The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director (Growth & Housing) setting out the findings of the public consultation on the draft Essex Coast Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) and proposed the adoption of the revised SPD and the publication of the Adoption Statement.

Recommended:-

1.    That the contents of the ‘You Said We Did’ Feedback Report and the proposed amendments to the Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (Appendix 1 to the submitted report), be noted.

2.    That the RAMS SPD (Appendix 2), be adopted and the Adoption Statement (Appendix 3), be published in accordance with Regulation 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

3.    That the contents of the SEA/HRA Screening Report (Appendix 4 to the report), be noted and be published.

4.    That it be noted that the project will be delivered through an Essex Coast RAMS Partnership Agreement between the partner authorities.

5.    That the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director (Growth and Housing) be authorised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, to make necessary minor amendments to the Supplementary Planning Document, Adoption Statement, You Said We Did Feedback Report, and SEA/HRA Screening Report (in Appendices 1 – 4 to the report) should it be necessary before adoption/publication, and to undertake all the necessary legal and procedural adoption processes.

6.    That it be noted that in adopting the RAMS SPD Southend Borough Council will collect a tariff charge of £125.58 per dwelling unit (indexed linked) from planning applications and transfer this to the RAMS Accountable Body in accordance with the RAMS Partnership Agreement. The Council will explore and utilise a number of methods in collecting the RAMS tariff to ensure the process is as effective and efficient as possible.

Reason for decision:

To ensure that an appropriate strategy and supporting evidence is put in place to support the nature conservation provisions of the emerging Southend New Local Plan (SNLP) and to meet the requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

Other options:

The Council is required to meet the statutory provisions of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, in relation to the protection of the habitat sites of international and European importance within the Borough from the impacts of new development.  An alternative option would be to develop guidance unilaterally, which would be a greater administrative burden than working with neighbouring authorities, and would not necessarily lead to consistency of approach compared with other similar local authorities.  Alternatively a do-nothing approach could put the Council at risk of legal challenge.

Note: This is a Council Function

Eligible for call-in to: Place Scrutiny Committee

Executive Member: Cllr Mulroney