Caerphilly’s leading Labour councillors have categorically denied they support building on greenfield sites.
In the Annual Monitoring Report of the current Local Development Plan (LDP) officers said “there could be a need to release limited greenfield sites” to build new homes.
But on October 28, councillors rejected the recommendation and amended the report that must be sent to the Welsh Government to monitor development in the county borough.
Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Planning, told the meeting he was “concerned that as it was written the perception exists that this council approves the release of greenfield sites for development”.
He added: “Categorically, we do not.”
The report was changed to say the council recognise “that there is a continuing need to address the lack of a five year housing land supply”, removing a reference to releasing greenfield sites.
The amendment was supported by Plaid Cymru, with Penyrheol councillor Lindsay Whittle saying communities are “being held hostage to fortune by developers”, who don’t want to develop brownfield sites due to “profit”.
But Plaid’s deputy leader Lyndon Binding, while supporting the amendment, said he was “perplexed” by the stance.
Cllr Binding said: “What does that mean in practical terms?
“The people I represent in my ward want to know when we can turn round and say we can stop this nonsense of potentially considering greenfield sites when there’s brownfield site sin our areas that need to be redeveloped.”
A review of the LDP, which acts a blueprint for future housing development and planning decisions, is under way.
Councillors and officers are concerned because Caerphilly has just a 1.9 year housing supply, despite the Welsh Government recommending a five year supply.
The LDP review is set to be published in January before being voted on after consultation with residents.
It could still make greenfield sites available for development in theory, but Labour councillor Hefin David said the council will listen to residents’ views.
Cllr David added an amendment to the monitoring report clarifying there will be a “full consultation with the residents of the county borough” on the new LDP.
He said: “I wanted to ensure that the council’s intention to thoroughly consult with residents on the review of the LDP is very clearly demonstrated in this report.
“That consultation is hugely important and I urge residents to make sure that their voices are heard by speaking to their local elected representatives.”
Will the moaning minnies like to pay for clearing brownfield sites?
The people that want to move here will pay for the cleaning up, via rent or purchase of the houses built, same as in every other town in Britain.
If the LPAs want developers to pay CIL levies, S106 contributions and the cost of clearing up brownfield sites not a lot is going to be built on them, is it?
If farmland is unavailable for destruction then housebuilders have no choice, they will clean up the ex industrial land and pass on the cost to the buyer. They, of course, prefer farmland as it is cheaper to build on and generates a greater profit.
My own view is that local authorities will, in the end, have no say. The government will push for all types of land to be built on as we are set to receive net immigration of more than half a million per year.
Good. Let us just hope the council reject all applications to build on greenfield site. I do not have my hope up though; firstly, I do not believe the council; and secondly, there is the issue of classification, what is a greenfield site?
The issues of the Local Development Plan have been a major eyeopener for me, regarding the state of local government here in Wales. There is a total disconnect between the way that the entire development program has been handled in Caerphilly and anything that our Labour and Plaid supposed representatives say. It is clear that none of them appear either competent or trustworthy. it appears that not one single County Councillor will individually profess support for the contents of either the existing or proposed LDPs, which involve building on greenfield sites in face of vocal local opposition. Yet these plans exist. Are we to believe that the Councillors, along with our MP and AM, are and have been totally unaware of what has been going on, only now to come out against this travesty? Who is actually running this and other programs for the County, if not these elected sheep who obviously have zero clue what being a Councillor is all about?
Time to clean house both in terms of the County Councillors and the entire senior management team. Probably the best solution is to totally dismantle this local government as part of a comprehensive restructuring and start from scratch.
These comments are in the round, correct, I dont however agree Ian that elected Councillors are Wholly to blame, for the lack of input to the LDP`s.
It is an unfortunate fact that the LDP process is Officer Led, they, in turn, have demands put on them by `faceless` Welsh Assembly Officials, in fact it is one of those demands which has led to so much fury from the public and from elected members in recent months, Caerphilly Council, through it`s officers, must identify suitable land for housing development, and include this in the LDP. Officers are the paid officials who have their entire professional working life dedicated to the issues around this and other civic planning matters, and I am sure you are not suggesting that elected members should in all cases do the work of professional planners. There is of course the reasonable expectation that the Cabinet Member responsible for planning matters would, at all times be on top of these issues, and advise his Cabinet Colleagues accordingly. It is not acceptable that the Elected Members are forced to act in a reactive way on planning matters which prove unpopular with the electorate, they should have their ear to the ground in their respective wards, and be at the front of elector unrest on planning issues in their wards, BEFORE officers have the opportunity to promote unacceptable planning approvals and consents to which the Authority has to react to put matters right, and disapprove those costly prior officers considerations, part of the problem has been the lack of proper and meaningful consultation with residents effected, before forming their responses, and taking a `we know best` position.
Elected `Stewards` of the Council should consider processes which will involve them at a much earlier point in the processes followed by officers, officers should be expected to consult elected members, not just in the wards effected. much sooner than the time they `expect` their deligated decsions to be `waved through` committees and full Council.
Ian, scrutiny is the answer, closer scrutiny by Cabinet Members over the work of the Departments for which they have statutory responsibilty.
The council appear to have now stated that will happen?.