Deposit Plan

10 Distinct and Natural Places Comment

10.1The County Boroughs post-industrial landscape, biodiversity and natural resources form an essential part of its unique identity, which should be recognised, protected where necessary, and enhanced where possible. The natural environment, its ecosystems, habitats, geological features, and waterways, must be managed sustainably to enhance ecosystem resilience, and safeguard the integrity and distinctiveness of local landscapes for the well-being of current and future generations.

10.2Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity is a fundamental part of the 2RLDP. The Plan seeks to ensure that development decisions make a positive contribution to ecological networks, green infrastructure, and nature recovery, recognising their vital role in tackling climate change, improving air and water quality, and supporting healthy and resilient communities. The protection of important areas for biodiversity and sensitive habitats, species, and ecosystems is embedded throughout the 2RLDP and its supporting evidence base, with a clear emphasis on maintaining and enhancing natural assets rather than placing them at risk.

10.3Distinct and natural places also include Wales’s cultural and historic landscapes, many of which are protected through national designations. The 2RLDP seeks to protect the special interest and setting of these designated landscapes, ensuring that new development responds sensitively to local character and heritage. By embedding these principles, the 2RLDP seeks to ensure that natural and cultural distinctiveness is at the heart of placemaking, guiding growth in a way that is environmentally responsible, locally rooted and reflective of the county’s unique sense of place.

Landscape Comment

10.4The County Borough has a unique landscape which has been shaped by a legacy of mining and industry. Many parts of the landscape are of importance for their natural, visual, geological, cultural and historic characteristics. The 2RLDP recognises the importance of these areas and has protected them where necessary, to maintain them for future generations.

10.5Special Landscape Areas (SLAs) are local non-statutory designations that seek to protect areas that exhibit distinctive landscape, historical, cultural, natural and geological features and characteristics within the County Borough. They are locally important elements of the natural heritage of the rural and urban environments and provide a living history of the evolution of the area’s landscape as well as cultural backdrop and visual setting. The designation of SLAs highlights the holistic consideration of the landscape, with emphasis placed on the ‘special’ nature of the distinctive landscape features and characteristics in these areas.

10.6These areas will be protected from any development that would harm their distinctive features or characteristics. The policy is not designed to preclude development. However, an applicant will need to demonstrate that any development proposal will not have an unacceptable impact on the specific distinctive features or characteristics associated with the SLA. Where there are likely to be more than minor landscape and visual impacts, development applications must be supported by a Landscape Impact Assessment (LVIA) that evaluates the potential effects of the development and outlines appropriate mitigation measures to address any adverse impacts.

10.7SLAs within the County Borough have been designated using LANDMAP, which is the best recognised national toolkit that is available to provide information and inform decision making on local landscapes. It separates the landscape into five aspect areas, which are geological landscapes, visual and sensory, landscape habitats, cultural landscapes and historic landscapes. The system allows information to be gathered, organised and evaluated within a nationally consistent data set. Each SLA has been identified using LANDMAP and the SLA designation methodology. This recognises that an SLA may include small parts of the local landscape that do not display the same level of landscape importance.

10.8Visually Important Local Landscapes (VILLs) are non-statutory designations that seek to protect the distinctive features or characteristics of the visual and sensory landscape of the County Borough and how we perceive and respond to the landscape around us. VILLS have been identified using only the visual and sensory layer of LANDMAP.

10.9Development will only be permitted where it conserves and, where appropriate, enhances the distinctive visual and sensory landscape features or characteristics of the VILL. Development proposals should demonstrate that these features of the visual and sensory LANDMAP aspect layer are conserved and, where appropriate enhanced for the benefit of the visual landscape.

10.10The need to define and maintain open spaces between and within urban areas and settlements to prevent coalescence is considered important for the County Borough to protect the integrity of both the built and natural environment. Within green wedges, it is intended to resist any development proposal that would not maintain the open character of the landscape.

10.11Development proposals within green wedges will only be considered where the use is either conducive to the existing character or enhances the character of the green wedge.

Nature and Biodiversity Comment

10.12Development proposals likely to impact upon local biodiversity will be considered in line with the relevant chapter of PPW in the first instance, followed by the specific local policies set out below, which have been informed by the Councils Green and Blue Infrastructure Assessment (GIA).

10.13SINCs, LNRs, and RIGS are local non statutory designations that make a valuable contribution towards conserving biodiversity and ecosystem networks at the local level. Development proposals that are likely to have an impact on these designated areas will be considered in line with Policy NA2.

10.14Development will normally be permitted where it would not cause unacceptable harm to the particular features of the Nature Conservation Site. Where harm is unavoidable it should be minimised by effective mitigation measures to ensure that there is no reduction in the overall nature conservation value of the area or feature. Where this is not possible, compensation measures designed to conserve, enhance and manage locally distinctive natural habitats and species should be provided. Where mitigation or compensation measures are required but not possible, planning permission is likely to be refused.

10.15Trees, woodlands, and hedgerows make a positive contribution to both the natural and built environment. They enhance the amenity value, character, diversity of the landscape, provide vital habitat for biodiversity, and offer substantial environmental benefits such as the offsetting of noise and improving air quality.

10.16Trees can occupy a substantial part of a development site and because of their potential size can have a major influence on the planning and use of the site. Arboricultural surveys evaluate trees and hedgerows, assess the effects of development and propose suitable mitigation. Detailed assessments, including topographical surveys, tree surveys / categorisation, tree constraints plans and arboricultural implications assessments, provide important information on the quality and quantity of trees present and identify mitigation of the potential impacts of development, including the construction process, on trees and hedgerows and their root systems.

10.17Effective measures should be taken to protect existing trees, woodlands and hedgerows that have been identified as worthy of retention through the arboricultural survey process. These features, if integrated sensitively and with due care, will enhance the quality of the development and its amenity, safeguard biodiversity and the natural heritage, and minimise the loss of trees and woodlands.

10.18Where the loss of trees, woodlands and hedgerows is unavoidable, the loss should be minimised by providing appropriate replacements and where unavoidable the developer will need to submit a landscaping scheme that is acceptable to the council that clearly identifies the replacement planting to mitigate the loss on site. This will ensure that the overall amenity, landscape and ecological value of the site and its setting are conserved.

Green and Blue Infrastructure Comment

10.19Green and blue infrastructure, commonly called Green Infrastructure (GI) refers to the network of natural and semi natural features within the County Borough, with green infrastructure relating to land-based features, and blue infrastructure relating to water-based elements.

10.20Statutory requirements for the Council to deliver both the biodiversity duty and the duty to deliver sustainable development means that GI is an important consideration in any development proposal and must be a fundamental element of their design. The Council must maintain and enhance GI in their decisions and the 2RLDP will need to ensure that GI enhancement is at the very heart of the plan. Developers will need to show that opportunities for GI have been maximised as part of any development proposals and that their developments deliver Net Benefit for Biodiversity.

10.21All development proposals will be considered based on their relevant scale, and where the loss or damage of an existing green and blue infrastructure network is unavoidable, appropriate and proportionate mitigation and compensation measures will be required.

10.22The Council will determine whether a GI statement is necessary based on the proposals scale and if there are natural features present on site which can be maintained and enhanced. Developers may be requested to submit a green infrastructure statement to support development proposals.

10.23All major developments will be required to submit a green and blue infrastructure assessment and masterplan as part of development proposals to support a nature-based approach to site design and layout.

10.24All developments must seek to maximise the amount of green and blue infrastructure on site and enhance the connectivity of green infrastructure within and around the site with the wider green infrastructure network. Development must also maximise opportunities to achieve multi-functionality by bringing green and blue infrastructure functions together.

Environmental Protection Comment

10.25Development can introduce risks such as flooding, water and air pollution, noise, light intrusion, land contamination, and instability, all of which can harm human health and biodiversity. Climate change and increased development pressures heighten these risks, making proactive policy intervention critical.

10.26This policy is essential in safeguarding public health, environmental quality, and the integrity of ecosystems across the County Borough. It reflects statutory duties under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, and the WBFG Act, which require development plans to prevent harm and promote sustainable development.

10.27Improving air quality is essential to protecting the health, well-being, and economic resilience of our communities. Air quality has improved in recent years; however, even relatively low levels of pollution can affect people of all ages, and particularly for vulnerable groups and communities already experiencing deprivation. UK and Welsh Government evidence shows that air pollution remains the most significant environmental risk to public health. The Caerphilly Air Strategy 2026 – 2031 sets out how Caerphilly County Borough Council will work over the next five years to create cleaner, healthier places for everyone. Clear requirements for air quality assessment and mitigation will be set out in Supplementary Planning Guidance.

10.28Development proposals must be designed and delivered in a manner that prevents the introduction or spread of invasive non-native species (INNS). Where INNS are known or suspected to be present, planning applications must be supported by the appropriate surveys and a risk assessment prepared by a suitably qualified professional. This assessment should clearly set out the measures proposed to control, eradicate, or contain INNS during construction and throughout the post construction phase.

10.29Whilst Natural Resources Wales has a regulatory role in relation to water quality, the planning system has a crucial role to play in limiting the adverse effects of development on the water environment.

10.30The Councils Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (2024) identifies Critical Drainage Areas (CDAs) as areas of the County Borough that are at significant risk of flooding from surface water run-off, groundwater, and other watercourses. CDAs are considered as important catchment areas where development could exacerbate an existing flood risk concern and cause additional flooding either on site or elsewhere.

10.31Therefore, development proposals that are likely to impact upon these areas will require a FCA,undertaken by an appropriately qualified consultant,which clearly addresses any any potential risks and impacts.

10.32CDAs can be found on the 2RLDP Proposals Map, and for further information, developers should consult the Councils Green and Blue Infrastructure Assessment.

10.33This policy seeks to limit adverse effects of artificial lighting, for example glare, light spill, sky glow, and ecological disruption, by ensuring development only uses appropriate illumination where it is required, minimises light intrusion, and respects the natural and built environments.

10.34Suitable mitigation measures will be required to minimise and screen light spill and obtrusiveness. This policy is essential to protect natural features and protected species identified as important for biodiversity and habitats, as well as the surrounding countryside.

Development in the Open Countryside Comment

10.35Many buildings outside settlement boundaries become unsuited to the purpose for which they were originally built, and without beneficial use can become redundant and fall into disrepair. When assessing planning applications for the reuse or adaptation of a building, the primary considerations will be whether the nature and extent of the new use and the detail of any changes to the building are acceptable in planning terms.

10.36When permitting development beyond the settlement boundary a careful balance is required to conserve, protect and enhance the rural environment through a sensitive approach to design including scale, form, siting and the use of materials, all of which should be appropriate to the context of the proposed development. Careful consideration should be given to the character of the building and its immediate and wider setting.

10.37Proposals for the conversion of buildings outside of the settlement boundary should respect local building styles and materials and should be sympathetic to the character of the original building and the locality. For conversion to be acceptable the building should be structurally sound, as evidenced by an appropriate structural survey, and be capable of conversion or rehabilitation without major alteration or reconstruction. The building should be of permanent and substantial construction, and its conversion should not result in the domestication or urbanisation of an otherwise rural setting. Buildings that are ruinous or abandoned would not normally be considered suitable for conversion.

10.38The existing building may require an element of extension to enable a new use to be accommodated. Where an extension is proposed it should respect the character, size and scale of the host building, with the original structure remaining the dominant element. Careful scrutiny will be given to proposals that would further extend buildings that have previous extensions, in order to ensure that the scale and character of the original building is not compromised. Proposals should respect the character, setting and scale of both the host building and its immediate and wider surroundings and should not lead to an unacceptable loss of undeveloped land.

10.39In order to maintain appropriate forms of development in the countryside and avoid their replacement with inappropriate development, replacement dwellings will only be permitted where RU3 can be satisfied. This policy is designed to ensure that where buildings are clearly ruinous or abandoned, they are not classed as buildings that require rebuilding; and that where buildings are replaced, the new development is sympathetic to its location in terms of both use and design.

10.40National planning policy supports rural enterprise and diversification where it can be evidenced that it will not have a detrimental impact on the natural environment. TAN 6: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities sets out that the 2RDLP should facilitate the diversification of the rural economy by accommodating both the needs of traditional rural industries and new enterprises, whilst limiting any impacts on local communities.

10.41New rural enterprises should generally be proportionate in scale and should not give rise to unacceptable impacts on the local community or the environment. Rural Diversification may include activities such as livestock and non‑traditional livestock farming, crop production, tourism-related development, and renewable energy proposals that help to enhance the viability and running costs of the existing business.

The Historic Environment Comment

10.42The historic environment is the collective term for all surviving physical traces of past human activity that are valued for their historical, cultural, architectural or archaeological significance. It includes a broad range of features that include:

• Designated historical assets
  • Listed Buildings;
  • Scheduled Monuments;
  • Conservation Areas;
  • Registered Historic Parks and Gardens;
  • Historic landscapes; and
• Non-designated historical assets such as:
  • Chapels;
  • Miners’ institutes;
  • Traditional shopfronts;
  • Agricultural buildings;
  • Locally significant buildings; and
  • Vernacular architecture.

10.43These elements may be above or below ground, in urban or rural settings and can include both structures and spaces that have acquired significance over time.

10.44The historic environment is not confined to grand or ancient sites; it also encompasses the everyday heritage of communities that collectively reflect the social, economic and cultural history of an area such as chapels, miners’ cottages, war memorials and post-industrial landscapes.

10.45Caerphilly County Borough possesses a rich and diverse historic environment, ranging from prehistoric monuments and medieval castles to industrial landscapes and townscapes that reflect the area’s cultural identity and social history. These historic assets are central to the distinctiveness of the County Borough and play a vital role in shaping its character, supporting community well-being and contributing to economic vitality through regeneration, tourism and placemaking.

10.46The protection, enhancement and sustainable reuse of the historic environment is therefore essential to delivering the Council’s wider objectives for sustainable development, climate action and the well-being of future generations. The following policies set out a framework for managing change to historic assets, ensuring that development proposals preserve significance, promote high-quality design and unlock opportunities for regeneration and innovation where appropriate.

10.47The historic environment is a fundamental component of placemaking in Caerphilly County Borough and plays a central role in delivering the strategic placemaking principles set out in Policy SP6. Historic buildings, spaces, landscapes and townscapes contribute to local identity, support mixed uses, reinforce walkable settlement patterns and provide distinctive settings for community life, economic activity and regeneration.

10.48Development proposals affecting the historic environment will therefore be assessed not only in terms of their impact on heritage significance, but also on how they contribute positively to placemaking outcomes, including cultural well-being, local distinctiveness, sustainable reuse and the creation of high-quality, inclusive places in accordance with Policy SP6.

10.49This policy supports a proactive and integrated approach to managing the historic environment, aligning with national planning policy and guidance and the Council’s emerging Historic Environment Strategy.

10.50Conserving and enhancing the historic environment contributes directly to the distinctiveness and attractiveness of the borough’s settlements, supporting high-quality design and reinforcing sense of place. It also plays a key role in regeneration and economic development by encouraging the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, many of which occupy prominent town centre or brownfield locations.

10.51The Council will work with partners, stakeholders and communities to deliver a proactive and value-led approach to the historic environment, informed by the Historic Environment Record, Conservation Area Appraisals, Supplementary Planning Guidance and the Historic Environment Strategy.

10.52For the purposes of the 2RLDP, the significance of a historic asset may derive from its evidential, historical, aesthetic or communal value, including its fabric, setting, form, use, associations and contribution to townscape or landscape character. The level of significance may vary considerably between assets, and the degree of protection and scrutiny applied through the policies of this chapter will be proportionate to that significance and to the nature of the proposed works. The setting of a historic asset is the surroundings in which it is experienced. Its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Elements of setting may make a positive, negative or neutral contribution to significance.

10.53Public benefits may include social, cultural, environmental or economic benefits that are demonstrable, deliverable and related to the proposal, and which would not reasonably be achieved without the proposed development.

10.54Heritage-led regeneration is a powerful tool for revitalising town centres, supporting local businesses and fostering civic pride. Across Caerphilly County Borough, many historic buildings, such as former schools, chapels, shops and public halls, are vacant, underused or at risk of decline. These buildings are often well-placed to serve as focal points for regeneration and placemaking initiatives, offering distinctive, adaptable spaces that contribute to a sense of place.

10.55This policy supports the adaptive reuse of historic assets as a means to bring buildings back into productive use and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. It encourages flexibility in use and design and aligns with the Council’s wider strategies for town centre renewal, climate action and community well-being.

10.56Heritage-led regeneration also contributes to climate resilience by reducing the need for demolition and new materials and retaining the embodied carbon in historic buildings. Where appropriate, development will be supported by funding opportunities, partnership working and guidance through Supplementary Planning Guidance and the Historic Environment Strategy.

10.57This policy applies across the borough, including but not limited to Conservation Areas, town centres and locations identified in regeneration masterplans.

10.58The former Penallta Colliery contains a nationally important group of listed colliery buildings that provide a distinctive focus for the wider area. A comprehensive heritage-led scheme comprising housing, retail and leisure uses will be supported where development is necessary to secure the conservation, repair and viable long-term reuse of the listed buildings. The nature, scale, layout and phasing of development must respond positively to their significance and setting and ensure that the benefits of development elsewhere within the allocation are directly linked to their regeneration.

10.59The former Navigation Colliery provides an opportunity to secure the conservation and productive reuse of its listed industrial buildings through a comprehensive mixed-use scheme comprising housing and employment uses. Development should reinforce the site’s distinctive industrial character and provide new economic and community value. Proposals should also be planned with consideration of the new station identified under Policy TR4, including suitable walking, cycling and public transport connections, to support sustainable access and wider regeneration.

10.60This policy seeks to ensure that the historic environment and its assets are protected, enhanced and sensitively integrated into new development in line with the statutory duties set out in the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 and national planning policy. The policies in the 2RLDP ensure that all historic assets are managed in a proportionate way, recognising their differing levels of significance while seeking to conserve and enhance the historic environment as a whole.

10.61Applicants will be expected to demonstrate a proportionate understanding of heritage significance and submit a Heritage Impact Assessment or appropriate evidence where proposals may affect the character or setting of historic assets. The Council will also encourage early engagement with conservation officers to guide appropriate design responses and material choices.

10.62The policy supports a constructive and proactive approach to managing change, recognising that well-considered adaptation, repair and reuse of historic assets can deliver positive social, environmental and economic outcomes. Particular support will be given to proposals that reuse historic buildings at risk or contribute to heritage-led regeneration.

10.63The sensitive retrofitting of traditional and historic buildings also forms an important part of the Council’s response to climate change. This includes improving energy efficiency and building resilience while safeguarding heritage significance. The Council will support proportionate, evidence-led approaches to climate adaptation that respect the character and fabric of historic assets, drawing on best practice and technical guidance where appropriate.

10.64Many historic buildings in Caerphilly County Borough are of local architectural or historical importance but are not statutorily designated. Although these buildings may not meet the criteria for national listing, they make are important elements in placemaking, making significant contributions to local identity, character and the historic environment.

10.65While local listing does not bring the same statutory protection as national designation, it is a relevant consideration in the determination of planning applications. This policy ensures that proposals affecting locally listed assets are subject to appropriate scrutiny and that any changes are well-justified, proportionate and sympathetic to their character.

10.66The Local List will be prepared, maintained and periodically reviewed in accordance with the Council's published selection criteria and associated Supplementary Planning Guidance. The List will be publicly available and will identify those buildings recognised as making a significant contribution to the local historic environment.

10.67National policy recognises that, in exceptional cases, enabling development may be the only means of securing the long-term conservation of a historic asset. Such development may be contrary to other policies in the but can be justified on the grounds that the public benefits of securing the asset’s future clearly outweigh the disbenefits of the development.

10.68Within Caerphilly County Borough, a number of historic assets are at risk or underused, including large country houses and former industrial buildings. In some cases, these assets require significant investment that cannot be met through conventional funding or reuse. Enabling development can therefore provide a mechanism to unlock conservation where no other realistic solution exists.

10.69Policy HE4 ensures that any such proposals are rigorously tested. Applicants will be required to provide a transparent and independently verified financial appraisal to demonstrate the conservation deficit and to show that the scale of enabling development is the minimum necessary to secure the asset’s future. Proposals will also need to demonstrate sensitivity in design and siting, and to show that alternative solutions have been fully considered.

10.70The Council will only support enabling development where it secures the long-term future of a historic asset, where the heritage and public benefits significantly outweigh the harm, and where the development is the least damaging option available.

10.71Archaeological remains form an irreplaceable record of the County Borough’s past, ranging from prehistoric monuments and Roman settlements to medieval earthworks and the remains of the industrial period. They are a finite and non-renewable resource, and their conservation makes a vital contribution to understanding and appreciating the historic environment. This policy ensures that archaeological considerations are integrated into the planning process from the earliest stage, securing proportionate and positive management of remains while enabling development to proceed where justified.

10.72For non-designated remains, the requirement for preservation in situ will depend on whether national importance can be demonstrated through appropriate assessment. Non-designated archaeological remains should also be considered, and their relative significance and the scale of impact taken account of when determining planning applications

10.73The extent to which archaeological remains should be preserved in situ will depend upon their significance and the likely impact of the proposal. Whilst remains of demonstrable national importance should normally be preserved in situ, preservation may also be appropriate for remains of regional or local significance where justified by the evidence.