A Welsh Government call for local councils to create a regional plan for development is a strong basis for the withdrawal of Caerphilly’s controversial draft Local Development Plan, according to Caerphilly Assembly Member Hefin David.
Dr David used his first question in the Senedd last week to raise the issue of a Strategic Development Plan for South East Wales, instead of councils developing individual planning blueprints.
There has been widespread opposition to Caerphilly County Borough Council’s draft Local Development Plan (LDP), which has set out the potential for thousands of new homes to be built on green space.
Dr David, who as a Labour councillor voted against the LDP, has long argued they are not fit for purpose.
Addressing Dr David’s question, Jane Hutt AM, Leader of the House, said: “We have that opportunity now, which can reflect the principles of local democracy, and it is for local authorities to collaborate and to submit proposals to the Welsh Government, and, of course, we would welcome that in terms of that strategic approach to development as a result of our new, successfully secured Planning (Wales) Act 2015.”
Important Point
First Minister Carwyn Jones added that Dr David made an “important point” and said: “It’s not realistic for local development plans to be created in isolation of each other.
“There is huge sense in having a strategic development framework across, particularly, the South East of Wales, where there is great pressure. We need to ensure that there is a proper regional framework in place when it comes to planning for the growth of the various parts of Wales over the course of the next few years.”
Speaking after the meeting, Dr David said: “This invitation from the First Minister and Leader of the House to local authorities, asking them to work together on a Strategic Development Plan is a great opportunity.
“I would personally argue that this view expressed by the Welsh Government is a strong basis for the withdrawal of Caerphilly’s current draft LDP, pending a new strategic plan. I will also talk to local authority leaders about creating it.”
Essentially a planning blueprint to guide future development, the draft LDP for Caerphilly County Borough, if approved, could pave the way for around 13,640 new homes across the county borough. The Welsh Government has said this is over and above its estimate of new homes needed by 6,750.
Public consultation on the controversial document ended in April with residents and local campaign groups voicing their anger. These views will go to an independent planning inspector who will draft their own report for publication next year, before the plan can be voted on by councillors for approval.
The Welsh Government, in its submission, was critical of the draft plan and said it had fundamental concerns over it.
Following the Welsh Government’s criticism, Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix has called for the draft LDP to be scrapped.
The Labour member said: “Had councillors been informed that the amount of new housing put forward was 50% more than the Welsh Government estimates, many of the controversial green field sites put forward would not have been included in the draft LDP.
“In light of the new information and concerns raised by Welsh Government concerning the 6,750 extra houses the process must be stopped.”
we havent got hospital fit for the purpose never mind building more sort out priorities first
This move, By Caerphilly Assembly Member Hefin David, moving the withdrawing of the current Caerphilly LDP by the Council of which he is still a member, ( unpaid) is simply an extention of what he said in the Caerphilly Council Chamber when the plan was first put before the Council, a plan he voted Against at that time.
It is refreshing to see Elected members prepared to stand by their word and judgements, and Hefin David has done just that, during the Assembly Election Campaign he promised that if elected he would fight to have LDP`s produced on a regionl basis, and he also promised he would resist the current LDP in its current form. He has so far done both.
It very much looks like the Labour controlled Caerphilly Council will move to ensure that residents opinions and views are listened too, and the LDP will be recalled, reconsidered, and redrawn in a way which better deals with the planning need on a Regional basis. Planners will have to accept their plans are flawed according to Hefin David, flawed according to the Welsh Government Planning directive, and certainly flawed according to thousands of Caerphilly Residents, the main stakeholders in this `Plan`. The Residents who the Labour Council have listened to and heard what they say.Good news so far.
It sounds too good to be true, I’m suspicious.
It is true, it appears ( Many had no doubt in the confidence we had and have in Hefin David to do what he said he would do given the support of the electorate) now it is up to his Labour Colleagues on Caerphilly Council to follow his lead on this subject. I predict the Labour Council will move to withdraw the current plan.soon.
I’m still suspicious of anything labour do. It does seem on the surface that he is doing what he said he would do and acting in the interests of Caerphillys residents. If this turns out to be his honesty then I will fully admit it here and elsewhere. But I still have a sneaky suspicion that this is all part of a ploy, an act if you will? If he comes back with the same deal wrapped up in different paper or an even worse deal in a years time will you publicly admit it?
I like Hefin, like what he says about the LDP and also like the fact he voted against it when he was a councillor rather than our AM.
The systemic problem is that the CCBC, consisting mostly of mostly Labour and some Plaid members, failed absolutely in their duty to scrutinise what exactly the council officers were up to in the years leading up to the unveiling of this ‘plan’.
If they had done their public duty then this situation, where a very poor plan has already got some credence through being voted for by a whipped council, would not have arisen. My solution is for the public to vote UKIP in the council elections next year.
YES I will,YES.
I say this with full confidence that the original decision was wrong, and now Councillors are further advised by the Assembly Planning directive, upon who`s guidence and regulations such LDP`s are created for a given area, who say the `plan` is wrong in its content and misjudged in its `extent`, in fact, a poor and professionally flawed planning document prepared by officers of the council.
Councillors appear to be realising that such officer inspired and submitted for approval plans need strict and detailed due diligence, officers, alone, cannot be trusted to do the right thing for the residents, or the Borough, this is clearly evidenced by the critical, qualified ruling of the Welsh Assembly Planning Directive and the `note` to the Council after they scutinised and evaluated the FLAWED plan.
I say again, Assembly Member Hefin David made a clear attempt to prevent this situation evolving when he spoke and voted against this plan in the Caerphilly council Chamber when it was first considered by Councillors. He expressed the view that such plans are better dealt with and produced on a regional basis, and since being elected by the citizens of Caerphilly as our Assembly Member it appears he has already influenced and brought about a new Assembly Consideration as to how LDP`s must evolve in future hence my full confidence that the current plan must be withdrawn, and a new `regional plan` considered over the next year or so, and I confidently predict that Labour Councillors in the Council Chamber will hereafter express and undertake Due Diligence over whatever is put before them on this issue in future. I predict they will be humble and professional enough to very shortly admit errors and omissions first time around.