Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director of Property and Housing to follow.

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

That:

1.    the residents feedback from the Balcarres Green consultation exercise be noted and that Cabinet commits the council to continue working with residents to take forward ideas and opportunities (including on a self-help community led approach) and establish a clear work programme with residents, to enable future reports to be provided by to Cabinet for consideration.

2.    following consultation on Bridge Road, Lostock Hall, Cabinet approves to include the site within the Green Links programme, rather than releasing the land of any other use.

3.    the Council proceed with Kingsfold Drive to undertake further assessment of the site as part of the One Public Estate project for the South Ribble area with outcomes of this be reported back to Cabinet.

4.    the residents feedback from the Bent Lane consultation exercise be noted and that Cabinet commits the council to continue working with residents (including on a self-help community led approach), and establish a clear work programme to enable further reports to be provided back to Cabinet for consideration.

Councillor Colin Clark, Cabinet Member (Corporate Support and Assets) presented a report of the Assistant Director of Property and Housing that updated Cabinet on the outcome of a consultation with residents regarding the future use of land located at the following locations:

·         Bridge Road, Lostock Hall

·         Kingsfold Drive, Penwortham

·         Bent Lane, Leyland

·         Balcarres Green, Leyland

The report also provided an update on the Planning for Real exercise that had been undertaken with residents from Bent Lane and Balcarres Green.

A number of members of the public attended the meeting and spoke about not wishing to lose their green spaces and the impact of rising air quality levels should housing be developed on these sites.

Despite Members of the Opposition stating that a decision had already been made in relation to housing being developed on these sites, the Cabinet Member reiterated that this was not the case and that the consultation process was still ongoing. Further reports on options to be considered would be presented to future meetings of the Cabinet once the consultation had ended and responses analysed.

It was proposed by Councillor Colin Clark, seconded by Councillor Caroline Moon and

Decision made (Unanimously)

That:

1.    the residents feedback from the Balcarres Green consultation exercise be noted and that Cabinet commits the council to continue working with residents to take forward ideas and opportunities (including on a self-help community led approach) and establish a clear work programme with residents, to enable future reports to be provided by to Cabinet for consideration.

2.    following consultation on Bridge Road, Lostock Hall, Cabinet approves the inclusion of the site within the Green Links programme, rather than releasing the land of any other use.

3.    the Council proceed with Kingsfold Drive to undertake further assessment of the site as part of the One Public Estate project for the South Ribble area with outcomes of this be reported back to Cabinet.

4.    the residents feedback from the Bent Lane consultation exercise be noted and that Cabinet commits the council to continue working with residents (including on a self-help community led approach), and establish a clear work programme to enable further reports to be provided back to Cabinet for consideration.

Reason(s) for the decision:

1.  An extensive programme of consultation has been undertaken with residents involving formal consultation events, Planning for Real exercises and the opportunity for residents to feedback their views through letter, phone and email.

2.  Feedback in relation to the use of land at four sites has been mixed with views expressed on all aspects of potential developments.

3.  There has been a high level of engagement and involvement from residents at the Planning for Real events for Bent Lane/Balcarres Green and the Green Links consultation events and it is the feedback received at those events that have informed the proposed recommendations.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The Council need not to have undertaken specific Planning for Real events, and could have just relied on written responses to the consultation letters sent out in December 2018. However, the Council provided a commitment to residents at both Bent Lane and Balcarres Green,that they wanted to obtain further information and listen to the views of all residents. Upon completion of the Green Links Consultation exercise the Council shall feedback the outcomes and priorities to local residents.