MAC 007

Gwrthwynebu

ID sylw: 6026

Derbyniwyd: 26/06/2026

Respondent ID: 38

Ymatebydd: Laugharne Town Council

Cadarn? Heb nodi

Laugharne Township Community Council welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan.

The Community Council wishes to express its concern that Laugharne's role as a retail and service centre is not sufficiently recognised within the settlement and town-centre hierarchy of the Local Development Plan.

Laugharne is one of Carmarthenshire's historic towns and is recognised by Carmarthenshire County Council as one of the County's Ten Towns. It possesses a distinctive town centre which provides a range of retail, hospitality, tourism and community services that support both local residents and visitors throughout the year. The town serves not only its resident population but also a wider rural hinterland and a substantial seasonal visitor economy which is growing year-on-year. There is substantial planned growth in visitor accommodation including Dylan Thomas resort, Tipis and further holiday lets to be realised over the coming year or two. There is a Nationally renowned Literary and Arts Festival: The Laugharne Weekend where large numbers of visitors attend.

The Community Council considers that the current planning framework places significant emphasis on Laugharne's heritage and tourism functions, while giving insufficient weight to its continuing role as a centre for local shopping, independent businesses, hospitality enterprises and community facilities. The vitality and viability of these businesses are essential to the sustainability of the town and contribute significantly to the local economy.

We respectfully request that the Council review the settlement and town-centre hierarchy within the Local Development Plan to ensure that Laugharne is afforded appropriate recognition and policy support as a town centre serving both residents and visitors

We therefore request that the Local Development Plan:

• Formally recognises Laugharne's role as an important local retail and service centre within the County's settlement hierarchy.

• Acknowledges the contribution made by the town's independent businesses, shops, hospitality venues and community services to the economic and social wellbeing of the area.

• Supports policies that protect and enhance the vitality and viability of Laugharne as a town centre.

• Ensures that future planning decisions take account of the need to sustain and strengthen the retail function of the town alongside its heritage and tourism role.

• Recognises that a thriving town centre is essential to maintaining Laugharne's character, which will subsequently support local employment opportunities and reduce the need for residents and visitors to travel elsewhere for goods and services.

The Community Council believes that greater recognition of Laugharne's retail and service-centre function would better reflect the town's historic status, its importance within the Ten Towns programme, and its ongoing contribution to the economy and community life of Carmarthenshire

MAC 007 does not propose any amendments to the retail hierarchy.

The review of town centres and identification of retail hierarchy took into consideration the existing retail offer and scale of each centre. The Carmarthenshire Retail Study Update (2023) reviewed the hierarchy identified in the Second Deposit revised LDP and did not suggest amendments to the hierarchy and Laugharne was not recommended for inclusion. The Respondent outlines plans for growth in Laugharne, particularly centred around tourism and visitor accommodation. Whilst Laugharne is not recognised as a retail centre within the retail hierarchy, this does not prevent the town’s growth nor the development of services and facilities to support additional visitors to the town which can be considered through the Plan’s other policies.