A report by the Interim Director of Corporate Services summarised the responses received to public consultation on the Council’s Preferred Options for a statutory Core Strategy Development Plan Document for Wirral to replace the Unitary Development Plan for Wirral adopted in February 2000 (Council 18 October 2010, Minute 36 refers); on the findings of the Wirral Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (Cabinet 2 September 2010, Minute 121 refers); and on the findings of the Wirral Open Space Assessment (Cabinet 4 February 2010, Minute 308 refers). It also reported that a 366 name petition was received opposing residential development at an additional site submitted to the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment consultation, at Ditton Lane in Leasowe and Moreton East Ward.  It recommended the further action that would be needed before a Draft Core Strategy could be prepared and published for consultation before being submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

The Draft Core Strategy would be the subject of a further report to the Cabinet and would require a decision of Full Council before it could be published for public consultation towards the end of the year and submitted to the Secretary of State in 2012.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Draft Core Strategy be prepared in line with the recommendations set out in Appendices 1 to 3 of the report;

(2)  additional informal consultation be undertaken to inform the drafting of Settlement Area Policies, including with local Ward Members;

(3)  Article 14.2 of the Councils Constitution be waived, in accordance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rule 1.2.3, to enable AP Sheenan to be re-commissioned to provide an independent appraisal of the Council’s updated Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment; and

(4)  Article 14.2 of the Councils Constitution be waived, in accordance with Council’s Contract Procedure Rule 1.2.3, to enable BE Group to be re-commissioned to provide an update to the labour supply and labour demand forecasts contained within the Council’s Employment Land and Premises Study