1 Purpose of the Report

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6

REPORT TO: Executive Board

REPORT NO. CPLO/47/06

DATE: 5 September 2006

LEAD MEMBER: Cllr Mark Pritchard (Waste & Environment)

REPORTING OFFICER: Chief Planning Officer

CONTACT OFFICER: Clive Nicholas (Tel: 292511)

SUBJECT: Wrexham Local Development Plan Delivery Agreement

WARD: All

1 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

To consider proposed responses/ modifications to the stakeholder consultation representations received on the Wrexham Local Development Plan Delivery Agreement.

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2.1 The Executive Board approved a draft Delivery Agreement for the purpose of stakeholder consultation on 4 July 2006. The consultation was undertaken between 5 July and 4 August 2006. The relevant representations made must now be considered by the Council prior to the formal approval of the Delivery Agreement, with or without amendments, and its submission to the Welsh Assembly Government Planning Division for agreement.

3 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 That the responses/modifications to the stakeholder representations be received and that the Delivery Agreement be submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government Planning Division for agreement.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION To enable the Council to meet the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and make a formal start to the Wrexham Local Development Plan.

Lawrence Isted Chief Planning Officer

4 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

4.1 The Delivery Agreement comprises a timetable for the preparation of the Wrexham Local Development Plan together with a Community Involvement Scheme which outlines the Council’s policies regarding who, how and when it will engage in the process. This Council's Executive Board, at its meeting on 4 July 2006, approved the draft Delivery Agreement for the purpose of stakeholder consultation. The consultation, involving 387 stakeholders, was undertaken between 5 July and 4 August 2006. Appendix 1 contains a summary of relevant consultation replies and recommended responses/ modifications.

4.2 The relevant representations made must now be considered by the Council prior to the formal approval of the Delivery Agreement, with or without amendments, and its submission to the Welsh Assembly Government Planning Division for agreement. Following agreement, the Delivery Agreement must be publicised and made available for public inspection at the Council’s principal offices and on the Council’s web site.

5 CONSULTATION

5.1 Consultation on the draft Delivery Agreement was undertaken between 5 July and 4 August 2006. The Planning Committee considered this report on 4 September 2006 and I will report any comments at your meeting.

6 SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMENTS

6.1 The Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee considered the general approach to community engagement on the Wrexham Local Development Plan on 18 May 2005 and 31 August 2005. The decisions of the Council’s Executive Board (20 September 2005) were incorporated in the draft Delivery Agreement.

7 IMPLICATIONS

7.1 Policy Framework: The Community Involvement Scheme accords with the community strategy “Wrexham Refreshed: A Vision for the Wrexham County Borough 2004-2020", particularly regarding:

. Fairness and equality – promoting equal access to opportunities and facilities for all to ensure the outcomes of the community vision benefit everyone. . Citizenship – developing strong and empowered communities, where everyone has the opportunity to play an active part in society, be they young or old. . Social exclusion – helping ensure that people or sections of the community are not left out but have the chance to contribute to and enjoy the progress being made in Wrexham County Borough. . Partnership – only by working in partnership with the community effectively will we be able to effect long lasting change within the County Borough.

7.2 Budget: The Planning Department has already committed money in a specific reserve to undertake those activities outlined in the definitive stages of the Plan’s preparation. Further monies have been set aside following Executive Board agreement to report CFPO/38/06 on 6 June 2006 to cover the indicative stages of Plan preparation.

7.3 Legal: None. Preparation of the Delivery Agreement will accord with the statutory requirements.

7.4 Staffing: This proposal is based on existing staffing levels. In order to minimise the impact of the additional workload on staff, the proposed consultation arrangements seek to use consultants and facilitators wherever possible. However, if the consultation proposals are successful, additional short-term staff resources may be needed to deal with responses whilst maintaining the Plan’s timetable.

7.5 Other: None.

8 EVALUATION OF OPTIONS

It is a legal requirement to prepare a development plan, including an initiating Delivery Agreement, and keep it up to date.

BACKGROUND PAPERS LOCATION WEB SITE INFORMATION

1. Town and Country Planning Planning Department Council’s Planning (Local Development Plan) (Wales) Web Site Regulations 2005 APPENDIX 1: SUM MARY OF RELEVANT CONSULTATION REPLIES AND RECOMMENDED RESPONSES/ MODIFICATIONS

Ref. Consultee Representation Summary Council's Response 1. A WCBC There is no Methodist Church organisation on the consultation The Methodist Church (Wales) was contacted during January Councillor list (Appendix 1 of the draft Delivery Agreement). 2006 when the stakeholder database was formulated. It did not indicate interest in the LDP. 2. Association of a) The environmental voluntary sector of the external key a) Friends of the Earth has expertise in both national and local Voluntary stakeholder panel (Appendix 2A) is represented by Friends of strategic environmental and sustainability issues and, as such, Organisations in the Earth, who do not have a significant presence in the County has an important key stakeholder role to play in the preparation Wrexham Borough. of the LDP. (AVOW) b) Local organisations that have an interest in environmental, b) No requests from organisations other than those listed have social and economic issues have requested to have been received. There is scope to extend the external representation on the key stakeholder panel (Appendix 2A) but stakeholder panel so long as it remains balanced in have not been given the opportunity. composition, strategic in function and of manageable size. c) Concerned that there is inadequate representation from local c) Disagree. About 15% of consultation organisations are voluntary organisations. voluntary and these will be engaged fully in the Plan's preparation. In addition, AVOW acts as an umbrella organisation representative of several hundred local voluntary organisations. d) Suggests that it may be helpful to the public if d) Disagree. The Delivery Agreement is not intended to the words "Welsh Assembly Government" be included provide background information about the new development (paragraph 1.3) to indicate the origin of the new development plan system. That is covered by other means. plan system. e) Welcome any consultation initiatives on supplementary e) Noted. planning guidance paragraphs 1.6 and 1.7). f) Concerned about the phrase "…will not be able to f) Disagree. Paragraph 3.4 clarifies the underlying principles influence…" (paragraph 3.4) nullifies the meaningfulness of of the operation of the engagement process not the content of community and stakeholder involvement which is to influence the LDP. The LDP purpose is outlined clearly in paragraphs the LDP. 1.3-1.5 inclusive as largely concerned with land use and development and sustainable development. The sentence is essential to clarify to stakeholders that not all the world's social, economic and environmental ills can be addressed through the LDP. g) Concerned that action by officers independently of elected g) The respondent has misunderstood the sentence. The members is contrary to local authority policy (paragraph 3.4). sentence relates only to the collection, recording and objective assessment of information - technical tasks that officers will undertake. Paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9 clearly defines the respective roles of professional officers and elected members. h) Concerned about the lack of press coverage to date and h) Several press articles have appeared in local newspapers. suggests press articles and posters to supplement any Further publicity will be undertaken at key stages in the awareness raising to date (paragraph 3.5). preparation of the LDP. i) Concerned that the language (paragraph 3.7) is not easy to i) Disagree. The paragraph clarifies what is expected of read and that it should be more inviting rather than directing in consultees as part of the engagement contract in order to satisfy its tone. the LDP timetable and contents requirements. j) The fact that information is available in a variety of formats j) Noted. needs to be communicated as widely as possible in accessible formats (paragraph 3.10). k) For voluntary and community organisations (especially k) Noted. umbrella bodies) to be effectively engaged then resources need to be made available and timescales must be appropriate to allow canvassing of their membership (especially "hard to reach" groups) (table 3: community involvement). 3. Countryside a) Agrees with the community and stakeholder engagement a) Noted. Council for timetable (Table 1). Wales b) Would welcome further information on the proposed b) This information is outlined in Table 1 (timetable) and Table timetable for the formal consultation on the LDP and also on 3 (community involvement) of the Delivery Agreement. the Strategic Environmental Assessment/ Sustainability Appraisal. 4. Denbighshire a) There is no indication as to who will undertake the Strategic a) Paragraph 2.3 of the Delivery Agreement indicates that the County Council Environmental Assessment/ Sustainability Appraisal tasks. Council's Planning Policy staff has the core responsibility for the preparation of the LDP, including the Strategic Environmental Assessment/ Sustainability Appraisal. b) The importance of the Strategic Environmental Assessment/ b) Disagree. Paragraph 1.4 of the Delivery Agreement Sustainability Appraisal is not emphasised. adequately focuses on the role of the Strategic Environmental Assessment/ Sustainability Appraisal while Table 1 (timetable) indicates key preparation dates. c) There is no indication of the estimated staff and financial c) Disagree. Paragraphs 2.3 and 2.4 of the Delivery Agreement resources needed for each stage of the Plan's preparation and adequately focuses on human and financial resources and whether or not this will be sourced internally. associated risk management. d) Suggests that the image on the front cover discriminates d) Paragraph 3.4 and Table 3 (community involvement) of the against older and middle aged people and children and queries Delivery Agreement emphasises the in-built equality and whether they will be represented in the LDP. accessibility in the proposed community and stakeholder engagement. Not every minority group can be represented on the cover of the document but the existing design represents a fair cross section. e) Suggests that neighbouring local authorities should be e) Agreed. Appendix 2A of the Delivery Agreement amended represented on the key external stakeholder group. accordingly. 5. Welsh The Assembly is, during this financial year, proposing to Noted. Assembly develop Route Management Strategies which will inform a Government: forthcoming Trunk Road Forward Programme review. This Transport Wales can feed into the LDP. 6. Oswestry No observations. Noted. Borough Council 7. Forestry No comments. Noted. Commission (Wales) 8. Ministry of No specific comments Noted. Defence 9. Environment Notes the contents and key dates but has no comment at this Noted. Agency Wales stage. 10. Scottish Power a) No comments on the proposed timetable. a) Noted. b) Suggests consultation ahead of pre-deposit participation in b) Agreed. April 2007 is the completion target date of that April 2007. stage. Engagement will naturally occur well before that date. c) Suggests their inclusion as a private sector environmental c) Agreed. Appendix 2A of the Delivery Agreement amended representative on the key external stakeholder group. accordingly. d) Requests amendment to the specific consultation d) Noted. Appendices 1A and 1C of the Delivery Agreement organisations list to include "Scottish Power Energy Networks" amended accordingly. and delete "SP Energy Networks " from the general consultation organisations list (Appendices 1A and 1C). 11. Disabled Requires deletion of the Committee from the list of other Noted. Appendices 1C and 1D of the Delivery Agreement Persons consultation organisations (Appendix 1C and 1D) and its amended accordingly. Transport replacement with "Commission for Architecture and the Built Advisory Environment: Inclusive Environment Group". Committee 12. Welsh Water Support in principle. Noted. 13. TACP Concerned about the excessively drawn out preparation The timescale accords with Welsh Assembly Government timescale and suggests an acceleration of the programme. guidance. LDP preparation, including extensive community and stakeholder engagement, is a complex process with significant increase in workload. It is considered that the timetable in the Delivery Agreement is reasonable.