Agenda item

To consider a report by the Planning Officer (copy attached) to provide Council with information on the Welsh Government: National Development Framework 2020-2040: Consultation Draft.

Councillor Emrys Wynne declared a personal interest in this item as a member of his family is a Planning Inspector in Wales.

The Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities introduced the Welsh Government: National Development Framework 2020-2040: Consultation Draft (NDF) (previously circulated) to provide the Council with information on the content of the Welsh Government (WG) consultation document because it was not only going to have an impact on the production of the next Local Development Plan (LDP) for the county but also become an important source of national policy for decision-making on planning applications and appeals.

Officers had worked across Council departments on the draft consultation response as shown in Appendix 1 of the report.

Once finalised the NDF would be published by WG in September 2020.  The NDF will be the development for the whole of Wales and sets out the land use implications of key national policies and objectives.  It sets the framework for the development of lower tier plans, i.e. Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) and Local Development Plans (LDPs). There were currently no SDPs in Wales.

During in-depth discussion, the following issues were raised:

·         It was stated that consultation with the public needed to be broader.  The Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities confirmed that over 2000 responses had been received following consultation. [Comment was made with regard to Denbighshire County Council LDP Pre-Deposit consultation; not the draft NDF]

·         The quality of the maps provided had been raised as a major issue.

·         There was concern regarding the possibility of over development of the coastal region.

·         Housing to be eco-friendly in light of the climate change emergency which had been agreed following a Notice of Motion at Full Council.  The WG had acknowledged the climate change emergency through the NDF.

·         Members stated affordable housing was a major issue and more 2-bed properties were needed.  NDF stated 51% of housing to be affordable but there did not appear to have been any work carried out regarding the viability and deliverability.  Denbighshire County Council were currently undertaking a viability study for the emerging LDP as to what percentage of affordable housing could be included within the document.  If a high percentage of affordable housing were to be sought through local policy, but contrary to viability assessment, it would not be deliverable. Officers to report back to Members any progress on the LDP.

·         There were estimated housing figures within the NDF which was not a policy requirement but was based on a Scottish model which had been utilised by the WG.

·         Links to South Wales rather than the north of England were stated to be a priority.  It was confirmed that the link with Merseyside and north West England was because they had a stronger economy.  It was also confirmed that public transport needed to link into more communities.

·         It was confirmed that all matters raised during the meeting would be fed back to the Welsh Government.

The Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services confirmed that there would be a Local Government Bill published by the end of the year.  The Bill was to contain information regarding Corporate Joint Committees and regional bodies, but until the Bill was published, there was no further information to put before members.

The Leader, Councillor Hugh Evans stated WLGA had responded strongly to the Bill in terms of mandatory requirements.  It diluted localism and he had expressed concern regarding this.  There was to be a meeting held on Friday 18 October 2019 at which the Leader would raise all concerns.

Councillor Arwel Roberts expressed concern due to the aim by the Welsh Government to have one million Welsh speakers by 2050.  Councillor Roberts stated that the Welsh language would not survive if it was not treated as a priority within the NDF, and, therefore, proposed that safeguarding the Welsh language be included in the NDF and in every plan put forward.  This proposal was seconded by Councillor Gwyneth Kensler.

The Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services clarified with members that a vote needed to take place to take the amendment forward. 

VOTE:

For – 28

Abstain – 3

Against – 3

Therefore, the vote was passed in favour of the amendment to be included in the recommendations.

At this juncture, Councillor Gareth Davies requested a list of the cost implications of the amendment which had been passed.

RESOLVED that Council agree the response to the draft NDF consultation (as attached in Appendix 1) but to include the Welsh language as a priority to the National Development Framework to safeguard the language.  The Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities submit the finalised consultation response to Welsh Government on behalf of Denbighshire County Council under delegated powers.