Summer 2014 The History of Planning in Wales ‘Make no little plans’: planning in Wales 1945-1996 The next installment of the history of planning in Wales is by Neil Harris who discusses the post-1947 period up to the start of devolution of planning to Wales Introduction of New Towns under the and argued that “building a The title for this article is New Towns Act 1946. new town is in its essence a 6 taken from the famous quote The principal reason for most human problem” . by American architect and establishing Cwmbran was to Planning for developments planner Daniel Burnham. provide housing for workers in the post-War economy The quote captures planners’ in the various industries in were also significant, with ambitions during the post-war this area, and to reduce trading estates developed period in Wales. Planners commuting across the region at Hirwaun, Treforest and and government dared to from existing settlements. Bridgend. In other parts ‘make big plans’ during this The Cwmbran Development of Wales, the clearance of golden era in planning history. Corporation aimed “to set a derelict sites was a priority As Sir Patrick Abercrombie standard of what a modern in the immediate post-War remarked, “A decade in a Industrial Town should be” period, with generous grant swiftly evolving subject such and “to create a happy, funding to bring sites into 3 as the science and art of friendly and pleasing town” . recreational use. And, across Town and Country Planning Special features of the town Wales there was a significant Above: Cwmbran Development is a long time”1. So, capturing centre included “a system of concern for “depopulation of Corporation’s pamphlet permanent canopies attached the Welsh countryside and emphasised Cwmbran’s the five decades of planning strategic location. Note the in Wales following the Second to the shops, the segregation impoverishment of the life of of pedestrians from vehicles reference to ‘A’ roads prior to World War is particularly rural Wales”. These concerns construction of Britain’s and ample car parking”4. challenging. This short history led to the designation of motorway network and the is a selective one, focusing Cwmbran was among the first Newtown in the Upper Severn Bridge. settlements in Wales to be on key events between the Severn Valley, following the landmark Town and Country designed through a master end of the Second World appointment of the Mid-Wales Planning Act 1947 was plan, which was novel at the War in 1945 and the period Development Corporation being implemented. The time, and generated a great immediately prior to the in 1968. Some feared that effects of the Act in Wales deal of comment on the devolution referendum in “unless there was government were significant. The Act distinction between setting 1997. intervention, Mid-Wales nationalised development out a strategy and deferring would become almost entirely rights, with over 45,000 The immediate post- consideration of details. 7 depopulated” . claims made in Wales from War period The Cwmbran Development These tasks of construction the compensation fund for Corporation was keen to The challenges for planning and reconstruction were loss of development value. ensure Cwmbran was “not in post-war Wales were taking place as the The number of planning just a town of the planners”5, varied. They ranged from applications in Wales had reconstruction of urban steadily increased since centres, and providing the ‘appointed day’ of 1st housing to accommodate July 1948 when the main workers in the newly provisions of the Act took industrialised areas, to place. The shortage of stemming rapid population skilled staff in Wales “had decline in rural mid-Wales. retarded the preparation of Swansea was the most the survey and development badly damaged of Wales’ plans” that were required by settlements during the the new system. Yet, with War, yet within a few years the Government’s support, the Government reported it was “hoped that planning considerable progress in authorities will be able to the reconstruction of “the complete their development war-destroyed centre of plans within the three years 2 Swansea” . laid down by the Act”8. Planners’ skills in Merioneth managed to reconstructing Wales’ produce Wales’ first County bomb-damaged towns were Above:The Master Plan for Cwmbran was based on the Development Plan in 1951, augmented with new skills neighbourhood unit, with each neighbourhood related to the planned while Glamorgan finally in building new, planned town centre. Cwmbran Development Corporation explained that a adopted its plan in 1968. communities. Cwmbran in town of 35,000 population was “too big to be considered as a single Several industries were also unit” and that it “would involve too much travelling for the housewife to South Wales is an example 15 nationalised in the immediate of a ‘Mark I New Town’, reach the shops” . The neighbourhood units provide for shops, schools, housing and public space, with detailed estimates of post-war period, including the being the first generation population. railways and the coal industry, 1 Summer 2014 The History of Planning in Wales which was of particular facing different parts of As for practices of this period, importance in the Welsh Wales in the late 1960s Colin Buchanan and Partners’ economy. were captured in ‘Wales: scheme for Cardiff (1968)12 The classic Welsh example The Way Ahead’. In North provides a good example of making ‘big plans’ is the Wales, the growing tourist of techniques, styles and South Wales Outline Plan economy was replacing methods of planning of the published in 1949 and written employment opportunities in era. The report embraced by T. Alwyn Lloyd and Herbert other, declining sectors, and modernisation of the city and Jackson. A Government report there was a need to manage declared that “much of the of the time notes how in South the decline of the substantial, city is either obsolete already Wales “it might seem the but temporary employment or likely to be so before the logical policy, at first sight, to opportunities created by end of the century”. And, as if abandon many of the mining major engineering projects to deliberately underline the towns in any future plan and at, for example, Trawsfynydd value of foresight, Buchanan’s think in terms of transferring and Wylfa. For West Wales, report noted that “the Above: Wrexham’s town centre the population to places some parts of the area population [of Cardiff] seems had been transformed by certain to increase by the end was in the 1970s planned with a where better conditions Comprehensive Development 9 “the remarkable post-war of the century to an extent could be provided” . Yet Area “to deal satisfactorily with the Outline Plan concluded development of the oil which cannot possibly be conditions of bad layout and 11 differently, and instead aimed refining industry” . The dealt with within the present obsolete development” 16. to increase the attractiveness period was one characterised city boundary”. This fervour for and convenience of existing by significant social and clearance and modernisation a quest for modernisation Valleys settlements. The plan economic change. The 1960s dramatically changed the and to accommodate and its critique highlight the and 1970s also witnessed the townscape of many Welsh increasing road traffic. grand visioning characteristic development of a distinctive settlements. Market towns, Wrexham too had plans 13 of the time, given the institutional landscape for such as Abergavenny , made for comprehensive preparedness to entertain the planning in Wales, with lost many significant redevelopment of its town abandonment of the existing various organisations buildings of historical and centre. settlement pattern. dedicated to planning and architectural interest through economic development. The The Government in 1951 also establishment of the Welsh noted how “In Wales, it is Office in 1965, shortly after particularly hard to reconcile creation of the Secretary modern development with the of State for Wales post the country’s extraordinary natural preceding year, started to beauty”10, a challenge thrown provide a particular, Welsh into sharp relief by proposals character to planning for hydro-electric schemes guidance. Wales was also in north Wales. Various equipped with its first and only designations recognised this planning school when Dewi- natural beauty, including the Prys Thomas established the designation of Snowdonia Department of Town Planning (1951), Pembrokeshire at University of Wales Institute Coast (1952) and Brecon of Science and Technology Beacons (1957) National in 1966. Another important Parks. Britain’s first Area of part of the institutional Outstanding Natural Beauty landscape in Wales was the in the Gower followed quickly Welsh Development Agency, thereafter (1956), with further which was established in AONBs designated later in 1976 and for thirty years places including Ynys Mon engaged in various projects, and the Wye Valley. including derelict land The sixties and reclamation schemes and seventies promoting inward investment Planners in the late 1960s and employment schemes were faced with a changed across Wales. Similarly, the development plans system, Development Board for Rural based on a system of Wales, also established in Structure Plans and Local 1976, became responsible Plans, which was premised for promoting mid-Wales and on distinguishing the the continuing development strategic aspects of planning of Newtown, while the Land Above: Buchanan’s plan for Cardiff was focused on modernisation of from the tactical ones. The Authority for Wales played a the city, including the provision of roads to accommodate increasing use of private motor cars. The controversial plan included a central opportunities and problems distinctive role in assembling land for development. and southern primary route cutting through parts of inner urban Cardiff. 2 Summer 2014 The History of Planning in Wales Summer 2014 The History of Planning in Wales The eighties and the South Wales Valleys, in Wales is the ambition to many were controversial, nineties including through the Institute prepare ‘big plans’.