Agenda item

To submit the Annual Monitoring Report.

Submitted – the Annal Monitoring Report 2024/2025.

The Planning Policy Manager reported that Local Development Plans are required to be monitored annually and a report summarising such monitoring must be submitted to Welsh Government by 31 October each year.  The purpose of this report is to present a draft of the seventh Annual Monitoring Report, which reports on the period 1 April, 2024 to 31 March, 2025.  The Annual Monitoring Report provides important evidence base for the review of the Joint Local Development Plan and over time the Annual Monitoring Reports can show trends, clarify which policies are delivering or otherwise and highlights whether there are any voids or omissions in policy provision .  The Annual Monitoring Report listed the key findings as was noted within the report.  The key findings demonstrate that house completions for the period exceed those of previous years, but overall completion remains lower in comparison with the target figures set out in the Plan. He further said that the building of residential units is lower than the target within the Joint Local Development Plan which may be a result of the Wylfa development having not been developed at present.  In terms of diversifying the rural economy, the policies are facilitating a variety of small businesses to establish.  In considering the planning appeals, the policies appear to be performing well with almost 70% of appeals being dismissed.   This year’s Annual Monitoring Report reports on the data from Anglesey only given the termination of the joint working arrangements with Gwynedd Council on planning policy matters in April 2023.  It follows the same format as previous reports and documents the performance of the Joint Local Development Plan relative to Anglesey.  

Councillor Jeff Evans ascertained as to the percentage of planning appeals that have been rejected and approved as it highlights in the report that 1 in every 3 appeals have been allowed.  The Planning Policy Manager responded that it is difficult to comment as to the appeals that have been allowed without having the details of those proposed developments.  It was noted that the decisions on all planning appeals are provided Elected Members.

Councillor Nicola Roberts said that each planning application is considered on its own merit and when an appeal is allowed Planning Officer’s scrutinised the decision taken by the Planning Inspectorate. 

Councillor Jackie Lewis ascertained as to the reasons why affordable housing with regards to tenure is not monitored within the Monitoring Report.

The Planning Policy Manager responded that it is the type of units that is reported within the Monitoring Report rather than the type of tenure.  However, he agreed that the affordable housing element as regards to the type of tenure i.e. shared equity or rented properties, should be included in the new Local Development Plan. 

Councillor Kenneth P Hughes referred that the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) will need to publish a Regional  Plan by 2030.  He ascertained whether the CJC’s Regional Plan, when published, will have priority over local authorities Local Development Plans. 

The Planning Policy Manager responded that there is a hierarchy as regards to the National Plans, Regional Plans and Local Development Plans.  He noted that if the Local Development Plan is published before the Regional Plan there will be a need to review the planning policies within the Local Development Plan to conform with the Regional Plan. 

Councillor Nicola Roberts said that the Council has a representative on the CJC, and it is anticipated that both the Regional and Local Plans will coincide.

It was RESOLVED to endorse the Annual Monitoring Report 2024/2025 for submission to Welsh Government by 31 October, 2025.