Welsh Government | NDF Regions and Rural Study 2. Data and Definitions Report 264350-00 | ISSUE | 14 March 2019 11 Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions Contents Page 1 Introduction 1 1.1 NDF Context 1 1.2 Purpose of this Study and Reports 4 1.3 Structure of this Report 6 2 Data Collection 7 2.1 Baseline Information 7 2.2 Methodology 8 2.3 Stakeholder Engagement 13 2.4 SWOT and data supporting policy development 32 3 Defining ‘Major’ 36 3.1 Employment Sites 36 3.2 Retail / Commercial Sites 40 3.3 Generating Stations 44 3.4 Transport Schemes 44 4 Defining & Mapping Key Settlements 45 4.1 LDP Spatial Strategies 45 4.2 Population 47 4.3 Proposed Approach 48 5 Defining Rural Areas 51 6 Adjoining English Regions 61 6.1 Priority cross border issues 61 6.2 Key drivers 62 6.3 Key considerations 73 7 The Well-being of Future Generations Act 74 8 Summary 77 8.1 Overview 77 8.2 Outcomes 78 8.3 Definitions 78 8.4 Key Settlements 79 8.5 Rural Areas 80 8.6 Adjoining English Regions 80 8.7 The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 81 | Issue | 15 March 2019 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions Appendices Appendix A LPA Information Request Appendix B Data Tables & Map Outputs | Issue | 15 March 2019 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions 1 Introduction 1.1 NDF Context The Welsh Government is preparing a National Development Framework for Wales (NDF). The NDF will be a development plan for the whole of Wales, replacing the Wales Spatial Plan on publication in September 2020. It will set out national planning policies for the next 20 years and express spatially the Welsh Government’s long term economic, social and environmental objectives. The NDF will form part of the statutory plan for determining planning applications and will assist the determination of Developments of National Significance (DNS). Following the consultation on the National Development Framework (NDF) Preferred Option in the summer of 20181, the Welsh Government are now in the process of developing the Draft NDF with consultation planned for July 2019. As set out in the Preferred Option, it is proposed the NDF will include both national and regional policies across the defined regions. The three regions will cover North, Mid & South West and South East Wales as shown in Figure 1. This reflects the three regions identified by the Welsh Government’s Economic Action Plan. Chief Regional Officers have been appointed for each region and have commenced work to develop the Welsh Government’s approach to improving regional working and delivery. The Planning Act facilitates this approach and provides a legal framework for the preparation of Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) on a regional basis. From a regional perspective, the NDF’s role includes supporting the delivery of the Welsh Government’s regional policies and better strategic planning / collaboration between Wales’ Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). The programme for the NDF is illustrated in Figure 2 below, with: • Consultation on the Draft NDF planned for July to September 2019; and • Assembly consideration of the Draft between April and June 2020. 1 https://beta.gov.wales/national-development-framework-issues-options-and-preferred-option | Issue | 15 March 2019 Page 1 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions Figure 1 NDF Regions | Issue | 15 March 2019 Page 2 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions Figure 2 NDF Timeline | Issue | 15 March 2019 Page 3 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions 1.2 Purpose of this Study and Reports The objectives for this Regions and Rural Areas Research Study are: a) To develop an evidence base for each NDF region that supports NDF policy development and using this, to identify the issues and spatial areas NDF policies should focus on; b) To identify broad rural areas and develop an evidence base that supports NDF policy development and using this, to identify the issues and spatial areas NDF policies should focus on; and c) To involve stakeholders in a and b. There are two parts of this research2: 1. Part 1 - Regional Baseline and SWOT3 Analysis to Support NDF Policy Development; and 2. Part 2 - Identification of Broad Rural Areas and SWOT Analysis to Support NDF Policy Development. The research covers all Wales and a wide range of potential policy areas. The research is intended to be high-level and it is not intended to provide evidence and support policy development for all levels. Regional and local planning tiers are responsible for developing evidence and policies appropriate to their level. However, the NDF will have a role supporting regional planning and Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) across Wales. The Welsh Government is also keen, through this research, to understand what the planning system can do through the NDF to support rural areas. To help achieve the study objectives, Arup has produced a suite of reports that address the requirements for the study. These are summarised in Table 1 below: 2 The requirements for the study were provided to Arup within a Specification document, which informed Arup’s proposal for the research, which was accepted by the Welsh Government in September 2018. 3 The SWOT Analysis and NDF policy development requirements of this work are not intended to identify and address all issues at all levels. Rather they are to support the development of high- level national planning policy and provide direction for regional planning. | Issue | 15 March 2019 Page 4 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions Table 1 Study Outputs Output Reports Contents Study Overview 1. Study Overview a) NDF context b) Purpose of study and reports c) Arup’s involvement Study Report - 2. Data and Definitions d) Introduction including context, Data and Report purpose of study and reports, and Definitions structure e) Data collection including approach, method, cooperation, findings, stakeholder feedback, how data has been utilised in the research with tables and maps. f) Defining ‘Major’ –including employment sites, retail/commercial sites, generating stations and transport schemes g) Defining and mapping key settlements h) Adjoining English regions i) Defining Rural Areas j) Consideration of the Well-being of Future Generations Act k) Summary of Study Workshop 3. Regional Workshop Report l) Approach to stakeholder Reports – North Wales involvement 4. Regional Workshop Report m) Workshop arrangements and – Mid & South West Wales attendees 5. Regional Workshop Report n) Results of activities – South East Wales o) Summary of stakeholder 6. Rural Workshop Report feedback – North Wales 7. Rural Workshop Report – Mid & South West Wales 8. Rural Workshop Report – South East Wales SWOT4 Reports 9. Regional SWOT Report p) Approach to SWOT 10. Rural SWOT Report q) Stakeholder feedback r) Data validation s) SWOT analysis t) Role of the NDF in supporting and addressing the SWOTs, considering interrelationships and ways of working u) Summary of what the NDF should do to support / address SWOTs in regions and rural areas 4 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) | Issue | 15 March 2019 Page 5 J:\264000\264350-00\4 INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-50 REPORTS\07. STUDY REPORT\ISSUE DATA DEFINITIONS REPORT.DOCX Welsh Government NDF Regions and Rural Areas Study Study Report - Data and Definitions As a suite of documents, this Data and Definitions Report should be read alongside the associated Workshop and SWOT Reports for a comprehensive understanding of the results and findings of the research. All outputs that comprise the suite of reports for the study provide context, purpose and cross reference to each other as appropriate. The study reports have been published on the National Development Framework website by the Welsh Government separately and alongside each other5. 1.3 Structure of this Report The report is structured around the themes outlined above with each considered in turn as follows: • Section 2 provides a summary of the Data Collection exercise; • Section 3 provides the outcomes of the study in relation to defining key categories for the purpose of the NDF; • Section 4 considers the approach to defining key settlements; • Section 5 presents the approach to defining Rural Areas; • Section 6 considers the adjoining English regions and local authorities, focussing on inter-relationships / cross-border issues / opportunities; and • Section 7 considers the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act6; • Section 8 provides a summary of the Study. This report has been prepared in order to bring together the data collected and also provide the study analysis in relation to the following themes: 1. The definition of ‘major’ for the following categories: a) Employment Sites (existing / allocated); b) Retail / Commercial Sites (existing / allocated); c) Generating Stations (existing / allocated); d) Transport Schemes (including proposed Roads, Rail, Ports and Harbours, and Airports); 2.