The Corporate Director Communities reported on the need to revise the LDP Delivery Agreement (DA), for Cabinet to agree the revised DA and to recommend that Council approve the amendments to the LDP Timetable and approve submission of the revised DA to Welsh Government for agreement. 

The Corporate Director Communities reported that the Welsh Government had written to Local Planning Authorities to advise them to undertake a review of the technical evidence base underpinning the replacement LDP alongside the preferred strategy and policies in terms of sensitivity to the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic.  The Welsh Government had also advised that DA’s should be adjusted to account for any necessary changes to the LDP timetable in light of delays caused by the pandemic. The Corporate Director Communities informed Cabinet that the LDP Deposit Draft has been the subject of consultation and progress to the next stage, being its submission to the Welsh Government and the Planning Inspectorate has been delayed due to the need to revise the Delivery Agreement, as the supporting evidence base needs reviewing and refining as a result of the representations received from our communities and key stakeholders.  The Group Manager Planning and Development Services informed Cabinet that the Council is well advances in its progress with the Draft LDP within the region and is oner of the first local authorities to be at this stage. 

The Strategic Planning Policy Team Leader reported that over 1,200 representations had been received, the volume of correspondence was being dealt with and once complete, officers will collate all responses and present a consultation feedback report to Cabinet.  He outlined the strands of work which needed to be resolved prior to the submission of the Draft LDP in June 2022, together with the revisions to the timetable.  He stated that it was imperative that the Local Planning Authority continues to progress with the statutory review of the LDP.  The Replacement LDP will avoid ‘planning by appeal’ and ad hoc development coming forward outside the development plan system and not in accordance with the Plan’s strategy, which will strengthen the Council’s framework for determining planning applications and provide enhanced certainty to communities in this respect.        

The Cabinet Member Wellbeing and Future Generations was pleased to see the number of residents engaged with the LDP process, which had seen the greatest number of responses to any of the Council’s consultations, despite the pandemic.  The revised timetable gives officers the time needed to respond to the consultation received.  The Cabinet Member Communities stated that the LDP needed to be future proofed and there is a need to look at future trends with more home working and housing required.  The Leader stated there were critical strands which needed to be addressed such as the former Ford site, which will contribute to the robustness of the LDP.  He drew Members’ attention to the forthcoming Member Development session on Technical Advice Note 15 – Development & Flood Risk (TAN15), which is another important strand of the LDP.

RESOLVED:           That Cabinet noted and agreed the content of the report and recommended that Council approve the revisions to the timetable and authorise the Group Manager Planning & Development Services to submit the revised Delivery Agreement (attached at Appendix 1) to Welsh Government.