Amend Policy.

Tywi Valley protection:
It is understood that in providing these comments that CCC plan to produce SPG for the Tywi Valley to supercede the current designated status of ‘Special Landscape Area’. Whilst this is welcomed this falls short and fails to capture the magnitude of opportunity and risk.

The unique landscape, historic fabric, biodiversity and communities of the Tywi Valley are acknowledged in the current SLA and within NRW’s Natural Landscape Character NLCA41 Tywi Valley. The area is of National and International significance. Without clear and ambitious policy and safeguarding, the area is vulnerable to inappropriate development including the pending application for extensive pylon construction by Bute Energy. It is also falling short of its potential to maximise sustainable tourism without an adequate designation (noting SP11 Visitor Economy).
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The landscape has the qualities and criteria fit to become an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or an extension of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Such designations would provide the appropriate level of preservation and ehancement and will bolster the Carmarthen to Llandeillo cycle route proposal. It will provide existing and future businesses with added provenance and draw high value visitors to the area.

I would urge the Council to accelerate the land use designation noted above in partnership with NRW to fill a void in adequate policy that risks irrepairable damage to the Tywi Valley. In doing so I would draw attention to the current boundary of the SLA which follows arbitary alignments including minor roads and does not reflect the true boundary of the Valley which is defined by its topography. The boundary should follow that set out in NRW’s Natural Landscape Character NLCA41 Tywi Valley.