Deposit LDP

3. Influences on the Plan

Overview

3.1 Whilst the LDP plays a key role in shaping decision making and the location and nature of developments within the County, it is prepared and operated within the national framework set through legislation and by Planning Policy Wales^[6] and accompanying Technical Advice Notes^[7].

3.2 The process itself for the preparation of the LDP is set within statutory regulations, with further procedural guidance contained within the LDP Manual as prepared by the Welsh Government. The preparation and content of the LDP will be assessed against three tests of soundness^[8] namely:

1. Does the plan fit?
2. Is the plan appropriate?
3. Will the plan deliver?

3.3 The preparation of the Plan will culminate with the Planning Inspector (as appointed by the Welsh Government). The Inspector will examine the LDP against these three tests to assess its soundness. The findings of the Examination will be published in the Inspector's Report, and its content and recommendations are binding on the Authority.

3.4 As the Council plans for the future, we must also work closely with, and respond to, various partners, other agencies, funding bodies and decision makers to inform, guide and implement programmes and proposals. The LDP, whilst central in informing future policies, programmes and investment strategies across a range of agencies and bodies will have also been influenced by, and reflect those which support the delivery of its policies and proposals.

3.5 A number of important documents and strategies relate to Carmarthenshire. We have and will, where applicable, prepare the plan to reflect such documents and plans of other organisations, including our neighbouring planning authorities, and national and regional policies and strategies. We will work with our neighbours and others in the preparation of the LDP as appropriate.

3.6 There have been a number of significant contextual changes in Welsh legislation since the adoption of the current LDP. These include the publication of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015 and the Environment (Wales) Act 2016. Perhaps most significant however, is the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This represents a big change, with the Plan required to contribute to its aims of improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales as part of carrying out sustainable development. This has in itself prompted changes in national planning policy as set out within PPW with the publication of Edition 10 in December 2018.

3.7 A further landmark development in the planning and development plan system in Wales is the emerging National Development Framework^[9]. This essentially represents the development plan for Wales, setting out the direction for development in Wales from 2020 – 2040. Whilst still in draft form at the time of preparing this document appropriate regard will be had to its emerging content and notably the National Development Framework (NDF) 'Outcomes' in preparing this Revised LDP.

3.8 In this respect the Revised LDP will be required to conform to the content of the adopted NDF. Consequently its progress and content ahead of its anticipated adoption in September 2020 will be monitored with this Plan required to respond accordingly.

3.9 The Plan takes into consideration the national well-being goals and objectives, the content of the Carmarthenshire Well-being Plan^[10] as well as the Council's own well-being objectives^[11] in its policies and proposals.

3.10 The Council, in preparing its New Corporate Strategy, consolidated the following plans into the one document and will underpin many aspects of the LDP in moving forward:

1. It supersedes the 2015-20 Corporate Strategy;
2. It incorporates our Improvement Objectives as required by the Local Government Measure 2009;
3. It includes our Well-being Objectives as required by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. For the first time in Wales, there is a shared vision and set of goals for all public bodies to work towards, our Well-being Objectives are set to maximise our contribution to these,
4. It includes Carmarthenshire County Council's Executive Board key projects and programmes for the next 5 years as set out in 'Moving Forward in Carmarthenshire: the next 5 years'.

3.11 The Plan in recognising the diversity of Carmarthenshire also has important regard to a number of Council Plans and initiatives aimed specifically at the issues affecting our rural areas, notably in relations to the findings of the Councils Rural Affairs Task Group and its 55 recommendations. The Moving Rural Carmarthenshire Forward report considers the issues affecting the rural communities in Carmarthenshire and to identify actions the Council, in partnership with other public bodies and organisations, can take in addressing those issues to ensure and support rural regeneration in future years^[12].

3.12 The Task Group identified a number of key areas that influence the issues facing rural communities in Carmarthenshire as follows, and are reflected in the report's findings:

• Economic Development
• Planning and Housing
• Education and Skills
• Broadband and Digital Skills
• Tourism
• Transport and Highways
• Agriculture and Food
• Community Resilience, Access to Services and Third Sector
• Renewable Energy
• Environment and Waste
• The Way Forward.

3.13 A key recommendation emerging from Moving Rural Carmarthenshire Forward related to the rejuvenation of Ten Towns across rural Carmarthenshire. Part of this initiative includes working with the local communities and stakeholders in ten identified rural towns (and their surrounding communities) to develop individual plans that aim to deliver long-term strategic visions to secure their economic, cultural, social and environmental sustainability. The ten rural towns identified are as follows:

• Llandovery
• Llandeilo
• St. Clears
• Whitland
• Newcastle Emlyn
• Laugharne
• Cwmamman
• Llanybydder
• Kidwelly
• Cross Hands

3.14 This Deposit Plan also reflects the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report^[13] giving full and careful consideration of all the relevant factors it identified. As we continue the process of preparing the Plan, the SA and the requirements for producing the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) will help us in developing the LDP in a way which ensures it takes on board those sustainability and environmental values.

3.15 Such contextual changes, the findings of the Review Report and changes in evidence have proved integral in informing how the Revised Plan is prepared, and its direction both strategically through Preferred Strategy, but also at a detailed policy level within this Deposit Plan.

3.16 Extensive work and liaison has, and is, being undertaken to build and raise awareness and communication with a wide range of organisations and individuals. The information, issues and evidence emerging from such communications has been invaluable in the work undertaken to date and will continue in ensuring the preparation of the LDP is as informed and consensual as possible.

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