Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.

The report of the Head of Economic Development and Regulation was presented for consideration by the Council.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Public Protection said that since the Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) for Wylfa Newydd was adopted in 2014, there has been a number of fundamental changes which has necessitated the need to review and update the SPG.  Most notably is the Wales Act 2017, which received Royal Assent on the 31^st January 2017.  This allows project promoters (Horizon) to include associated developments (such as park and ride, temporary works accommodation etc.) within their DCO application instead of being submitted to the Local Planning Authority and considered under the Town and Country Planning Act.  The SPG also needs to reflect key new legislation such as the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015 and this Authority needs to demonstrate how the project/policy meets the 7 wellbeing goals and the alignment between the SPG’s objectives and the wellbeing goals.  He further said that Horizon has proposed a number of project updates since the SPG was adopted in 2014.  The most significant project change is to increase the on-site temporary workers accommodation from 500 to 4,000 workers on-site in a purpose built temporary campus.  The Portfolio Holder said that the Council undertook a period of 6 week public consultation from the 11^th January to 22^nd February, 2018 and a Members ‘Drop-In Session’ was also arranged where Members had the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments on the SPG.  168 representations were received by ten individuals and organisations and all the responses can be found within the ‘Representations Report’ at Appendix A to the report.  The Programme Management Office has worked closely with Burges Salmon Solicitors to address the representations received.  All the changes made to the SPG are contained within the ‘Focused Changes’ document at Appendix B to the report.  He noted that 74 of the responses received to the SPG have been accepted.  The main concerns raised were the workers’ accommodation and the County Council needs to reflect this within the SPG.  Questions needed to be addressed as to which policies were relevant to Horizon and also which policies are relevant to third party organisations i.e. the Land and Lakes site and Rhosgoch site.   He said that this has now been addressed within the SPG enclosed within the report.  An Elected Member briefing session took place in April to explain the consultation process and the next steps as regard to this matter.

The Portfolio Holder said that it is important that the SPG be approved so as to allow the Authority to have a robust foundation to respond to the Wylfa Newydd project.  In adopting the SPG the Authority will be in a stronger position to address the DCO public inquiry to be held within the next few months.

Councillor Aled M Jones thanked the Portfolio Holder and the relevant Officers for their work as regard to this matter but expressed concerns that accommodating up to a maximum of 4,000 workers’ Wylfa Head is unacceptable. 

It was RESOLVED to adopt the revised (Anglesey specific) Wylfa Newydd Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) and all Topic Papers and Statutory Assessments.