A465 Blaenau’r Cymoedd A465 Heads of the Valleys Adrannau 5 + 6: Dowlais Top - Hirwaun Sections 5 + 6: Dowlais Top - Hirwaun www.cymru.gov.uk A465 Heads of the Valleys Sections 5 and 6: Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update —March 2018 A465 Sections 5 & 6 Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update Welsh Government Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. Sustainable Development Policy in Wales ............................................................................................. 4 3. The Proposed Scheme and its Context................................................................................................. 16 4. A465 Section 5 & 6 Context .................................................................................................................... 19 5. The Sustainable Development Principle in Decision Making ............................................................. 39 6. The Well-being Goals .............................................................................................................................. 54 7. The Well-being Objectives (2016) .......................................................................................................... 69 8. Welsh Government Well-being Objectives (2017) ................................................................................ 87 9. Cwm Taf Well-being Objectives ........................................................................................................... 103 10. Caerphilly Well-being Objectives ......................................................................................................... 110 11. Natural Resources Wales’ Well-being Objectives .............................................................................. 112 12. Public Health Wales’ Well-being Objectives ....................................................................................... 118 13. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 121 14. References ............................................................................................................................................. 122 i A465 Sections 5 & 6 Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update Welsh Government 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Report This document is the March 2018 Update to the Sustainable Development Report, published in July 2017, for the dualling of the A465 Section 5 and 6, Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Project (the proposed scheme). This document reports the findings of a consideration of the proposed scheme against the Welsh Government’s commitments to sustainable development within the context of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (the Act). This report is based on the framework set out in the Act and assesses how the proposed scheme aligns with the Well-being Goals set out in the Act and the Welsh Government’s Well-being Objectives and other organisations’ objectives. The report also considers the extent to which the proposed scheme has been developed in accordance with the five ways of working. The proposals for the Abergavenny to Hirwaun Dualling highway improvements scheme (the Project) promoted in the 1990s predate the Act. On this basis, early consultation and Project development were undertaken prior to the requirement to consider the Act`s requirements relating to goals, objectives and five ways of working. This report contributes to the evidence put forward by the Welsh Government (WG) in support of the proposed scheme. It will form part of the evidence that will inform the Welsh Ministers in arriving at a decision on whether to proceed with the proposed scheme having regard to their duty to carry out ‘sustainable development’; and shows how the development of the proposed scheme accords with the principles of sustainable development. This Update to the Sustainable Development Report has been published ahead of the Public Local Inquiry into the proposed scheme. This report takes into account additional baseline information available from the Well-being Assessments of Cwm Taf and Caerphilly. In addition, it reports updated information from traffic and economic reports. Since the publication of the July 2017 Sustainable Development Report, the Welsh Government has published revised Well-being Objectives. This report considers the extent to which the proposed scheme would support the delivery of the Well-being Objectives of the Welsh Government, Caerphilly and Cwm Taf. 1.2 Structure The structure of this Update to the Sustainable Development Report is based on the framework set out in the Act and supporting guidance documents. This framework includes seven Well-being Goals, five ways of working which are applicable to all public bodies, along with consideration of Well-being objectives that have been set by the Welsh Government, Cwm Taf and Caerphilly Public Service Boards (PSB) in respect of its own strategies and projects. Table 1.1 sets out the structure of the report and outlines the changes since the original report. Table 1.1 : Structure of the Sustainable Development Report Update Chapter Topic Description Updates since July 2017 Chapter 1 Introduction This chapter introduces the Well-being of This chapter has Future Generation (Wales) Act 2015 and the been updated to proposed scheme and explains the structure cover new WG and of the sustainable development report. others objectives. Chapter 2 Sustainable An introduction to the Welsh Government’s This chapter has Development Policy legislative and policy context in relation to been updated to in Wales sustainable development. cover links to new WG policy and objectives. 1 A465 Sections 5 & 6 Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update Welsh Government Chapter Topic Description Updates since July 2017 Chapter 3 The Proposed This chapter provides an introduction to the This chapter has not Scheme proposed scheme. been updated. Chapter 4 A465 Section 5 and 6 This chapter provides baseline information This chapter has Context about the area within which the proposed been updated with scheme is situated. further information on the project and from other organisations. Chapter 5 The Sustainable This chapter considers how the sustainable This chapter has not Development development principle has influenced the been updated Principle decision making process as the proposed scheme has evolved. Chapter 6 The Well-being Goals This chapter summarises how the proposed This chapter has not scheme aligns with the Well-being Goals. been updated Chapter 7 The Welsh This chapter summaries how the proposed This chapter has not Government Well- scheme aligns with the Welsh Government’s been updated being Objectives 2016 Well-being Objectives. (2016) Chapter 8 The Welsh This chapter summaries how the proposed This chapter is new. Government Well- scheme aligns with the Welsh Government’s being Objectives 2017 Well-being Objectives. (2017) Chapter 9 The Cwm Taf Well- This chapter summaries how the proposed This chapter is new. being Objectives scheme contributes to the Cwm Taf PSB Well-being Objectives. Chapter 10 The Caerphilly Well- This chapter summarises how the proposed This chapter is new. being Objectives scheme contributes to the Caerphilly PSB Well-being Objectives. Chapter 11 Natural Resources This chapter summarises how the proposed This chapter is new. Wales Well-being scheme contributes to Natural Resources Objectives Wales’ Well-being Objectives. Chapter 12 Public Health Wales This chapter summarises how the proposed This chapter is new. Well-being Objectives scheme contributes to Public Health Wales’ Well-being Objectives. Chapter 13 Conclusions This chapter sets out the main findings and This chapter has conclusions of the sustainability been updated. consideration and sets out how the proposed scheme would continue to contribute to the Well-being Goals and Objectives as it progresses through construction and operation. 1.3 Published Sustainable Development Report The Sustainable Development Report was published alongside the draft Orders and an Environmental Statement (ES) for the proposed scheme in July 2017. The draft Orders for the proposed scheme are listed below: 2 A465 Sections 5 & 6 Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update Welsh Government The Neath to Abergavenny Trunk Road (A465) (Abergavenny to Hirwaun Dualling and Slip Roads) and East of Abercynon to east of Dowlais Trunk Road (A4060), Cardiff to Glan Conwy Trunk Road (A470) (Connecting Roads) Order 1999, (Dowlais Top to Hirwaun) (Amendment) Order 201- The Neath to Abergavenny Trunk Road (A465) (Abergavenny to Hirwaun Dualling and Slip Roads) and East of Abercynon to east of Dowlais Trunk Road (A4060), Cardiff to Glan Conwy Trunk Road (A470) (Connecting Roads) Order 1999, (Dowlais Top to Hirwaun) (Side Roads) Order 201- 3 A465 Sections 5 & 6 Dowlais Top to Hirwaun Sustainable Development Report Update Welsh Government 2. Sustainable Development Policy in Wales 2.1 Background to Welsh Sustainable Development Policy The Welsh Government adopted its first sustainable development scheme ‘Learning to Live Differently’ in 2000 (National Assembly for Wales, 2000), which was made under Section 121 of the Government of Wales Act 1998. Subsequently, the Government of Wales Act 2006 set