Agenda item

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development was presented to the Council by the Portfolio Holder (Planning, Public Protection & Economic Development).

The Portfolio Holder (Planning, Public Protection & Economic Development reported that local planning authorities in Wales are required under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to prepare local development plans.  The Local Development Plan identifies a vision for change in the area during 2011 – 2026 and it contains detailed policies and identifies sites for development and notes how much land is required for new housing, employment, shops etc.  It also identifies land to be protected from development as open spaces.  As both Ynys Môn County Council and Gwynedd Council needed to prepare a Local Development Plan at the same time it was decided that both councils would work jointly to prepare a Joint Local Development Plan. He also noted that a Joint Planning Policy Committee was established with elected members from both Ynys Môn and Gwynedd Council on the Committee which dealt with issues relating to the preparation of the Plan. 

He said that the work in preparing the plan started in 2011 and all the housing developments built since 2011 and planning applications that have been approved are included in the projected housing requirement of the development plan.  The Plan has identified that 3,472 new homes are required on Ynys Môn but 783 dwellings have already been built and 1,251 planning applications have been approved.

The Portfolio Holder further reported that extensive public consultation has been undertaken as regard to the Joint Local Development Plan and a final agreed version was completed in January 2016.  Two Inspectors were appointed by Welsh Government to examine the soundness of the Plan and a pre-hearing meeting was held in June 2016 and the first round of 16 Hearing Sessions commenced on 6^th September, 2016 covering a wide range of topics relating to all aspect of the Plan i.e. Housing & Distribution, Affordable Housing, Gypsy and Traveller Need, Economy, Welsh language, Renewable Energy as well as site specific matters and representations.  Following completion of the first round of Hearing Sessions, the Council published a Schedule of Matters Arising Changes (MACs) for public consultation (the MACs addressed action points raised by the Inspectors) and sought to ensure that the Plan met the tests of soundness and responded to the need to comply with national policy and primary legislation. A second round of 2 hearing sessions in April 2017 were held to consider focused topics and following the hearing sessions, both Councils published the final schedule of Matters Arising Changes, which was published in the Examination Library and forwarded to the Inspectors for consideration in the formulation of their Report.  The Councils received the Inspector’s binding Report on 30^th June, 2017.  Both Councils are required by statutory regulations to adopt the Plan by August 2017 within 8 weeks of receipt of the Plan.   In accordance with the Local Development Plan Regulations, when a Council adopts its Plan, it is required to produce and publish an Adoption Statement, which also incorporates a statement relating to the Sustainability Appraisal (SA)/Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

Following adoption, the Councils have a statutory requirement to prepare and submit an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) on the Plan to the Welsh Government.  This AMR will examine whether the Plan’s policies are being properly implemented, land-use allocations are being delivered, and whether any policies need to be reviewed.  The Councils will also be required to undertake a full review of the Plan at least every 4 years after adoption.   He proposed adoption of the Plan and associated matters as set out in the written report and was seconded by Councillor Llinos M. Huws, the Leader of the Council.

The Council considered in detail the information contained within the report and raised the following main matters –

·      Whilst accepting the need for housing development, it is important that the provision of social housing and affordable dwellings should be maximised;

·      Priority needs to be given to retaining young people on the Island and that new  dwellings are affordable to local households that need them;

·      Securing employment, particularly well paid jobs, for young people of the Island and those who wish to return as well as the education system will sustain the Welsh language and culture of the local communities;

·      The Welsh Language is dependent on thriving communities in both urban and  rural communities;

·      Addressing the effects of workers required to deliver and operate the Wylfa Newydd project is paramount;

·      It is considered that the Lairds site at Beaumaris is still an important resource and that its redevelopment should be facilitated;

·      The Plan needs to be monitored on a regular basis;

·      The Joint Planning Policy Committee needs to present reports to relevant Committees, on a regular basis, on the potential effect on the Welsh language and effect of development in local communities.

Following a question and answer session the vote was as follows:-

To adopt the Joint Local Development Plan                              Total 21

Not to adopt the Joint Local Development Plan                         Total 5

Abstained from voting                                                                  Total 1

It was RESOLVED to :-

·      adopt the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2011 to 2026 as amended by the changes recommended by the Inspector in his report about the Examination (dated 30 June, 2017);

·      publish the adopted Plan, the Adoption Statement, the final SA/SEA and the HRA report;

·      give delegated powers to Officers to correct any typing and grammatical errors, deal with any minor matters or errors, as well as any other necessary presentational matters and consequential changes (which are required in response to recommended changes in accordance with paragraph 1.10 in the Inspector’s report), before publishing the final Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan;

·      that the Supplementary Planning Guidance, which were adopted to support policies in the existing development plans, continue to remain as material planning consideration in determining planning applications, until they are superseded or are withdrawn.