Foreword
 
I am pleased to introduce this Council Approved Unitary Development Plan (UDP).
The Plan has been through a very long statutory process including three stages of public consultation and a Public Inquiry. The Modifications to the Plan following the recommendations of the Inspector after the Inquiry were agreed by the Council in April 2003 and it was resolved to formally Adopt the Plan.
However, this was prevented by the Welsh Assembly Government which issued a 'Direction' preventing Adoption of the Plan until three new policies were included. These new issues relate to sensitive and controversial minerals policies which, in the view of the Council, are likely to be the subject of objections leading to a further Inquiry. This will delay the Adoption of the Plan by at least 18 months during which time the Assembly might raise other matters which would delay the Plan even more.
The County Borough needs a planning system in which everyone can have confidence and which is up-to-date and relevant. Until now planning decisions have been made on the basis of 11 Plans, some more than 20 years old. The Council decided that putting in place a new, up-to-date Plan which had involved all the communities in the County Borough was therefore a priority.
The Council therefore concluded that to assist the public, communities and businesses of the County Borough, this Plan should be published bringing together all the changes which have been agreed through the statutory process. All the policies and proposals in this Council Approved Plan have been through the full process short of formal Adoption. They will therefore be given more weight than the older Plans when determining planning applications.
Caerphilly County Borough Council brings together many communities which were previously under different local authorities with different planning policies. This Plan sets out planning policies approved by the council which relate to the whole of its area. Therefore for the first time we have a single framework with common objectives and policies for development and for protection of the environment across the whole of the County Borough.
The Plan covers the period to 2011. It allocates land for essential development. In doing so it places great emphasis on the fundamental principle of good design, the need to plan and protect the environment for the generations of tomorrow as well as today, and the need to protect the distinctive identity of our communities.
The strength of the Council Approved UDP comes from the fact that it has been through the long statutory procedure but also from the involvement of the people and communities in the County Borough throughout the process. The Council is determined that this should continue. I hope that the remaining uncertainties can be resolved as soon as possible so that progress can be made to final Adoption.
 
Councillor John Taylor
Cabinet Member, Transport and Planning
Caerphilly County Borough Council
 
 
TopContents