The Corporate Director Communities commenced her submission by thanking the Planning Team for their tireless work in developing the   Replacement Local Development Plan Submission Document.

She reported for consideration by Cabinet the Deposit Plan Consultation Report Summary Document and the proposed submission version of the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) as amended following public consultation and sought agreement for the amended RLDP and to recommend to Council that the RLDP as amended be submitted to Welsh Government and Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) for independent examination.

The Corporate Director Communities reported that an up-to-date Local Development Plan (LDP) is an essential part of a plan-led planning system in Wales.  She stated that without an up to date LDP, it would become progressively difficult for the Council to focus on integrating and addressing multiple land use concerns and the local planning process would become fragmented, un-coordinated and reactive.  She informed Cabinet that the review report of the existing LDP had recognised an urgent need to address the shortfall in the housing land supply through the identification of additional housing sites, highlighted by the new housing delivery monitoring system prescribed by Welsh Government.  She informed Cabinet that whilst the existing LDP had been successful in bringing forward several (primarily brownfield) residential and mixed-use allocations, other brownfield allocations had not come forward as anticipated.  The number of remaining deliverable sites had progressively dwindled at the end of the existing plan period, resulting in lower annual dwelling completions.  She stated that the 2021 Census had revealed that the population in the County Borough is one of the fastest growing areas in Wales, having consequences for land use.

The Corporate Director Communities reported that since the publication of the RLDP Deposit Plan for Consultation, new information, changes to legislation, updated national planning guidance and the completion of supporting technical information had necessitated a review of the LDP evidence base.  This, together with some of the matters raised in the consultation representations meant a number of changes to the Deposit RLDP are considered necessary, the main changes being:

a) Removal of Housing Allocation at Parc Afon Ewenni, Bridgend – as a result of the recently published Flood Map for Planning identifying the site at being at risk of flooding;

b) Inclusion of a housing allocation at Heol Fach, North Cornelly;

c) Inclusion of site masterplans;

d) Removal of Gypsy, Traveller and Showpeople Site at Land adjacent to Bryncethin Depot;

e) Completed Strategic Transport Assessment; and

f) Updated Strategic Flood Consequence Assessment.

The Corporate Director Communities reported that authorisation would be sought from Council in September 2022 to submit the RLDP to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) for public examination (anticipated in early 2023).

The Cabinet Member Communities expressed his thanks to the Planning Team for their work over the past 4 years in delivering the RLDP.  He referred to the concerns in the increase in housing development proposed and asked if there would be a net increase in publicly accessible open spaces.  The Corporate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25