Anglesey And Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan – Have Your Say About Development During Consultation Period

Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey County Council are working together to prepare a Local Development Plan (Joint LDP) which includes Anglesey and Gwynedd (except the Snowdonia National Park, which falls under a separate LDP). Once adopted the Joint LDP will replace the development plans that already exist and will be used to determine what developments will be given planning permission. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Joint LDP was submitted for public Examination in March 2016, with two independent Inspectors appointed by the Planning Inspectorate to examine the Plan. The Public Examination process, which is still ongoing, includes consideration of written and oral evidence from the Councils and objectors. A series of Public Hearings were held between September and early November 2016 to facilitate the work of the Inspectors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During the Hearings the need to make a number of proposed changes to certain policies and some maps in the Plan was discussed, in order to improve its clarity, update the Plan and to ensure consistency with national planning policy. These proposed changes range from factual updates, changes which refine policies text, and changes to the status of some settlements and to identify new sites for development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Councils have prepared a Schedule of Matters Arising Changes, and is holding a consultation until 9 March 2017 about these proposed changes. Any interested party can submit comments during the public consultation period, but it should be stressed that it is only the Changes that are the subject of the consultation and comments on any other part of the Plan cannot be submitted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Schedule of Matters Arising Changes and supporting documents are available to read at local public libraries, Siopau Gwynedd (Caernarfon, Dolgellau and Pwllheli), the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s head office in Llangefni, and the Joint Planning Policy Unit’s offices in Bangor, and on the Councils’ websites (www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/ldp or www.ynysmon.gov.uk/ldp). Any comments will be required to be provided by midnight on 9 March 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Comments can also be submitted by sending them to: Joint Planning Policy Unit, 1st floor Bangor City Council offices, Ffordd Gwynedd, Bangor Gwynedd LL57 1DT. Having considered the submitted comments, the independent Inspectors will decide if additional hearings will be required before they proceed to complete their report on the Examination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If it is found that the Plan is sound subject to the amendments, the Inspector’s report will identify binding recommendations. The Councils will have to adopt the Plan as recommended by the Inspector. At this stage the only role for the Councils would be a fact checking process. It will not be possible to make changes or not to act on the recommendation of the Inspectors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member who leads on planning matters, Councillor Dafydd Meurig said: “We are grateful to members of the public who have already contributed to the development of the Joint Plan. Questions and instructions from the Inspectors require making some changes to the Plan and I would encourage local residents who have already participated in the process, or anyone else, to have their say in this latest stage of the process. Only by so doing can Inspectors be sure that they have all of the evidence they need to complete their report.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Richard Dew, Portfolio Holder for Planning at the Isle of Anglesey County Council noted: “The Public Examination Inspectors have almost finished their work in examining the entire Plan. This is another opportunity for local residents and anyone else to submit information to it and therefore contribute to the process of creating this comprehensive Plan. That will ensure that sites across the area will be used in a sustainable way, and that the needs of work, housing, shops, and communities are being met in an orderly manner.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​