Decision details

Stevenage Local Plan

The Chief Executive reminded the Executive that he and the Leader had met the Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government in London in December 2018 regarding the Holding Direction placed on the Stevenage Local Plan.  This meeting took place following a commitment by the Secretary of State to make a decision on the Holding Direction by no later than 13 November 2018.  As no decision was taken, the Council sought urgent meetings with the Secretary of State to resolve the issue.

The Executive was informed that representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) had visited Stevenage on 22 January 2019 and had met the Chief Executive, the Leader, Strategic Director (TP), the Chair of Stevenage First and the Leader of Hertfordshire County Council in respect of the matter.

The Chief Executive advised that the MHCLG representatives had been conducted on a tour of various sites in the town centre, with the Council and Stevenage First representatives answering questions related to the request for the Holding Direction.  This was followed by a roundtable meeting at which the Council and Stevenage First representatives highlighted the necessity for an approved Stevenage Local Plan in order to provide the necessary housing growth, enhance the town’s retail offer and employment opportunities, together with associated infrastructure improvements.  The need for the release of the Growth Deal 3 monies to assist in this process was also highlighted to the MHCLG representatives.

The Chief Executive stated that the MHCLG representatives would report back to the Secretary of State after their visit.  However, it was made clear to them that if no positive decision was made to remove the Holding Direction on the Local Plan by 28 January 2019 then the Council would have no choice other than to commence legal processes to challenge the continuation of the Holding Direction, which had been in effect since November 2017.