The Group Manager – Planning introduced the report and explained to the Committee that the application for a neighbourhood plan area for Shoreham covered the whole Parish, including Badgers Mount.  However, Full Council was shortly to determine whether a new Badgers Mount Parish Council should be established in 2015.  In the light of this proposed future change to parish boundaries, it was considered that the administrative area of Shoreham Parish Council may not be an appropriate neighbourhood plan area.  Further engagement with Shoreham Parish Council and Badgers Mount Residents Association would be necessary to determine an acceptable way forward on this issue.  The Group Manager – Planning  therefore proposed that the recommendation to the Environment Select Committee be amended and that an additional recommendation be included:

Recommendation (b) be amended to:

That Portfolio Holder approval is sought for the designation of Neighbourhood

Plan Areas for Edenbridge and Ash- cum Ridley.

Additional recommendation:

That the Portfolio Holder decision on the Shoreham Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Area application be deferred until after Full Council make the decision on whether a new Badgers Mount Parish Council should be formed in 2015. 

In response to a question the Group Manager – Planning reported that there was nothing in statute limiting the life of a Village Design Statement.  Over time it was possible that Statements could become out of date and the relevance of the document would depend on the amount of change in an area however, responsibility for making changes to the documents would rest with the local Parish Council.

Resolved: That

a)     the Portfolio Holder be recommended to approve the adoption of Seal and Underriver Village Design Statements and Otford Parish Plan Supplementary Planning Documents;

b)     the Portfolio Holder be recommended to approve the designation of Neighbourhood Plan Areas for Edenbridge and Ash-cum Ridley; and

c)      the Portfolio Holder decision on the Shoreham Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Area application be deferred until after Full Council make the decision on whether a new Badgers Mount Parish Council should be formed in 2015.