Report To be accompanied by a presentation from Planning Officers

The Corporate Director – Communities submitted a report, that outlined the stages undertaken to date in progressing the Replacement Bridgend Local Development Plan (2018-2033), with this focusing on:

 

• The Bridgend Local Development Plan (2013) Review Report (Appendix 1 to the report). This document sets out the proposed extent of likely changes the existing LDP (2006-2021) and seeks to confirm the revision procedure to be followed in preparing a replacement LDP. It is proposed that the Replacement LDP will cover a plan period up to 2033, which is the end of a 15 year plan period that will commence in 2018; and
• Bridgend Replacement Local Development Plan Delivery Agreement (Appendix 2 to the report). The Delivery Agreement sets out how and when the local community and other stakeholders can contribute to the preparation of the Replacement Plan and a timetable for its preparation. It is proposed that the Replacement LDP will cover a plan period up to 2033

 

Both the Review Report (for the existing LDP (2013)) and the Delivery Agreement for the replacement LDP will be submitted to Welsh Government before the end of June 2018, after being agreed by Council.

 

The report was accompanied by a power point Presentation given by the Development Planning Team Leader, who was accompanied by the Group Manager Development.

 

The Presentation covered the following areas:

 

1.    What is an LDP – A high level Strategy allocating land use throughout the County Borough. This will portray the key objectives of this, Public Service obligations and Wellbeing plans. The LDP will account for sustainable development and sustainable growth provision.

2.    The Council will monitor the LDP for performance purposes, and it is required to be reviewed every 4 years.

 

The LDP helps enhance and deliver/create the following:-

 

·         Hew homes/Affordable Housing

·         Employment

·         Town Centres

·         Regeneration

·         Environment

·         Green Infrastructure

·         Education provision

·         Preventing inappropriate development

·         Sustainability

·         Future Generations

 

All aspects of the Plan will need to be assessed to consider if they remain sound. This will include:-

 

1.    The LDP’s Vision

2.    Its Objectives

3.    Spatial Strategy

4.    Policies and Designations

 

The full Review will follow exactly the same preparation process and stages as the original adopted LDP.

 

Changes to the LDP will be informed by:-

 

• Significant findings and concerns identified in the 3 AMR’s that have been published since the Plan was adopted;
• Any significant contextual changes (such as National, Regional or local conditions and circumstances);
• New evidence;

 

The next part of the Presentation covered all the stages associated with the progression of the LDP, including the timetable for these. It would culminate with the LDP being adopted in August/September 2021.

 

It was explained that a number of key stakeholders would be involved in the Review Report, with ‘targeted engagement’ taking place with stakeholders etc. Examples of these were, the general public, Welsh Government, Home Builders Federation, Natural Resources Wales, CADW, Welsh Water and Town/Community Councils.

 

Key issues of the LDP would be satisfying the new Wellbeing and Future Generations Act (and to deliver the objectives of this); Active Travel, to provide and enhance effective transport links, and to comply with Renewable Energy de-carbonisation targets set by Welsh Government.

 

The LDP would identify:-

1.    New Strategies and Sites (Evidence based)

2.    PPW (chapter 8) and TAN1 tells us deliverability and financial viability of sites, which are key considerations

3.    Each allocation in the new Plan needs to be justified at ‘examination’ by the Planning Inspectorate.

 

With regard to collaborative working in the development of the LDP, this would take the form of the following:-

 

·         LDP Theme Groups (Officer Working Groups, Education, Regeneration, Highways, etc);

·         Stakeholder Working Groups (NHS, Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, and Utility Companies (various));

·         Informal Member Briefing sessions (Sub-Area approach;

·         LDP Steering Group and Development Control Committee; and

·         Consultation with other Local Planning Authorities

 

The Risks of not having an LDP, were:-

 

1.     There being less control for BCBC;

2.     Inappropriate development/uncoordinated/ad-hoc development construction;

3.     Planning by appeal

4.     Affordable housing being compromised

5.     New infrastructure and funding being compromised

6.     Regeneration projects compromised – funding bids

7.    Investor confidence compromised

 

On a final note, the Development Planning Team Leader confirmed to Members, that the current LDP had secured over £8m in S106 Agreement funding.

 

A Member made a number of comments, namely that the LDP needed to target the provision of small retail businesses which were diminishing leaving empty shop properties; more residential/affordable housing in town centres, and more control than currently was the case with Houses in Multiple Accommodation, particularly those that were un-registered.

 

The Development Planning Team Leader advised that the above would be addressed through Evidence Based updates being carried out, including Retail Needs Assessments, and building flexibility in the LDP to make adaptations that will comply with any future market changes. The Vibrant and Viable Places programme would also address any demand for the provision of increased residential accommodation in town centres which would result in increased footfall in these locations.

 

A Member enquired about the existing moratorium on the construction of residential development in Pencoed, and if this was intending to be lifted under the provisions of the new LDP.

 

The Development Planning Manager advised that the moratorium in place in Pencoed, was due to the current situation with regards to the level crossing there which was generating too much vehicular traffic. If this could be resolved as well as the bridge at the railway station being widened or renewed, then this would reduce traffic and support the moratorium being lifted. Investment was required however, in order for this position to be rectified and the current situation to then change. Dialogue was ongoing to this end, with various transport providers.

 

The Development Planning Team Leader added, that it was too early to look at the regeneration issues of the LDP at this stage, but these would be explored at an appropriate time in the future, including dialogue taking place with individual Town/Community Councils to address this and other areas the LDP would cover in each respective area of the County Borough.

 

A Member felt that when considering areas where new residential developments were intending to be constructed, brownfield sites and areas within settlement boundaries should be considered first, as opposed to looking at locations in the countryside.

 

The Development Planning Manager said this was a process that was always followed under planning law, policy and guidelines.

 

A Member noted that 20% of Affordable Housing should be provided for in Bridgend, however, he felt that this should be increased to 30%.

 

The Development Planning Manager advised that issues such as house market prices and viability were looked at when gauging the level of Affordable Housing that was required for any given location.

 

The Leader encouraged Members to go back to their Town/Community Councils with the message that they were statutory consultees in respect of the LDP, and that the Local Planning Authority would welcome their input on suggested future land uses in their respective Constituencies.

 

A Member pointed out that demands on the National Health Service were increasing, given that there used to be 79,000 people in the County Borough which had risen to 135,000 at present with a projection that this would further increase to 150,000 in the future. She asked what was in place as part of the LDP considerations, to ensure that they had sufficient resources, facilities (extra GP Surgeries etc) and equipment to cater for the future care of constituents given the anticipated increase in population in areas of the County Borough where there was growth.

 

The Development Planning Manager confirmed that the local authority did liaise with the NHS on issues such as the above, with the view of advising them that there had been an increase in growth in a particular area of the County Borough, through for example, the provision of an increase of residential housing developments, such as there had been in Parc Derwen, Coity.

 

A Member advised that there were problems being experienced in Porthcawl with a lack of car parking provision, and high rents/rates for retail premises imposed by Landlords, resulting in an increase in empty vacated shop premises.

 

The Development Planning Manager advised that an increase of rates imposed by Landlords of shop premises could not be looked at in conjunction with the LDP, however, there were other departments of the Council that could look at this, for example the Property and Finance Departments. He suggested that as a first form of contact, she contacted the Regeneration Department and the Town Centre Manager.

 

The Group Manager Development closed debate on this item, by advising that the new LDP would have to be fit for purpose in terms of allocated land uses in all areas that comprise the County Borough, as the document would be the subject of scrutinising by both Welsh Government and the Planning Inspectorate for Wales.

 

RESOLVED:                    That the report be noted.