Pre-Deposit Plan (Revised Preferred Strategy)

7 The Revised Preferred Strategy Comment

7.1 The Revised Preferred Strategy for the 2RLDP is a hybrid between 2 different options. Consequently, it is necessary to refine the strategy to identify the elements from each strategy option that will be combined to deliver a cohesive overall strategy for the plan.

Areas of Growth Comment

7.2 The Revised Preferred Strategy is comprised of two specific strategy options that that adhere to policy considerations outlined in Future Wales, namely Strategy Option 4 - Metro Investment Focus (Future Wales Policy 12 - Regional Connectivity, Policy 36 - South East Metro), and Strategy Option 5 - Town Centre First (Future Wales Policy 6 - Town Centre First)

7.3 The Metro Investment Focus requires that development be located to maximise the benefits from investment into the Metro and the potential for modal shift to sustainable transport. To do this development will need to be located close to sustainable transport links, primarily the major bus and rail stations across the County Borough. The rail stations within the County Borough are located on the Rhymney Valley Line, which runs up the western side of the County Borough from Caerphilly to Rhymney, and the Ebbw Vale Line that runs up the eastern side of the County Borough from Risca through to Newbridge and Crumlin. It should be noted that Blackwood is not located on a rail line and Nelson, whilst on the Cwmbargoed line, does not have passenger services. However, both have bus centres that would include them within the metro focus. In addition to these two centres, Bargoed and Caerphilly also have bus stations.

7.4 The Town Centre First Policy seeks to locate development within and close to existing towns and cities across the region. In terms of the County Borough this means looking to locate development close to, or within the County Borough's Principal and Local Settlements in the first instance. It should be noted, however, that these settlements have significant constraints that limit the amount of development that they could reasonably be expected to accommodate. The levels of growth identified in the Revised Preferred Strategy means that sites for development will also need to be identified in other settlements but located in the best locations in terms of the Metro and town centre focuses. Evidence base Document PS3 - Settlement Role, Function and Sustainability Analysis identifies residential centres that are suitable for accommodating growth in line with the strategy and residential centres that are not suitable for accommodating growth. Development sites outside of the Principal and Local Settlements will be targeted to the residential centres that can accommodate growth.

7.5 The Principal and Local Settlements all have rail or major bus stations, with the exception of Bedwas which is in close proximity to Caerphilly, and, as such, both options indicate a requirement to identify new growth and development in proximity to those centres. In addition, new growth will also be located in residential settlements that, due to their location and proximity to sustainable transport and the Principal and Local Settlements, are suitable for accommodating growth.

7.6 Normally the plan would identify strategy areas within which certain levels of growth and development would be expected. However, the linear nature of the metro stations and the distribution of the Principal and Local Settlements do not lend themselves to forming cohesive spatial strategy areas. Consequently, the Revised Preferred Strategy does not identify spatial strategy areas within the County Borough.

Key Land Use Issues Comment

7.8 Chapter 3 sets out the key land use issues that the 2RLDP will need to address in order for the plan to be successful. The Policies that follow reflect the main strategic issues that are facing the County Borough and provide the overarching policy framework for addressing them.

Climate Change Comment

Decarbonisation - Renewable Energy Generation Comment

7.10 Decarbonisation, as a measure to tackle the contributors towards global warming and to mitigate against its effects, is a key strand in Welsh Government policy on development. The generation of energy from renewable and zero carbon sources is an essential part of delivering decarbonisation. Future Wales requires Council's to be proactive in delivering renewable energy generation and identifies Pre-Assessed Areas throughout Wales where large-scale wind energy is, in principle, acceptable and where the principle of landscape change is accepted. On a more local scale the Council will support and encourage appropriate schemes for renewable energy generation and will also work together with energy providers to deliver appropriate schemes. To reflect this the Revised Preferred Strategy includes a policy to support the delivery of renewable energy.

7.11 The Council has produced a Decarbonisation Strategy: Reduce, Produce, Offset and Buy and an accompanying Prospectus and Action Plan. This strategy sets out how the Council intends to reduce its own carbon footprint and deliver the overarching objective of being a net carbon neutral authority by 2030. The accompanying Action Plan details the actions the Council will take, including maximising renewal energy generation on Council homes and buildings and tree planting.

Sustainable Development – Placemaking Comment

7.12 The delivery of sustainable development is a duty on all local authorities throughout Wales. Sustainable development and the creation of sustainable places promotes active and healthy lifestyles and contributes significantly to well-being. The delivery of sustainable development is underpinned by placemaking, and the plan will be underpinned by sound placemaking principles.

Nature Based – Green and Blue Infrastructure Comment

7.13 The requirements for Councils to deliver both the biodiversity duty and the duty to deliver sustainable development means that green and blue infrastructure is an important consideration in any development proposals and must be a fundamental element of their design. The Council must maintain and enhance green and blue infrastructure in their decisions and the 2RLDP will need to ensure that green and blue infrastructure enhancement is at the very heart of the plan. Consequently, the Revised Preferred Strategy sets out an overarching policy under which detailed policies will be introduced through the Deposit 2RLDP to deliver the Council's duties. Developers will, therefore, need to show that opportunities for green and blue infrastructure have been maximised as part of any development proposals and that their developments deliver Net Benefit for Biodiversity.

Employment & Tourism Comment

7.14 Employment is the principal issue that the 2RLDP will need to address to deliver the Revised Preferred Strategy, which is based upon the County Borough achieving a growth in population and, in particular, economic population, to be in a position to deliver employment growth in line with the CCR and regional aspirations. To do this the 2RLDP will need to identify land for employment development that will assist in addressing the economic pressures that have arisen from the impacts of Covid-19, Brexit and natural changes in the economy which are predicted to adversely impact on the County Borough's largest employment sector, manufacturing. In addition, the 2RLDP will also seek to expand and enhance the town centre and visitor offer to assist in generating economic growth for the County Borough.

7.15 Tourism makes an important contribution to the local economy, and there is significant investment planned to enhance the tourist offer in the County Borough. Regeneration activities are focussing on the enhancement of tourism generally, along with widening and encouraging tourist related activities and the development of visitor accommodation. A key element in delivering an improved visitor offer is increasing accessibility through sustainable transport, including metro improvements and local active improvements which link tourist assets together.

Housing Comment

7.16 It is essential that the 2RLDP makes provision for sufficient housing, of the appropriate type, size and affordability, and in the right places to enable the County Borough to attract and sustain the level of population growth that will support and deliver the economic aspirations of the plan.

7.17 The 2RLDP must make provision for sufficient residential land to meet the future needs of communities for both market and affordable housing. The Revised Preferred Strategy supports a housing requirement of 6,750 dwellings over the plan period, or 450 dwellings per annum, based on the CCR Working age population growth scenario. This is a dwelling led scenario, which would support growth in the working age population at a level that would accord with the economic growth aspirations of the Cardiff Capital Region and would require a level of housing that is realistic but ambitious in respect of past trends, accords with regional potential growth, reinforcing Caerphilly County Borough's position within a National Growth Area in Future Wales and assisting in the delivery of affordable housing. The Population and Housing Growth Options Paper provides a more detailed assessment of the scenarios considered and the justification for the preferred growth option.

7.18 As required by the Development Plans Manual (Edition 3), an allowance of 10% has been added to the housing requirement to allow choice and flexibility, as there may be unforeseen circumstances that affect the delivery of housing allocations. This flexibility allowance could be subject to change in the Deposit 2RLDP following the allocation of sites in accordance with the Revised Preferred Strategy.

7.19 The provision of 6,750 new dwellings will be delivered by a number of components of the Housing Land Supply, as set out below. Detailed information on how each of the components has been derived can be found in the Housing Land Supply and Affordable Housing Target Evidence Base Paper.

• Total Completions: Large and small completions in 2021-2024 – 1,378
• Units under construction: As of base date of 1st April 2021 - 198
• Units with planning permission: Only those sites considered deliverable in the plan period (large sites only) - 1,541
• Applications awaiting determination: Only those sites acceptable in principle (large sites only) - 359
• Large windfall sites: Based on 73 units per annum average for the last 7 years of the plan period - 511
• Small windfall sites: Based on 60 units per annum for the remaining 11 years of the plan period - 660
• Total Number of Units - 4,647
• Housing Requirement - 6,750
• Housing Provision: Housing Requirement plus Flexibility Allowance (10%) - 7,425
• New allocations required: (Housing Provision – Total) - 2,778

7.20 The Deposit 2RLDP will include a housing trajectory, which will set out the anticipated housing delivery rates over the plan period. This will form the basis for the future monitoring of the delivery of the components of housing supply against targets.

7.21 The Council aims to ensure that everyone in the County Borough has access to a good quality home that meets their housing requirements. The provision of a range of housing that is affordable to the local population is vital in achieving this. A shortfall of affordable housing is a significant issue facing residents in the County Borough. Indeed, the 2018 Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA) indicates that there is a shortfall of 282 affordable units per annum for the five-year period 2018-2023. The Council has prepared a new LHMA that covers the period from April 2024 to March 2028. This has been formally submitted to Welsh Government for its consideration. When approved the new LHMA will form the basis for the LDP, and the plan will be updated with this information as part of the preparation of the Deposit Plan.

7.22 The target of at least 1,360 affordable dwellings reflects the number of units that it is expected can be delivered across the County Borough through the use of planning obligations and conditions. The components that contribute to the affordable housing target are summarised below. Further details can be found in the Housing Land Supply and Affordable Housing Target Evidence Base Paper.

• Total Completions (up to 31st March 2021): 75;
• Units under construction: 47;
• Units with planning permission: 387;
• Applications awaiting determination: 41;
• Potential contribution from new allocations: 652;
• Potential contribution from windfall sites: 158;
• Total: 1,360.

7.23 A policy setting out site size thresholds and area specific targets based on a robust assessment of viability will be included within the Deposit 2RLDP following the completion of an update to the Affordable Housing Viability Assessment. The Deposit 2RLDP will also be supported by an updated LHMA, reflecting recent changes to the LHMA methodology.

7.24 It should be noted that this target is based on the viability area specific affordable housing targets in the adopted LDP and may be subject to change following the completion of detailed viability work and the outcomes of the candidate site assessment process and the completion of the new LHMA.

Sustainable Transport Comment

7.25 A move towards sustainable modes of transport is essential in tackling the issues of climate change, congestion and air quality. In order to maximise these opportunities all development proposals will need to demonstrate that the sustainable transport hierarchy has been adhered to.

7.26 Llwybr Newydd, the Wales Transport Strategy 2021, sets an ambitious target of 45% of all trips to be made by sustainable modes by 2045. To get anywhere near achieving this modal shift target it is essential that development plans include ambitious policies addressing this issue. Currently, however, there is a lack of readily available information to inform where we are currently and how far we are down the road to modal shift change. Consequently, the Revised Preferred Strategy does not include a specific County Borough based target, rather it seeks deliver change in accordance with the national targets.

7.28 As part of actions to improve the transport infrastructure, it is essential the 2RLDP maximises the opportunities to repurpose former rail lines for transport related developments, including developing them for passenger transport purposes. Consequently, it is important to protect former rail routes from development that could prejudice their future transport use.

7.30 The establishment of a road hierarchy will facilitate the efficient use of the highway network by ensuring that traffic is channelled onto the most appropriate routes in order to maintain appropriate environmental, amenity and safety conditions. Maintaining an efficient and safe highway network will assist public transport services in the form of buses, maintaining their frequency and ensuring that they run to schedule.

Retailing Comment

7.31 The Revised Preferred Strategy seeks to locate development in close proximity to the main sustainable transport nodes and service centres in the County Borough. Retailing is a fundamental element of the functions that the main service centres perform and as such the retail hierarchy will influence where growth is located in the County Borough. In addition, Future Wales identifies that major retail and public sector development should be located within the main centres as the first consideration. Consequently, it is important that the retail functions of the main centres are protected from inappropriate development, whilst allowing flexibility in order for the centres to continue to thrive.

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Comment

7.32 It is a requirement that the Council takes account of the needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community in preparing their development plans. The Council is required to prepare a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) which will inform that process. The latest GTAA was approved by Welsh Government in July 2024. The GTAA has identified a need for 5 residential pitches in the five-year period up to 2026 and a further 3 pitches in remainder of the 2RLDP plan period, giving a total need of 8 pitches until the end of Plan period.

7.33 A planning application has been submitted for four pitches, which is awaiting determination. Should planning permission be granted then the unmet need figure will be reduced.

7.34 Land will be identified to accommodate any unmet Gypsy and Traveller accommodation need in the Deposit Plan. The Deposit Plan will also include a criteria-based policy to guide the determination of planning applications for Gypsy and Traveller sites.

Minerals Comment

7.35 It is a statutory requirement for the Council to maintain an adequate supply of minerals and maintain a minimum 10-year land bank of permitted aggregate reserves throughout the plan period. To do this the Council will protect existing minerals resources, reserves and infrastructure from inappropriate development and ensure sufficient reserves have been permitted to provide the 25-years' worth that would ensure a minimum 10-year land bank at the end of the plan period.

Waste Management Comment

7.36 The provision for waste management infrastructure is made at a sub-regional level and, as such, the Revised Preferred Strategy does not make provision for waste infrastructure. However, it is important that the Revised Preferred Strategy includes overarching policies that facilitate the delivery of the elements of the hierarchy.

7.37 The Revised Preferred Strategy Key Diagram is set out below. It should be noted that the Key Diagram is an indicative plan and that it shows the specific allocations set out within the Preferred Strategy in the context of the County Borough. The diagram is not to a specific scale or based upon an OS Map Base. Consequently, the allocations identified on it are indicative and do not specific sites or routes.

Pre-Deposit Plan Key Diagram Comment