Pennaeth Adfywio a Datblygu Head of Regeneration & Development Y Gyfarwyddiaeth Cymunedau Communities Directorate Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Council Swyddfeydd Dinesig Civic Offices Stryd yr Angel Angel Street PEN-Y-BONT AR OGWR BRIDGEND CF31 4WB CF31 4WB

Ff Ôn: 01656 643643 Telephone : 01656 643643 Ffacs: 01656 668249 Fax : 01656 668249

Gwefan: www.bridgend.gov.uk Website : www.bridgend.gov.uk

Direct line / Deialu Uniongyrchol: (01656) 643165 Ask for / Gofynnwch am : Mr Stuart Ingram

Our Ref / Ein cyf : RE.4/SAI Your Ref / Eich cyf : 199968 Date / Dyddiad: 1st October 2013

Nicola Pearce Head of Planning Neath County Borough Council The Quays Brunel Way Baglan Energy Park NEATH SA11 2GG

Dear Nicola

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council: Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) Town and Country Planning (Local Development Plan) () Regulations 2005

Thank you for your letter of the 21st August 2013 regarding the above.

Bridgend County Borough Council welcomes the opportunity to provide supportive comments on the Deposit Local Development Plan. These comments build on the regular liaison meetings between officers from both Councils which have proved extremely useful in shaping the policies of the adopted Bridgend LDP.

Development Strategy Council (BCBC) is supportive of the LDP Development Strategy which seeks to focus growth along the Coastal Corridor whilst reinvigorating the Valley communities. In this context, the role of the settlements in the Upper Llynfi Valley in Bridgend County Borough, particularly , could be recognised in the Plan. This area is designated as a Strategic Regeneration Growth Area (SRGA) in the adopted Bridgend LDP, and could therefore play a role in the reinvigoration the Upper Afan Valley, acting in its capacity as a ‘hub’ settlement as identified in the Wales Spatial Plan, with the benefits of its growth having positive effect on settlements within Neath Port Talbot, particularly as the Bridgend LDP identifies the A4603 to as part of its strategic road network.

Policy GT1 – Gypsy and Traveller Site BCBC welcomes the proposal to accommodate 11 Gypsy and Traveller pitches at Caegarw Farm near Village. In implementing this proposal consideration should also be given to the need for social infrastructure (educational / health facilities) in the Bridgend County Borough area which the occupants of the existing site currently use. Growth in this site will inevitably lead to further increases in the use of existing, and potentially the need for new, social and

______Corporate Director – Communities Cyfarwyddwr Corfforaethol – Cymunedau Mark Shephard CONTINUATION Page 2 of 2 facilities in the / North area and these issues should be considered jointly in more detail at the site implementation stage.

Policy EC2/9 – Existing Employment Areas BCBC welcomes the designation of Industrial Estate as an existing employment site and notes that 7.13ha (Employment Topic Paper refers) of the site is still available for development. Kenfig Industrial Estate is located very close to Bridgend County Borough and offers significant employment opportunities for its residents.

Policy EN2 – Strategic Landscape Areas BCBC welcomes the inclusion of Strategic Landscape Areas in the Neath Port Talbot Pre- Deposit Plan. However, it would appear from an examination of the Proposals Map that there are several anomalies in the boundaries of SLAs across our local authority boundaries. This could however, be associated with the interpretation of using ‘logical boundaries’ for the SLAs which could differ between authorities.

Policy EN3 – Green Wedges BCBC notes the identification of a Green Wedge around Margam to protect the coalescence of Port Talbot and Pyle in Bridgend County Borough. However BCBC would like to point out that no Green Wedge exists to the north / west of Pyle within Bridgend County Borough.

Policy RE1 – Renewable and Low Carbon Energy BCBC welcomes the designation of the refined Strategic Search Areas (SSAs) within the deposit Plan. These were identified as a result of work which was carried out in 2006 in conjunction with the two Councils as well as the City and County of , County Council and Cynon Taff County Borough Council . The designations of the refined areas on the Proposals Map reflect those areas in Bridgend County Borough as shown in the adopted Bridgend LDP.

Should you wish to discuss any of the above comments in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact Stuart Ingram on the above telephone number, or email [email protected].

Yours sincerely,

David Llewellyn Group Manager – Development

______Corporate Director – Communities Cyfarwyddwr Corfforaethol – Cymunedau Mark Shephard