The Development Planning Team Leader presented the report of the Corporate Director Communities on the findings of the Local Development Plan 2017 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR).  He stated that the aim of the AMR is to assess the extent to which the LDP Strategy and Policies are being achieved.  It has two primary roles, firstly to consider whether the policies identified in the monitoring process are being implemented successfully and secondly to consider the plan as a whole against all of the information gathered to determine whether a complete or partial review of the plan is necessary. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported on the key findings of the AMR process and stated that the overall LDP strategy had been successful, delivering many benefits to communities.  Most of the housing sites and associated infrastructure allocated in the LDP have been delivered with the exception of a few challenging brownfield sites that have stalled due to a combination of viability issues and in some cases, land ownership issues.  However a number of key provision policy targets are not being met which indicates that these policies are not functioning as intended.  He informed the Committee that a recent assessment had shown that the County Borough has housing and land supply against the housing requirement of the LDP of 4 years.  He stated that it was imperative that the Local Planning Authority progresses with the statutory review of the LDP which will address the shortfall in housing land supply and facilitate the identification / allocation of additional housing land.  The replacement LDP will assist in seeking to avoid ‘planning by appeal’ and ad-hoc development coming forward outside the development plan system and not in accordance with Plan’s strategy. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported that whilst the level of growth in some areas is slower than anticipated, evidence collected through the monitoring process clearly suggests that good progress is being made in the delivery of the majority of LDP targets. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported that the next steps in the process would be for the AMR to be reported to Council.  He stated that the Plan would continue to be monitored on an annual basis through the preparation of successive AMRs.  He informed the Committee that the Regulations governing the production of LDPs allow for a ‘selective review’, which would allow for a partial review to cover issues associated with the housing land supply and site selection.  He also informed the Committee that the Council is required to commence a full review of the LDP every four years and in order to meet statutory requirements it would have to commence in early 2018.  He stated that it was therefore necessary and a statutory requirement for a review to be commenced to cover all aspects of the LDP in order to fully assess the nature and scale of revisions that might be required.  He also informed the Committee that a full review will assist in meeting 2021 deadline for having an adopted revised LDP in place to avoid the local policy vacuum that would be created if the current LDP is allowed to expire.  He stated that the next stage required the preparation of a ‘Review Report’ which would be reported to this Committee and Council. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported on a proposal to form a LDP Steering Group, in that this Committee will take on this role and which will oversee the review of the Local Development Plan from start to completion. 

RESOLVED:                           (1) That the Committee noted the content of the AMR report;

(2) That the Development Control Committee takes the responsibility of LDP Steering Group for the production of the replacement Bridgend Local Development Plan, subject to Council confirmation.