We operate a Development Team Approach (DTA), in which the main public sector interest groups concerned with planning applications and the delivery of infrastructure are brought together in regular meetings to improve the process of decision-making, including as part of the pre-application process. Aside from HBC officers, the DTA includes the Highways Authority, Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Property, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Hertfordshire Constabulary. The DTA also provides input to the council’s decisions on the use of CIL funds (see Section 4 of this Framework).
The DTA covers all potential new build residential applications as well as all major commercial applications and any other applications which the Development Team Managers consider would benefit from the DTA. There is a small fee charged for the provision of pre-application advice sought by developers as part of the Development Team Approach, who are strongly encouraged to utilise this service.
The DTA has a number of objectives including: • Ensuring consistent and coordinated advice is offered to applicants; • Early identification of risks and other key issues using improved pre-application advice; • Better quality applications and therefore better quality developments through raised awareness of best practice and up-to-date planning policies; • Speedier and more informed decision making; • Improved customer service.
HCC is responsible for ensuring the provision of a range of services and seeks contributions and/or facilities from development, which would have an impact on service provision. HCC services include education, libraries, youth, childcare, fire and rescue services, special needs housing and services, transport and rights of way.
Planning Obligations Guidance – a toolkit for Hertfordshire (January 2008) which can be obtained from the Hertfordshire County Council website, sets out the methods used by HCC to calculate contributions for infrastructure it is responsible for delivering. However, as local planning authorities move to adopt CIL, the collection of s106 via formulae or tariffs will cease – and such infrastructure requirements will be assumed from CIL.
However, where a significant quantum of development is proposed, an application may be required to secure such infrastructure on-site. At the time of preparing this framework, HCC are investigating how guidance can be updated, including the balance with CIL. For example, it is already assumed that additional funding for secondary schools will be secured through CIL not s106, although sites over 500 residential units may be required to supply a primary school on-site through s106 if no future provision via CIL is planned in the local area. This information will be incorporated into section 6 of this framework when available.
Attention is however drawn to HCC’s policy/approach towards highway adoption as set out in Roads in Hertfordshire. Currently, on developments with no through-route, only the main access road will be considered for adoption with access roads and short cul-de sacs not being considered for adoption. This also has implications for the ability of the council to subsequently control or enforce on-street parking within new developments unless those roads are to be adopted.
The extent of adoption should be agreed in principle by the developer and Highway Authority at the planning stage and where a developer does not intend to have roads adopted, measures to secure their long-term maintenance will be sought through a s106 agreement.
