Agenda item

Resolved: that the response from Mayor and Cabinet be noted.

4.1      Emma Talbot (Head of Planning) introduced the response from Mayor and Cabinet, the following key points were noted:

·         A number of key issues in planning were developing relatively quickly so there was more recent information for members, following the response to Mayor and Cabinet.

·         A review of Lewisham’s pubs policy was taking place. This would be informed by the Mayor of London’s supplementary planning guidance (SPG) for the night time economy.

·         The new housing white paper introduced further changes for planning.

·         Previously, councils had been told that they were required to have a single plan for their local area.

·         At present Lewisham had a ‘core strategy’ which set out a vision, aims and ambitions for the type of borough Lewisham wanted to be – along with a set of documents which provided an evidence base and more detail for making planning decisions.

·         The government had previously said that there would be a requirement for a single plan, which would need to be supported by a robust evidence base for each of its constituent parts.

·         The recent white paper set out a more proportionate approach to the requirements of the evidence base for the plan.

·         The new approach would allow for the development of a series of plans and the existing core plan would need to be reviewed, rather than redone (as at present) every five years.

·         More work was required to explore the relevant issues with elected members about the type of place that Lewisham wanted to be in the future.

·         There was a new manager in planning enforcement, who was helping to develop the service.

·         The first Section 106 and CIL meeting with a ward assembly (Evelyn) had been held to introduce the idea of a ‘project bank’ of local ideas, which had been well received.

·         The closing date for the most recent consultation on the Bakerloo line would be Friday 23 April. Lewisham had agreed with Transport for London (TfL) that it would submit a ‘holding response’, pending the provision of information requested by the Council from TfL.

·         The Council was supportive of the Bakerloo line extension, including proposals for its continuation to Catford and beyond. However, further information was required about the potential requirements for density and height of any anticipated future developments along the line.

4.2      Emma Talbot (Head of Planning) responded to questions from the Committee, the following key points were noted:

·         Once additional information had been received from TfL, there would be further engagement with Members about the Council’s full response to the consultation.

·         A number of officers would need to be involved in the development of the draft response, because it had implications for a number of Council services.

·         The London Plan set out a city-wide programme for intensification of development combined with an expectation of increased development density. The challenge was for Lewisham to create plans for new development in a way that was most suitable and beneficial for the borough and to local communities.

·         Areas outside of Lewisham would also benefit from the extension of the Bakerloo line so the Council would suggest to the Mayor of London that the benefits beyond Lewisham needed to be taken into account.

·         Officers were conscious about potential alternative options for the extension of the Bakerloo line and repeatedly made the case for the extension to Lewisham and beyond.

4.3      In the Committee discussions, the following points were also noted:

·         The Council should use stronger language to demand the extension of the Bakerloo line to Catford.

·         Officers might want to engage with Members to create a virtual tour of regeneration sites in the borough.

·         As part of the negotiation about the Bakerloo line, officers should explore the options for re-zoning Lewisham stations for the benefit of residents.

·         The Committee would welcome regular updates on the future of the Bakerloo line extension.

4.4      Resolved: that the response from Mayor and Cabinet be noted. The Committee also agreed to write to the Mayor of London and TfL setting out its support for the extension of the Bakerloo line to Hayes.