Caerphilly county borough council looks set to become the first unitary authority in Wales to adopt a key strategic document outlining the use of land across the area over the next decade.
The Local Development Plan (LDP) will set out the council’s policies and proposals to control land use up until 2021. The preparation of the document has been a long, complex process which included extensive public consultation and a public examination by an independent Planning Inspector.
“It’s great to see that Caerphilly is leading the way in Wales in progressing our Local Development Plan within the timescales agreed with WAG,” said Cllr Rob Gough, CCBC cabinet member for planning and transportation. “A lot of hard work has been done to drive the Plan forward and I would like to congratulate the team involved on their efforts. I would also like to thank all those who have contributed to the consultation process and helped shape this important document.”
The council has now received the inspector’s Final Report in respect of the examination and the findings contained within it are binding on the authority.
There have been many sites that have been the subject of discussions during the preparation of the plan. In particular the future use of the Bedwas Colliery Site, which is one of the largest sites allocated in the Plan, has been the subject of much debate. The Inspector acknowledges that the allocation of Bedwas Colliery for a mixed use scheme (housing and ancillary community purposes) is locally contentious and that local people have very genuine concerns. However, the Inspector concludes that he “finds no substantive flaw in the Council’s decision to allocate the site for the proposed combination of uses.”
Cllr Ron Davies, local ward member and cabinet member for regeneration, said, “It’s encouraging to see that the independent inspector has endorsed this proposal, and that he recognises that we have given serious and detailed consideration to all the issues associated with the redevelopment of this site. We want to reassure the local community that any future use of the land will be carefully considered as part of the planning application process.”
Caerphilly county borough council will be asked to consider the Inspector’s Report and to formally adopt the Local Development Plan at a meeting of Full Council on 23rd November. Once the Plan is adopted it will be available to purchase from the Council Offices in Blackwood and it will also be made available on the Council’s website.
