The Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities of Coventry City Council held a meeting on Monday, 17 June 2024, where significant decisions were made regarding public consultations on the Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Development Plan Document (DPD) modifications and the University of Warwick Campus Framework Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Development Plan Document (DPD) Modifications Consultation

The Cabinet Member considered a report from the Director of City Services seeking authority to undertake a six-week consultation on the modifications to the HMOs Development Plan Document (DPD). HMOs provide essential accommodation for various individuals, including those entering the housing market, but they can also disrupt settled neighbourhoods. The DPD aims to ensure HMOs integrate well with existing communities.

The DPD and its accompanying Sustainability Scoping/Appraisal were previously consulted on at Regulation 18 and Regulation 19 stages. Following the Planning Inspectorate's examination and hearings, the Council now seeks to consult on the agreed modifications. This consultation will focus on the soundness of the proposed Main Modifications, as outlined in the Main Modifications document attached to the report.

The consultation will also include the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA) addendum, as well as the Equalities/Health Impact assessment. The Cabinet Member noted the importance of this consultation in improving and protecting neighbourhoods and acknowledged the progress made in addressing poor-quality developments through additional licensing.

The Cabinet Member resolved to:

1. Note the content of the Main Modifications to the HMO DPD and the accompanying assessments.
2. Authorise the commencement of a public consultation for no less than six weeks.
3. Delegate authority to the Strategic Lead for Planning to make non-substantive amendments to the documentation before consultation and agree on the consultation dates.
4. Note that feedback from the consultation will be sent to the Planning Inspector for consideration before issuing the final report.

University of Warwick Campus Framework Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document

The Cabinet Member reviewed a report from the Director of City Services seeking approval to commence a public consultation on the University of Warwick Campus Framework Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The SPD aims to guide the growth and design principles for the University of Warwick's main campus, providing supplementary planning guidance to Policy JE1 of the Coventry City Council Local Plan 2017-2031.

The SPD will cover the entire main campus, which spans both Coventry and Warwick Districts. It will be a jointly prepared and adopted document, ensuring consistency with Warwick District Council's Local Plan policy. The SPD will be a material planning consideration for future planning applications related to the campus.

The public consultation will last a minimum of six weeks, ensuring compliance with the Council's Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). Following the consultation, the SPD will be amended as necessary and submitted to Cabinet for formal approval and adoption.

Councillor Marcus Lapsa, Shadow Cabinet Member, expressed general support but raised concerns about past unfulfilled promises, such as the green travel plan, and the impact of the A46 link road. Councillor Seyi Agboola, Deputy Cabinet Member, inquired about student engagement, which will be addressed in future meetings with planning consultants.

The Cabinet Member resolved to:

1. Approve in principle the content of the draft University Campus Framework Masterplan SPD and authorise the commencement of a public consultation for no less than six weeks.
2. Delegate authority to the Strategic Lead for Planning to make non-substantive amendments to the documentation before consultation and agree on the consultation dates.
3. Note that a further report, including the final version of the SPD, will be submitted to Cabinet for formal approval and adoption.