REGENERATION AND LEISURE SCUTINY
7TH MAY 2009
CARMARTHENSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN - Preferred Strategy
The LDP has to be prepared in accordance with the Local Development Plan Regulations therefore before finally determining the content of its Local Development Plan (LDP) for deposit; the Authority is required to publish its pre-deposit proposals for public inspection and comment, (an eight week period0. The pre-deposit proposals documents must include:-
● The Vision
● Strategic Options
● Preferred Strategy
● Key Strategic Policies and
● The Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report
This paper expands on a key element of the LDP namely the Preferred Strategy which sets out the key elements of the LDP over a 15 year period and will establish a coherent strategy to which the full Deposit Plan will have to conform. This Strategy will underpin the policies and allocations to be identified in the full Deposit Plan and provide a basis for meeting the economic, social and environmental needs of the area and broad locations for the delivery of housing and other strategic requirements. Specific site allocations are not dealt with in this strategic document.
The Preferred Strategy is being developed in considering the following factors:
1. Review of the existing Policy Framework;
2. On-going Evidence Gathering and Review of Baseline Environmental, Social and Economic Information;
3. Pre-Deposit Engagement of Stakeholders and Communities;
4. Sustainability Appraisal/ Strategic Environmental Assessment (SA/SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA)
1. Review of the existing Policy Framework
a) Carmarthenshire Unitary Development Plan.
The Carmarthenshire UDP established the overall strategic land use planning framework that will guide future development within the County. It built on the sustainable “Growth Area and Village Cluster” development pattern that has been previously approved by Carmarthenshire County Council in December 1999. In essence, the “Growth Area and Village Cluster” strategy is heavily influenced by a need to secure a more sustainable land use pattern within the County. Directing new development and investment to those locations that already have a range of facilities and services, has the effect of minimising the distances between trip origin and destination, thus reducing the propensity for additional private car travel.
Urban centres are more “sustainable” than rural areas, given their comparative size, population density and level of higher order services and facilities. Although there is little difficulty in justifying the channelling of investment and development to these larger urban centres, such an imbalanced concentration of development opportunities would have a detrimental effect on rural communities. In order to try and introduce a settlement pattern that caters for the interests of the rural areas and at the same time, readily embraces the concept of sustainable development, the UDP directs all employment, housing and other development on a proportional basis to:
(i)Three selected Urban Growth Areas, Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford/Cross Hands (including surrounding settlements).
Growth Areas are large and established urban areas and are well served by sustainable transport routes. They also contain a range of higher order services and facilities, including in most instances further education, secondary schools, primary healthcare, regional employment and retail centres and a wide range of recreation facilities.
(ii) Eighteen Key Settlements which are further sub-divided into secondary and tertiary settlements and which are accessible to a range of services and facilities.
Secondary Settlements are normally situated on sustainable transport corridors and/or have a range of facilities and services, providing for the needs of the rural hinterland.
Tertiary Settlements possess facilities and services that have a community focus, often comprising of a basic level of healthcare provision together with localised shopping facilities and other services.
(iii) Fifty-one Village Clusters. Where there are recognised levels of interdependence between smaller settlements, they are grouped together to form a single “cluster”. Such grouping enables development to be allocated within the context of the whole “cluster”, rather than on an individual village basis.
b) Community Strategy
The Community Strategy will determine the kind of Carmarthenshire we want for the future for everyone – young, old, residents or visitors alike. Community Planning is an evolving process with many complexities. The initial document is presently being reviewed by making sure that everyone has an opportunity to set the vision for 2020 through a series of consultation and engagement exercises to ensure we get wide ranging viewpoints. The LDP would need to aware of any land use implications of such a vision
c) Planning Policy Wales (PPW) (2002)
The purpose of Planning Policy Wales is to set the context for sustainable land use planning policy, within which local planning authorities’ statutory Unitary Development Plans are prepared and development control decisions on individual applications and appeals are taken. It is important that planning policy continues to evolve to accommodate changing circumstances and Planning Policy Wales will continue to be monitored and reviewed in relation to the Assembly Government’s objectives for Wales. PPW has been amended since 2002 by a series of Ministerial Interim Planning Policy Statements (MIPPS) which include:
This Ministerial Interim Planning Policy Statement (MIPPS) 01/2008 - on Good Design updates section 2.9 of Planning Policy Wales.
This Ministerial Interim Planning Policy Statement provides a revised Chapter 9 of 'Planning Policy Wales' (2002).
The attached text amends sections 12.8 to 12.10 of the Planning Policy Wales (PPW) (2002) using existing paragraph headings and numbers.
Amendment to sections 10.1 to 10.3 of Planning Policy Wales (2002)
Planning Policy Wales is supplemented by a series of Technical Advice Notes (21 in total) and these are also being reviewed as necessary.
d) Wales Spatial Plan (WSP): People, Places, Futures (2008)
The WSP provides the overarching policy framework for the future spatial development of Wales and a planning authority has to have regard to the Plan in the preparation of the LDP. WSP integrates the spatial element of all WAG strategies into a comprehensive framework which sets the context for local and community planning as a 20 year plan for the sustainable development of Wales. There are five guiding themes to the plan:
● · Building sustainable communities
● · Promoting a sustainable economy
● · Valuing our environment
● · Achieving sustainable accessibility
● · Respecting distinctiveness
As well as these vital principles, which apply across the length and breadth of Wales, each area has developed a unique vision. In the Carmarthenshire context this applies to 3 Spatial Plan areas - Central Wales, Pembrokeshire Haven and Swansea Bay and the Western Valleys. The Preferred Strategy must therefore provide a framework which enables the identified key settlements to fulfil their strategic functions over the Plan period.
e) The South Wales Regional Technical Statement for Aggregates (October 2008).
In accordance with Minerals Technical Advice Note 1: Aggregates, the Welsh Assembly Government commissioned a study of the geological availability of suitable minerals and the ‘environmental capacity’ of each local authority to contribute to the supply of aggregates to meet regional demand. MTAN 1 directs Regional Aggregate Working parties to use the findings of this study to prepare a 5 year technical statement for their region (RTS) to ensure that an adequate supply of primary aggregates can be maintained taking into account the sustainable objectives of aggregate extraction. MTAN 1 directs LPA’s to incorporate the relevant parts of the strategy set out in the RTS into their development plans.
f) South West Wales regional Waste Plan 1st Review (August 2008)
The Regional Waste Plans provide a long-term strategic waste management strategy and land-use planning framework for the sustainable management of wastes and recovery of resources. The responsibility for preparing Regional Waste Plans lies with the Regional Waste Groups.
2. Evidence Gathering
One of the tests of soundness in the LDP preparation is to ensure that a robust evidence base is established- upon which the Preferred Spatial Strategy should be based. In light of this a review has been undertaken of social, economic and environmental data available for the County. The summary outlines ongoing and completed studies.
The review of the available data will be used to identify many of the key issues facing the Park. This process also compliments the issues identified through the pre-deposit stakeholder and community engagement process and SA/SEA Scoping exercise.
The process was facilitated by a series of Discussion Papers which sought to set the context for the preparation of the LDP through individual topic areas, developing on, and identifying some of the potential issues, options and objectives for the area. They represented an important first step in the development of a robust evidence base and of a preferred strategy.
These papers were not exhaustive in content and were intended to illustrate the scope of the Plan and facilitate a response. While also informing members of the Authority, officers, the Key Stakeholder Forum and relevant Consultees on some of the key strategic land use policy issues within the County.
A separate Demography Paper has been prepared and provides an overview of population and demographics within the County and is essential with regard to preparation of the LDP’s evidence base.
3.Engagement
A key objective of the LDP system is to build greater consensus and strengthen community involvement. The Delivery Agreement provided an opportunity to improve community involvement, particularly by engaging residents, service users, stakeholders and partners in a meaningful and cost effective way. A key element has been the Key Stake Holder Forum meetings.
Key Stakeholder Forum 1
The first Key Stakeholder Forum (KSF) was held on the 28 October 2008 at the Gwenllian Court Hotel, Kidwelly.
Copies of the Executive Summary of the KSF 1 Consultation Report, along with copies of the Full KSF 1 Consultation Report, are available for viewing/download on the web site. http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/english/environment/planning/planning%20policy%20and%20development%20plans/local%20development%20plan/pages/consultationreports.aspx
Also available for download are copies of the delegate packs issued at KSF 1. These packs include the issues/topic papers, visioning papers, strategic objectives papers and Sustainability Appraisal papers, all of which were provided to delegates at KSF 1.
The Consultation Report attempts to capture events at KSF 1 by firstly setting out the format of the day before summarising the main deliberations that attendees undertook with regards to discussing baseline spatial -sustainability issues, developing a vision and also prioritising some strategic objectives. The report also covers the work undertaken on ‘sustainability testing’ three strategic option scenarios for the County. The report concludes by outlining the next steps in the LDP plan making process.
It was deemed important that the contents of the Consultation Report were agreed as a fair and accurate reflection of the day’s events by KSF Members. The KSF 1 Report and the Executive Summary were duly endorsed as an accurate reflection following the Consultation Report feedback window which ran from the 20 November 2008 to the December 20 2008. Any delegates absent on the day were still able to make any comments and/or observations on the Consultation Report do so by means of a written reply/phone call.
Key Stakeholder Forum 2
The second KSF was held at the Gwenllian Court Hotel, Kidwelly on the 24 February 2009. Copies of the delegate packs issued at KSF 2 are also available for download. along with copies of the KSF 2 Consultation Report and the Executive Summary. The Consultation Report attempts to capture events at KSF 2 by firstly setting out the format of the day before summarising the main deliberations that attendees undertook with regards to consolidating the LDP Vision and Objectives and also prioritising a preferred spatial option. It is important that the contents of the Consultation Report are agreed as a fair and accurate reflection of the day’s events by KSF Members. A Consultation Report feedback window will ran until the 17 April 2009. Any delegates were absent from the day and would still able to make any comments and/or observations on the Consultation Report by means of a written reply/phone call. The general public were also invited to comment on the Reports.
Town and Community Councils - Stakeholder Event
A Town and Community Council Stakeholder Event was held in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Carmarthen, on the 4 February 2009. The Event was held in conjunction with One Voice Wales and was facilitated by Planning Aid Wales.
4. SA/SEA and HRA
A Scoping Report is the first stage of the SA/SEA process and sets the context for the SA of the Local Development Plan (LDP). The SA will test the LDP for its effect on the environmental, social and economic aspects of the County. The Scoping Report is important because it will determine the key sustainability objectives for the County, which will in turn be used as a means to test the LDP in due course.
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires planning authorities to undertake a Sustainability Appraisal of their LDP and report the findings as an integral part of the process of plan preparation. This involves environmental, economic and social implications of the plan’s policies being considered within a full appraisal of the interaction of policies within the plan. In addition to this, the EU Directive 2001/42/EC (and resulting Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2004) requires planning authorities to undertake a formal Strategic Environmental Assessment of plans and programmes that are likely to have significant effects on the environment.
In accordance with the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, the impacts of any land use plan against the conservation objectives of a European Site are to be assessed by means of a Habitats Regulations Assessment. The possible need for an Appropriate Assessment (AA) will be established following a test of significance. Any resulting AA will follow the same iterative process as that of the SA/SEA wherever possible. The SA/SEA and HRA have been fully integrated into the plan making process. This ensures that the assessments provide input at each stage when decisions are taken. The first stage of this process was the consultation on the Scoping Report in September 2008. This report identified the key issues for sustainability. Meanwhile the results of SA/SEA and HRA are identified in the associated Sustainability/ Environmental Report. This will be open for consultation alongside this Preferred Strategy.
1 – Scoping Defines content and approach of SA/SEA Plan Programme Policy (PPP) Review Identify problems and opportunities
2 - Baseline and Context Setting
● Develop SA/SEA objectives
● Test objectives
● Appraise alternatives
● Predict/evaluate effects
● Describe mitigation
● Set up suite of indicators - monitoring
3 - Develop Strategic Alternatives; Test Effects
Prepare Sustainability Appraisal Report (SAR)
4 - Consultation Consult on draft DPD and SA/SEA; refine plan and SE/SEA thereon Monitor effects
5 - Monitoring and of core strategy DPD
6. Implementation Respond to adverse effects