Issue - meetings

[Report of the Assistant Director for Planning. To be introduced by the Leader of the Council. ]

In order to progress the North London Waste Plan to adoption, consultation needs to be undertaken on the Pre-Submission version of the plan. This is a formal stage of consultation prior to Examination. The report will further progress to full Council in January.

[Cllr Hearn and Councillor Berryman remained absent for this item ]

The Leader introduced the report, advising that every local authority had a statutory duty to have a plan that makes them self-sufficient in waste disposal. Haringey Council has decided to achieve this through a partnership with its 6 neighbouring boroughs.

This was an important stage in the production of the North London Waste Plan (NLWP) – Pre-submission publication. Since consultation on the Preferred Option draft was undertaken, borough officers and members from all seven authorities have been working collaboratively to resolve the complexities of planning for the management of north London’s waste alongside meeting councils pressing need for additional housing and the regeneration of redundant or surplus industrial land.

The revised NLWP had properly engaged the county authorities that currently receive some of north London’s waste, fulfilling the Duty to Cooperate. It identified sufficient designated employment areas suitable for the future provision of the waste facilities North London councils need to manage the waste generated in north London. The areas selected were the result of robust assessment and an acknowledgement that new facilities should not be concentrated in only one or two boroughs. It also safeguarded all existing waste facilities, ensuring that these continue to contribute towards managing north London’s waste arisings.

The Leader  recognised that waste and recycling are issues that can raise passions. People were rarely keen to have their own waste processed or incinerated on their own doorsteps. This Council, along with its neighbouring boroughs, have had  to take a big picture view of how best to manage and dispose of the waste of just over 2 million Londoners.

The administration was comfortable that it was proposing a balanced plan, that takes on board conflicting agendas and priorities. As a result, the North London Waste Plan is a justified and robust waste policy document that Haringey Council should welcome and endorse.

The Leader drew attention to paragraphs 6.33-6.42 which outlined the response to the Regulatory Committee comments.

Following the meeting of Regulatory Committee on the 18th October, it was noted that there were some factual errors in the Site Assessment of the Former Friern Barnet Sewage Works. This was located at pages appendix 3 – Site Assessment Sheets for Haringey Sites, Sheet A22-Hr Friern Barnet Sewage Works, pages 346 - 350

The Leader clarified that the Former Friern Barnet Sewage Works was not a site allocation in the Local Plan, but is designated as Employment Land and as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

The Leader further clarified that the most recent flood mapping undertaken for the Borough confirmed that the site in Flood Zone 2, and not Flood Zone 2 and 3, and that no part of the site falls within Metropolitan Open Land, highlighting that the Pinkham Way site is not a publicly used and accessible site.

The Leader asked Cabinet to delegate completion of these clarifications to appendix 3 to the Assistant Director for Planning. He also requested that Cabinet agree to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55

Recommendation: That Regulatory Committee notes the contents of the North London Waste Plan and Associated documented in the appendices and puts forward any comments it may have for consideration at Cabinet.

Philip Crowther, Principal Planning Officer, introduced the report as set out.  He informed the Committee that there was a range of criteria considered when identifying a site for waste use.  It was not proposed that any site be used wholly for waste use – around 20% of the 26 hectares of land identified across the borough would be used for waste use.

Officers responded to questions from the Committee:

-      A small part of the Pinkham Way site, around 15%, was in flood zone 2, the rest was in flood zone 1.

-      The North London Waste Authority had not put forward a proposal on the type of waste facilities to be provided on site.

-      If a site were to be allocated in Haringey, there would be an increase in employment, and of business rates paid to the Council.  The Council would also look to secure a proportion of employment in the building and operation of the site for local people.

-      On any site where removal of trees was proposed, they would be replanted elsewhere.  The Council would always look to secure appropriate mitigation and improve biodiversity where possible.

Councillor Ross proposed that the Regulatory Committee put to the Cabinet that Pinkham Way be removed from the list of identified sites.  Councillor Cawley-Harrison seconded the proposal.  The Chair moved a vote, and with 6 members in favour and 5 against, it was:

RESOLVED that the report be recommended for consideration at Cabinet, with the request from the Regulatory Committee that Pinkham Way be removed from the list of identified sites.