that the resolution related to the Barbican and Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum. The Member asked to present this for discussion. She read the wording of the resolution as follows:

“This Wardmote respectfully requests that the Corporation of London acknowledges the important role of the Barbican & Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum in local plan-making and policy development by:

a)         Reflecting that role within the Corporation's ‘Statement of Community Involvement’.

b)         Reflecting that role within the text of the City Plan 2040, placing the Forum on a par   with the non-statutory Business Improvement Districts in the City.

The Barbican & Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum, under the Localism Act 2011, has statutory standing as a consultee in City planning policy and development control from the date of designation by the City, and not from the date of the Neighbourhood Plan. The City owes the Forum a statutory duty of cooperation from that same date.”

An Officer stated that the Barbican and Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum was set up following this Committee's agreement of the statement of Community involvement in May 2023. The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) mentioned neighbourhood forums and how to engage with them through the planning process. Officers stated they would update Appendix A of the SCI, which set out the specific groups that they would engage with to ensure the Neighbourhood Forum were mentioned specifically by name. The City Plan 2040 would be submitted to the Committee in January 2024 and it identified the Neighbourhood Forum within the relevant policy that related to the Smithfield and Barbican area. Furthermore, Officers within the Corporation worked closely with the neighbourhood forum in the development of their neighbourhood plan, in

The Chairman informed the Committee that the City’s Planning Department City’s Planning Division had won the Royal Town Planning Institute’s national award in November as the UK’s Best Planning Authority. This followed on from winning the London’s Best Planning Authority award in summer. The judges said that the City of London was “setting an example for cities across the world to follow” and were particularly impressed with the innovative microclimatic modelling work and the manner in which the division managed stakeholder relationships.

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2023.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2023 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Interim Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Interim Executive Director Environment regarding the debt arrears of the Environment Department (P&T Committee) for the period ending on 30th September 2023.

RESOLVED – To note the report.

There were no non-public questions.

There were no additional urgent items of business for consideration in the non-public session.