Replacement Local Development Plan 2018-2033 Call fo Methodolo Preferred Strategy November 2019 CONTENTS Page Number 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 What is the LDP Preferred Strategy? 1 Supporting Documents 2 Stakeholder Engagement 2 How to Comment on the Document 2 2.0 CONTEXT 4 Blaenau Gwent Context 4 Regional Context 5 Legislative Context 6 Policy Context 8 3.0 KEY CHALLENGES AND DRIVERS 14 Challenges 14 Key Drivers 16 4.0 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 20 Replacement LDP Vision (2018-2033) 20 Replacement LDP Objectives 20 Growth and Spatial Strategy Options 23 Preferred Growth and Spatial Strategy 25 Strategic Policy 1: Sustainable Economic Growth 26 Key Diagram 31 Outcomes 32 5.0 STRATEGY DELIVERY 33 Strategic Policies 33 Outcome 1: Deliver a Network of Vibrant Valley Communities 33 (Placemaking) Strategic Policy 2: Sustainable Placemaking and Design 33 Strategic Policy 3: Climate Change 35 Outcome 2: Deliver Opportunities for a Prosperous Low Carbon 37 Economy and Promote Learning and Skills Strategic Policy 4: Employment and Skills 37 Strategic Policy 5: Growing Tourism 39 Strategic Policy 6: Sustainable Minerals Management 40 Strategic Policy 7: Sustainable Waste Management 42 Outcome 3: Deliver Well-connected, Active and Healthy 44 Communities Strategic Policy 8: Delivery of Homes 44 Strategic Policy 9: Gypsy and Travellers 46 Strategic Policy 10: Retail Centres and Development 47 Strategic Policy 11: Sustainable Transport and Accessibility 48 Strategic Policy 12: Social and Community Infrastructure 50 Outcome 4: Deliver Protection and Enhancement of the Natural 52 and Built Environment Strategic Policy 13: Protection and Enhancement of the Natural 52 Environment Strategic Policy 14: Preservation and Enhancement of the Built 54 Environment Strategic Policy 15: Environmental Protection 57 6.0 NEXT STAGE 59 Candidate Sites 59 Future Stages 59 APPENDICES Appendix 1 List of Current LDP Policies that require revision or 61 deletion Appendix 2: List of Supporting Documents 64 Appendix 3: Strategy Options 66 Appendix 4: Policy Assessment 78 Appendix 5: Maps of Strategic Sites 81 Appendix 6: Housing Supply Breakdown of Completions, 84 Commitments, small and large windfall sites Appendix 7: Glossary of Terms 85 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is responsible for preparing and keeping up to date the Local Development Plan (LDP). The LDP is the Council’s land use plan that will establish where and how much development will take place in the County Borough. It will also identify which areas are to be protected from development. The current LDP was adopted in 2012 and covers the period 2006-2021. Whilst a replacement LDP is required for the period 2018-2033, it needs to and will build upon the first adopted LDP. Once adopted, the Council will be required to make development management decision in light of policies in the Replacement Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 1.2 The LDP has a direct and meaningful effect on the communities of Blaenau Gwent. The Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) is about shaping the future of Blaenau Gwent as a place to live, work and visit. The RLDP will respond to the needs of a growing and regionally important economy making provision for jobs, homes and infrastructure. It also ensures the well-being of its communities is maintained, and the impacts of the development and use of land are managed sustainably. It will guide funding and investment programmes, other plans and strategies whilst providing for the enhancement and protection of our environment and environment qualities. In doing so it provides a measure of certainty and confidence about what kind of development will, and will not, be permitted and at what locations during the Plan period. 1.3 The part of Blaenau Gwent which is within the Brecon Beacons National Park has its own separate development plan which is also currently being reviewed and is not part of the RLDP plan area. 1.4 In September 2017, a review was undertaken of the current LDP and a review report published. This review, whilst finding that many aspects of the adopted LDP are functioning effectively, also identified that there were issues requiring attention in relation to parts of the Plan and its strategy. The review report showed that parts of the strategy were not being delivered as intended with both the level and spatial distribution of growth requiring further consideration. What is the LDP Preferred Strategy? 1.5 The Preferred Strategy is the first formal publication in the RLDP preparation process. It provides the strategic direction for the development and use of land until 2033. It also sets out how much development is needed and broadly where this is likely to be. It represents the completion of a period of pre-deposit plan preparation and engagement, the outcome of which has had a clear influence over the selection of the Preferred Strategy. 1.6 The overall purpose of the Preferred Strategy is to: • Identify Key Challenges and Drivers for the County Borough • Define an LDP Vision and set of overarching LDP objectives that respond to the key issues and drivers 1 • State the anticipated scale of future growth in population, housing and employment, based on the analysis of Strategic Growth Options • Describe the overall spatial planning framework for the County, based on an analysis of potential Spatial Options • Set out broad Strategic Policies that will deliver the Vision and Objectives 1.7 Site specific land use allocations and detailed development management policies are not put forward in this strategy document. Such detailed elements will form part of the Deposit Plan. However a list of development management policies is attached at appendix 1 setting out which are to be amended and which are to be retained. Supporting Documents 1.8 The Preferred Strategy has been subject to an integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA) including Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Well-being of Future Generations Assessment (WGFGA), Health Impact Assessment (HIA), Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) and Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA) to assess the extent to which the emerging planning policies will help to achieve the wider environmental, economic and social objectives of the RLDP. The Initial Integrated Sustainability Appraisal of the Blaenau Gwent Preferred Strategy is published separately and is available on the Council’s website alongside this document. It has also been screened under the Habitat Regulation Assessment which is also available on the Council’s website. 1.9 Other supporting documents listed at Appendix 2 provide the rationale and evidence base for the Preferred Strategy. These focus in more detail on some of the key issues that are of particular significance for the County Borough and therefore the RLDP. They should be read alongside the Preferred Strategy, as only their main findings are highlighted in this document given the significant amount of data and background information they contain. These have been published separately and are available on the Council’s website. Stakeholder Engagement 1.10 During May and June 2019, a series of workshop sessions were held to build consensus in relation to the issues / challenges the County Borough faces and for the RLDP to address. The workshop sessions also sought to identify where we want to be by 2033 in the form of a Vision. This was known as Workshop 1. A full report of consultation of Workshop 1 has been published and is available on the Council’s website. 1.11 During July 2019, workshop 2 was held which consisted of a series of sessions in relation to identifying the preferred level of growth, spatial distribution of growth and settlement hierarchy to deliver the growth with a view to building consensus on a preferred spatial strategy for the RLDP that addresses the issues / challenges and meets the vision. A full report of consultation of Workshop 2 has been published and is available on the Council’s website. How to Comment on this Document 2 1.12 Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council would welcome your views on the RLDP Preferred Strategy. A 6 week consultation period will run from XXXXX. The document is available on the Council’s website XXXXX, and copies are available for inspection during normal office hours at the Civic Centre, Ebbw Vale, Anvil Court, Abertillery and all public libraries. 1.13 Please submit any comments on this document on the forms provided by email to [email protected] or in writing to: Development Plans Team Civic Centre Ebbw Vale NP23 6XB 1.14 Further information and advice can be obtained from the Development Plans Team by email ([email protected] ) or telephone (01495 355538). Please note that this consultation relates to issues and topics discussed in the Preferred Strategy and is not an opportunity to make detailed comments on individual Candidate Sites. All comments should relate to the questions included at the end of each Section of the Preferred Strategy, which are designed to assist with your representation. 3 2.0 CONTEXT Blaenau Gwent Context 2.1 Blaenau Gwent’s location in the South East Wales region, 20 miles north of Newport and 20 miles north east of Cardiff offers opportunities to benefit from the Cardiff Capital Region. Blaenau Gwent covers an area of approximately 10,900 hectares and has an estimated population of 69,700 (2018). It has one of the highest population densities in Wales as most of the population is concentrated in 23% of the area; in the primary and main settlements of Ebbw Vale; Tredegar; Brynmawr / Nantyglo / Blaina; and Abertillery (including Cwmtillery and Six Bells). As a result, Blaenau Gwent is characterised by a close association between densely urbanised (often linear) communities and large tracts of open countryside. Settlement Context Plan 4 2.2 Blaenau Gwent’s origins lay in the wide range of local and natural resources for making iron and steel.