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Pre Deposit Participation Draft Report of Consultation March 2009 MONMOUTSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PRE-DEPOSIT PARTICIPATION REPORT OF CONSULTATION CONTENTS A. Issues and Vision (1) The Issues and Visioning Workshops (2) The Consultation Exercise B. Options (1) The Consultation Exercise (2) The Options Workshops Appendices A1 Issues and Visioning Workshops – Report on Issues Exercise A2 Issues and Visioning Workshops – Report on Visioning Exercise A3 Issues and Visioning Workshops – Workshop Participants A4 Issues and Vision Report – Consultation Database B1 Options Report – Consultation Database B2 Results of Options Workshops B3 Options Workshops – Workshop Participants A. Pre-Deposit Participation – Issues and Vision. 1 A. (1) THE ISSUES AND VISIONING WORKSHOPS During June 2008 a series of workshops were held to inform the Issues/Vision/Objectives stage of the LDP preparation process. These ‘Issues and Visioning’ workshops took place as follows: 2 June, Officers Workshop at County Hall, Cwmbran. 6 June, External Stakeholders Workshop at County Hall, Cwmbran. 12 June, in association with Bryn-y-Cwm Community Forum, St. Michaels Centre, Abergavenny. 19 June, in association with Monmouth Rural Forum, Raglan School. 25 June, in association with Monmouth Partnership Forum, Bridges Community Centre, Monmouth. 2 July, Mor Hafren Area (Chepstow/Caldicot), Beaufort Hotel, Chepstow. The notes of each workshop were written up and sent to participants who had left their e-mail or home addresses. These notes have been amalgamated and are reproduced in Appendices A1 and A2. Lists of participants are given in Appendix A3. The workshops were led by an independent facilitator. The results of the workshops were used to inform an Issues and Vision Report (August 2008) that was issued for consultation. The results of this consultation are included in the second part of this report. Workshop format As part of the Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SA/SEA) of the LDP it was necessary to produce a Draft Scoping Report that was issued for public consultation. Appendix 3 of the Draft SA/SEA Scoping Report contained a collection of key information relating to Monmouthshire’s environment, population, economy and infrastructure. The baseline data was structured according to the five guiding themes of the Wales Spatial Plan. This baseline data was analysed in order to identify sustainability issues that the LDP might need to deal with. These issues were set out in section 5 of the Draft Scoping Report together with some thoughts on how the LDP might be able to influence them. The relevant section of the Scoping Report was attached to the notes supplied to participants in the Issues and Visioning workshops. The topic headings were also used to structure the first part of the workshop session, which was held as an ‘Open Space’ style session where participants were invited to identify their main issues and concerns on flipchart paper at work stations devoted to each topic area. The information gathered at this stage of the workshops is collected in Appendix A1, together with the issues and possible actions identified in the Draft Scoping Report. 2 In the second part of the workshop, the participants were invited to think to the future – based on the information presented and the issues and concerns the group had raised. Working at tables of around six people, participants were asked to consider ‘What would they like to see in place in the future if the LDP addresses and achieves their goals?’ Each table was asked to be as specific as possible and to itemise their ideas on cards, with one idea per card and each idea to be no more than 7-8 words in length. By means of a general discussion led by the facilitator these ideas were then grouped into topic areas and each topic area was given a title. The findings of this part of the workshop are given in the tables in Appendix A2 and were used to inform the development of the Monmouthshire LDP Vision. Issues Appendix A1 sets out all the issues identified by participants in the six engagement workshops. Not all of the issues relate to matters that can be influenced by the LDP. The issues were reproduced in full in the Issues and Vision Report, however, both to give a complete picture of the main concerns of workshop participants so that their aspirations for the community can be understood and also to provide a resource that could inform other aspects of the County Council’s functions. For instance, the Issues and Vision Report was circulated to County Councillors, Partnership representatives, Area Managers and officers of the Council that are engaged in the preparation of other plans and strategies, such as the Community Strategy and Local Transport Plan. The detailed issues listed in Appendix A1 will be used to inform policy preparation in the later stages of plan preparation. It was also important to ensure that the Vision and Objectives of the LDP arose from the Issues that the plan has to address. There is also a need to recognise that some of the issues raised are in conflict with each other. The objective of this exercise was not to seek consensus but to ensure that everyone’s views were put forward. Given the depth and richness of material gathered it is difficult to do it justice in a brief summary but short responses to the issues raised in each topic area are given below. This information was used to develop the list of Key Issues, that were further refined following the consultation on the Issues and Vision Report, as explained in the second section of this report. 1. Building sustainable communities. Population Participants generally acknowledged the fact of an aging population structure, relating the out migration of young people, in particular, to the lack of affordable housing but also recognising the needs of the elderly population. Rural issues were also related to the provision of community facilities and access to services. There was general concern about the implications of high population projections and Monmouthshire’s capacity to accommodate growth. Shortages of burial facilities were identified. 3 Housing There was widespread recognition of the need for more affordable housing, with related discussion of policy approaches to providing such housing and noting the distinctive need of rural areas. At the External Stakeholders workshop, which was attended by representatives of the private sector, the importance of meeting needs for general market housing was raised as an issue. Comments were made on the need for good design and layout in housing, including energy efficiency. The distinction between brownfield/greenfield development was also noted. Health and Well Being The potential of the LDP to contribute to the health and well being of communities was recognised. Access to services and community facilities, was also an issue, particularly in the rural areas but also in towns. Developing community spirit was seen as important. Access to the countryside and recreation facilities was seen as a means of improving health. Community Facilities and Recreation Again, the amount and accessibility of community and recreation facilities were seen as important issues, with a debate in the External Stakeholders Workshop on the ability of new development to finance the provision of such facilities through legal agreements. The need for allotments and link to local food production came up in this and a number of other topic areas. Again, shortage of burial facilities was raised as an issue in some communities. 2. Promoting a sustainable economy Employment and Economic Development A need for local employment opportunities was recognised, particular concerns were the protection and promotion of existing small businesses in towns, promoting the rural economy in such areas as farmers’ markets, local food production and farming and reducing the need to travel. Tourism There was widespread disagreement with the statement that tourism plays a ‘small’ part in the Monmouthshire economy. Emphasis was placed on the importance of ‘image’, appearance and appropriate infrastructure in attracting tourists, both in town centres and the countryside Minerals 4 There was limited response on this issue, mineral production not being significant in Monmouthshire. Questions were raised on how mineral production could be ‘sustainable’ given that once extracted they were used up. It was emphasised that the Usk Valley should not be a location for minerals extraction. 3. Valuing the environment One difficulty recognised in informal discussion in the workshops was the absence of climate change and energy efficiency as specific issues in their own right amongst the topic areas. Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna The Severn Barrage was often raised as an issue in this section, with opposing views being expressed, although this is a matter that the LDP does not have any influence over. A number of points were raised about habitat protection, connectivity etc., particularly in the Officer and External Stakeholder Workshops, and these will be taken up in more detail later in the preparation of the LDP, including as part of the SA/SEA process . Air The link between air quality and transport issues was stressed. The need for energy efficiency in new buildings was raised under this heading. Water Resources Flood risk was seen as a major issue. The importance of such matters as water harvesting, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems etc was recognised and there was concern about inadequacies in sewerage infrastructure, particularly in relation to serving new developments. Soil and Land Importance of agriculture, local food production was stressed, together with concern about building on greenfield land. Landscape Landscape protection was seen as a priority, of designated areas and the countryside in general Waste A number of comments made under this topic area related more to the Council’s municipal waste collection but taken with comments on waste policies these could also be seen as evidence of a general concern to reduce waste, encourage recycling and provide more local facilities.

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