Agenda item

To scrutinise a working draft of an SPG on tourism.

Context:

To advise Members of the preparation of Draft Supplementary Planning

Guidance (SPG) on Sustainable Tourism Accommodation to provide clarification on the interpretation of the policies of the Monmouthshire Local

Development Plan (LDP).

Recommendations:

1. That the Economy and Development Select Committee notes the contents of this report and the Draft Sustainable Tourism Accommodation SPG and comments accordingly.

2. To seek Select Committee’s endorsement of the SPG, with a recommendation to Cabinet Member that the SPG be publicised for public consultation.

3. That the Select Committee considers the public consultation responses and any associated amendments to the SPG at a future meeting, prior to recommending the SPG for formal adoption.

Key Issues:

1 The Monmouthshire Local Development Plan (2011-2021) was adopted in

February 2014 to become the adopted development plan for the County (excluding that part within the Brecon Beacons National Park). This statutory development plan contains a number of policies relevant to tourism which are set out in Appendix A of the Draft SPG (attached as Appendix 1). Legislation requires that planning applications are determined in accordance with the

LDP, unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. Consequently, the effectiveness and appropriateness of the LDP policies is essential in securing desired tourism outcomes. However, it is worth noting that the LDP does not have to cover all eventualities. Indeed, Welsh Government guidance on producing LDPs requires that LDPs do not duplicate national planning policy. Topics or types of tourism not covered by specific LDP policies can be considered under national planning policy and/or material planning considerations.

2. The Economic and Development Select Committee, at its meeting on 13

October 2016, received a report which provided an update on the effectiveness of the LDP policy framework in enabling/delivering tourism related development since the Plan’s adoption and reviewed the extent to which the LDP is supporting sustainable forms of tourism accommodation. Particular consideration was given to the policy support for proposals for ‘glamping’ accommodation - an identified key growth area that the Council wishes to support in principle. The report subsequently recommended that draft SPG be prepared to provide clarity on how proposals for sustainable tourism accommodation will be considered and that the SPG be reported back to this Select Committee prior to the SPG being circulated for public consultation.

3. Selective use of SPG is a means of setting out more detailed thematic or site specific guidance on the way in which the policies of an LDP will be applied in particular circumstances or areas. PPW (Edition 9, 2016) at paragraph 2.3.3 states that:

‘SPG does not form part of the development plan but it must be consistent with the plan and with national policy. It must derive from and be clearly cross referenced to a generic LDP policy, specific policies for places, and/or – in the case of a masterplan or site brief – a plan allocation. SPG cannot be linked to national policy alone; there must be an LDP policy or policy criterion that provides the development plan ‘hook’, whilst the reasoned justification provides clarification of the related national policy.’

4. Paragraph 2.3.4 of PPW further emphasises that SPG can be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, provided that it is consistent with the development plan and appropriate consultation has been undertaken:

‘Only the policies in the development plan have special status under section

38(6) of the 2004 Act in deciding planning applications, but SPG may be taken into account as a material consideration. In making decisions on matters that come before it, the Welsh Government and the Planning

Inspectorate will give substantial weight to approved SPG which derives from and is consistent with the development plan, and has been the subject of consultation.’

Draft Sustainable Tourism Accommodation SPG

5. The Draft Sustainable Tourism Accommodation SPG is attached to this report as an Appendix 1. The SPG is intended to provide certainty and clarity for applicants, officers and Members in the interpretation and implementation of the existing LDP policy framework in relation to proposals for sustainable forms of visitor accommodation. For the purposes of this SPG, sustainable visitor accommodation is apply to other forms of sustainable visitor accommodation. The guidance relates to proposals outside settlement boundaries (as identified on the LDP proposals maps).The SPG provides an overview of the national and local planning policy context in relation to sustainable tourism, clarifies what is meant by sustainable tourism accommodation in relation to Strategic Policy S11 and outlines the various types of sustainable tourism accommodation to which this SPG relates. The main part of the SPG (Section 4) provides guidance on the interpretation and implementation of the LDP policy framework in relation to proposals for sustainable forms of visitor accommodation, concerned primarily with glamping facilities, although it would also Information is also provided with regard to submitting a planning application for sustainable visitor accommodation, including details of the Council’s pre-planning application advice service.

6. Further detail/information is provided in the appendices to the SPG. Appendix B sets out the key policy considerations for assessing particular types of glamping accommodation, namely yurts, tepees, bell tents, wooden pods/tents, shepherd’s huts and tree houses. These types of glamping facilities are specifically included as they have becoming increasingly popular in recent years and are likely to continue to be so. A list of example planning conditions that may apply to planning permissions for glamping proposals is provided in Appendix C.

Next Steps

7. It is intended to report the Draft Sustainable Tourism Accommodation SPG to Planning Committee, with a view to seeking endorsement to issue it for consultation purposes.

8. As referred to in paragraph 4 above, for SPG to be given weight in the consideration of planning applications, appropriate consultation needs to be undertaken and any comments received should be taken into account in the

Council’s decision making process. Following a resolution to consult, targeted notifications will be sent to those considered to have an interest in the SPG topic, although all town and community councils will be consulted and a notice will be placed in the press. All consultation replies will be analysed and responses/amendments reported for Members’ consideration when seeking a resolution for the adoption of any SPG document.

Member Scrutiny:

The Chair spoke of not pre-empting what comes from public consultation and mentioned of the importance of the committee having a thorough look at the feedback from interested parties after the consultation finishes.

It was asked when the consultation would start and we were told that it would start in after the being presented at the March planning committee and it was unlikely that the results would be back with the Economy and Development Select Committee before the election.

A member expressed his disappointment that we treat tourism and tourism accommodation as one item and do not distinguish between the different types of tourists who come to the county. There are those who come to the county for the scenery, those who come for historical interest and those who come for business reason, all of which require very different accommodation. It was asked that a paragraph was added to the report to reflect this.