Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J.M. Charles, S.L. Davies and H.B. Shepardson and from Councillor M. Gravell (Executive Board Member for Regeneration and Leisure).

There were no declarations of personal interests.

There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

No public questions had been received.

The Committee received the list of forthcoming items to be considered at its meeting to be held on the 17^th February, 2017

In accordance with Minute 7 of its meeting held on the 3^rd November, 2016 the Committee received the Planning Division’s Annual Performance Report (APR) 2016 in respect of the period April 2015 – March 2016. It was noted that production of an APR was a requirement of the Planning Performance Framework Table and had to be submitted to the Welsh Government by the 31^st October annually. In accordance with that requirement, the current APR, being the second to be produced by Carmarthenshire, had been submitted to the Welsh Government by the 31^st October 2016 deadline.

The Following questions/issues were raised on the report:-

·        Reference was made to the provision within the LDP for new housing developments throughout the County, and clarification sought on how the adoption by the Council of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), together with the production of a business case, could be used to fund the provision of appropriate infrastructure e.g. schools, roads and surgeries to support those developments.

The Committee was reminded that as part of the LDP’s development, consultations had been undertaken with a wide range of bodies, both public and private on the Plan proposals. Those consultations had been two-way and used as a means of ascertaining those bodies’ future development proposals, how they would tie into the plan and to assess any potential infrastructure implications. With regard to the funding of major infrastructure projects, via the possible adoption of a CIL, it was confirmed that whilst the Council was still gathering information in that regard, if adopted, it would require the Council to be more specific on the type of infrastructure required within the County. That would need to be evidence based and include potential costs, and discussions with both external bodies and internal Council departments was critical to that process.

·        Reference was made to the planning provision within the LDP for some 280 properties to be built within the Hendy Ward and the current difficulties being experienced in that Ward as a consequence. Those included the local doctor’s surgery being at capacity and the recognised highway difficulties encountered both within the village and on the M4 slip road. It was enquired whether the impact of large developments on communities, such as Hendy,  could be mitigated by phasing planning approval/implementation over a number of years

The Forward Planning Manager advised that whilst the Council had included a Phasing Policy within the Draft LDP, the Planning Inspector, on examination thereof, had not accepted the policy and instructed its removal on the basis it was considered to have the potential to curtail development. However, as part of the preparation and formulation of the 2^nd LDP, the situation within Hendy could be cited as a supporting example for a Phasing Policy.

·        Further reference was made to the 280 housing allocation for Hendy, coupled with the allocation of over 700 houses in the nearby community of Pontarddulais within the City and County of Swansea. A view was expressed that closer cross boundary dialogue  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

In accordance with Minute 8 of its meeting held on the 3^rd November, 2016 the Committee received for further consideration the Annual Monitoring Report 2015/16 on the Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan.

The Following questions/issues were raised on the report:-

·        Reference was made to the allocation with the LDP for the provision of 15,197 housing units, and a view expressed that different ways of providing that housing needed to be explored rather than continually building new properties on land, which was a finite resource.

The Forward Planning Manager advised that the 15,197 units did not solely represent new build and could be provided via a number of avenues e.g.  conversion of large residential properties into smaller units, conversion of office/industrial building or bringing empty residential properties back into habitable use, a practice in which the Council’s Housing Division had been very successful.

·        The Forward Planning Manager, in response to a question relating to variations throughout the county on the level of affordable housing provision within housing developments advised that the level was dependent on the profitability of an individual development. He confirmed the level of provision required continual review and should reflect market values.

RESOLVED that the report be received.