Agenda item

·         Many of the targets have been achieved and there are fewer red ratings than in the previous period as a result of increased completions with 443 dwelling completions with 131, or 30% of these being affordable and 4 LDP allocated housing sites gaining planning permission

·         Over 40 hectares of employment land available, 22 tourist holiday lets approved and vacancy rates in all shopping areas apart from Chepstow and Usk outperforming the Great Britain average.

·         Three underperforming policy areas were highlighted: There are only 4.o years of land supply available; the allocated strategic site at Vinegar Hill is yet to get planning permission and a decrease of permitted development on Brownfield Sites reflecting limited scope for Brownfield Development in the County

Members Challenge

·         Members queried what lessons have been learnt that will be taken into the new LDP and heard that there are regular meetings to learn what works and what hasn’t including meeting people who put forward certain sites and meeting certain groups such as farmers to talk about their challenges such as diversification.  Officers are also learning from other authorities.

·         Members queried whether the new LDP mention exploring a new settlement as part of a long term vision rather than only growing from expanding existing settlements. It was confirmed that this has been considered but Welsh Government have indicated that this should be via Strategic Development Plan and they will challenge if we proceed with a new settlement in the LDP and therefore we may have to wait for the regional strategic development plan.

·         There was a question in response to the calculation of the 5 year land supply.  Members heard about the process and the Head of Planning, Housing and Place Shaping agreed to compile some all Wales figures to circulate to members.

·         Members queried how much housing has been developed from looking outside the LDP.  Members heard that more than 360 permissions were granted but no completions yet.  This doesn’t include the 111 properties at Raglan that were called in by Welsh Government. However these have generally not been universally popular with local residents.

·         Members queried figures for vacancy rates in town centres gathered from surveys of central shopping areas and it was heard that this covered all A1 retail units, which could include restaurants. Members heard that more people are using town centres for leisure and food opportunities.

·         Members challenged how the development of sites could be sped up.  Members heard that this could include things to make sites more attractive to small developers and in some instances developers paying for an enhanced services as part of a planning performance agreements. It was also recognised that the council’s own sites have been slow to come forward but ultimately planners must be outcome focused.

·         The Committee queried when the consultation report on the replacement LDP would be coming forward.  Members heard that the results should be brought forward in November.

·         The Cabinet member stated that the use of town centres is changing as a result of high business rates and he has written to the Minister about high charges for town centre businesses compared to low rates for out of town businesses, Monmouthshire has resisted out of town developments but we have seen a rise in shops within garden centres which pay much lower business rates while architects have commented positively to the impact of the supermarket to Abergavenny town centre.

Outcomes

·         Members have scrutinised and understood lessons learnt from the last LDP to apply to the next plan

·         There has been scrutiny of the town centre vacancy rates and the impact of business rates which members recognised needs to change

·         Members scrutinised and made comments and recommend that the plan is endorsed and submitted to Welsh Government.