Agenda item

The Committee considered a report seeking its observations on proposals for further consultations to be undertaken over a six week period on the following Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018-2033:

-        Sites of Importance for Nature Conservations (SINC’s)

-        Welsh Language

-        Open Space: Requirements for Integrating Open Spaces within New Residential Developments

The Committee noted that, if endorsed, the proposals would then be subject to Council approval for the formal consultations to be undertaken.

The following questions/issues were raised on the report:

·       In response to queries on the involvement of local members in the formulation of Section 106 Agreements on Planning Applications and any appropriate financial contributions, the Committee was advised of the importance of local members early involvement in the process. It was therefore suggested a seminar be arranged to assist members in fully understanding their role and the legal parameters of those Agreements.

·       The Forward Planning Manager also advised that while the Planning Department was responsible for the formulation and monitoring of Section 106 Agreements, together with the collection of agreed financial contributions, responsibility for the allocation of Section 106 payments to the defined schemes within those legal agreements lay with the Community Bureau section of the Regeneration Division. 

·       With regard to the establishment of an expert panel to manage the process of assessing Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation, the Forward Planning Manager advised that whilst its membership yet to be determined, its core members would comprise planners and ecologists supported by relevant external experts, as required by the specific attributes of individual sites.

·       In relation to a question on section 5.1 and the legislative and policy context of the SPG for the Welsh Language, the Forward Planning Manager advised that it augmented the Council’s case in determining planning applications which is why the whole of the County had been declared Linguistic Sensitive. He also advised that in preparing the document, the Council had worked with Welsh Language Consultants, Iaith, in gathering evidence on the impact of such an approach in other parts of Wales and how that evidence could be used to support the Council’s case. However, the Council in preparing the SPG, still had to work within Welsh Government Guidelines.

·       With regard to a timeline for the adoption of the SPG’s, the Forward Planning Manager advised they had to receive Council approval for formal consultation. Thereafter, they would form part of the Council’s submission to PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) for adoption of the Local Development Plan. Whilst PEDW would be responsible for establishing the timeline, it was anticipated the ‘hearing’ element of the Plan would commence towards the end of July 2024 with the Inspectors report being received by the Council for adoption in early 2025.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED