Agenda item

The Chairman thanked those involved in the recovery from recent storm damage.

The Senior Planning Officer presented a report relating to draft coastal policies SD11: Coastal Erosion, SD12: Coastal Adaptation and ENV3: Heritage & Undeveloped Coast, which summarised the feedback received in response to the Regulation 18 public consultation and the Officer responses, and recommended that Cabinet endorse the policy approaches as set out in the report.

Councillor Mrs A Fitch-Tillett, Coastal Portfolio Holder, requested an amendment to the recommendation to delegate responsibility for drafting the policy approach, including that of finalising the associated policies, to the Planning Policy Manager in conjunction with Coastal Manager.  She stated that she was very proud of the document, and was relieved that coastal erosion and adaptation were covered in depth in the new policies.  She explained that the protection of the coast was not always possible for engineering and cost reasons, and coast protection schemes must not have a wider impact on the coast.  She stated that adaptation allowed communities to thrive, and referred to schemes that had been undertaken in Happisburgh that had benefited the village.  She referred to paragraphs 166 and 167 of the NPPF as being particularly relevant. 

Councillor Ms V Gay asked how geology had been addressed in the policy.

Councillor Mrs Fitch-Tillett stated that the effect of ground water pushing the cliffs outwards caused coastal erosion, and not the sea itself.  She referred to a report from the British Geological Survey which the Coastal team would be happy to share.

The Officers explained that it had not been considered necessary to use the word ‘geology’ specifically in these policies, but it would be included as part of the coastal and adaptation supplementary planning document. Express reference would be made to geological interests in Policy ENV4: biodiversity and geology, which was an overarching policy that would apply across all development proposals.  Policy ENV4 would be brought to the Working Party at a later date.

Councillor D Baker requested officer comments on a representation from Timewell Properties, which was a large employer in the area.

The Planning Policy Manager stated that the general thrust of the representation was for flexibility in the principles of roll back, to reflect the difficulties of rolling back large pre-existing uses such as caravan sites, and specifically to allow roll back within the risk area albeit mitigating that risk by locating further back from the cliff top.  In his opinion, it was better to keep the policy as written and treat such applications as an exception to the policy where there was evidence to justify the exception.

The Senior Planning Officer explained that the reason for lengthening the time period in which properties were at risk was to allow for long term planning for relocation.

The Planning Policy Team Leader explained that the proposed policy was a strategic approach against which proposals would be judged.  Tourism policies for caravan sites and static caravans would come forward to a future meeting.  Whilst those policies would seek to relocate caravans outside the Coastal Change Management Area, they would also allow for movement within it provided proposals took into account landscape and amenity.

Councillor C Stockton stated that he should have declared an interest at the beginning of the meeting as he was a resident of Happisburgh and the owner of a heritage building.   He stated that one of his greatest concerns was the loss of irreplaceable heritage.  There were three listed heritage buildings in Happisburgh that would be at risk from coastal erosion in the immediate future, including the Grade I listed Norman church.  It was important to consider how those assets could be recorded to ensure they were not entirely lost and that future generations could see what had been there. Heritage was extremely important, but was not always taken into consideration as it was difficult to put a price on it.

It was proposed by Councillor A Brown, seconded by Councillor P Heinrich and

RESOLVED unanimously

That the recommendation be amended to include delegation to the Coastal Manager.

It was proposed by Councillor A Brown, seconded by Councillor Mrs P Grove-Jones and

RECOMMENDED unanimously

That Cabinet endorses the revised Policies SD11: Coastal Erosion, SD12: Coastal Adaptation and ENV3: Heritage & Undeveloped Coast and delegates responsibility for drafting such an approach, including that of finalising the associated policies, to the Planning Policy Manager and Coastal Manager.