Testun llawn:
As part of the Deposit Plan, updated Proposals and Constraints Maps have been published by the Council. The Deposit Plan Proposals Map sets out the Vale of Glamorgan’s green wedge designations. For context, a number of Green Wedge designations (7 in total) are made by the existing adopted LDP (the Development Plan). The Deposit Plan Proposals Map sets out that the Vale of Glamorgan Council proposes a designated Green Wedge between Llantwit Major and Llanmaes, accordingly, one of 2 new / additional green wedges (responding to submissions made through the RLDP Candidate Site Process). For ease of reference, an extract of the relevant Proposals Map is provided below:
Deposit Plan Proposals Map
Alongside the Proposals Map, the Deposit Plan RLDP Written Statement sets out and includes Policy DNP2 (Green Wedges) which states the following:
“Green wedges have been identified to prevent the coalescence of settlements and to retain the openness of land at the following locations:
1. Between Dinas Powys, Penarth and Llandough;
2. North West of Sully;
3. North of Wenvoe;
4. Between Barry and Rhoose;
5. South Penarth to Sully; and
6. Between Llantwit Major and Llanmaes.
Within these areas development which prejudices the open nature of the land will not be permitted.”
The subtext to the policy also sets out the following:
“6.417. Therefore, within the areas defined by the green wedges there will be a presumption against inappropriate development19 which would contribute to urban coalescence, prejudice the open nature of the land, or have an adverse impact upon the setting of an urban area. In applying this protection, however, it is recognised that individual or small groups of dwellings exist within the designations and that activities such as agriculture, forestry and recreation, occur. Consequently, development associated with existing uses will be limited to minor structures which are strictly ancillary to existing uses. Details of each of the designations are contained within the Green Wedge Background Paper”.
These Representations (Objections)
We appreciate the intention of the Llanmaes and Llantwit Major green wedge is to “prevent the coalescence of settlements and to retain the openness of land” – in this case and instance Llantwit Major and Llanmaes.
Whilst we do not raise objection to the designation of a Green Wedge per se (i.e. an outright objection to the principle and / or extent of some of the designation proposed) we do object to the particular extent of, and precise definition of, its extent. Accordingly, our clients’ representations seek to omit their land ‘West Croft, Llanmaes’ from the proposed Green Wedge, for the reasons set out below, and evidenced as follows.
Again, and for clarity, our client’s property extends to the following:
Aerial image of our client’s site (outlined in red)
The clients land relative to the proposed green wedge designation is shown more precisely and closely by the following extract from the proposals map.
In terms of evidence behind the inferred designation, importantly, the Green Wedges Background Paper (BP27) November 2025 sets out the following guidance on Green Wedge designations, paragraph 2.5. states “Planning Policy Wales Edition 12 (February 2024) (PPW) advises that green wedges must be soundly based and should only be employed where there is a demonstrable need to protect the urban form and alternative policy mechanisms, such as settlement boundaries, would not be sufficiently robust.” (GJP emphasis).
In respect to the detailed assessment of the case for designation of a / the Green Wedge between Llantwit Major and Llanmaes in the Vale of Glamorgan Green Wedge Assessment, in Stage B: Assessment of development pressure, the following is recorded / set out: “With the exception of the recent retail application detailed below, there is no significant general development pressure identified within the area proposed for a green wedge other than applications associated with agricultural practices, householder applications, flood defence and previous Defence Training Academy proposals”. This clearly records that “there is no significant general development pressure identified”.
Furthermore, the Green Wedges Background Paper (BP27) sets out in paragraph 2.3, “Green Wedges are local designations which serve as an urban containment mechanism intended to restrict the spread of built development beyond designated settlement boundaries and allocated development sites. Where designated, they comprise the open areas around, and between, parts of settlements and seek to maintain the distinction between the countryside and built-up areas and prevent urban coalescence. Their designation, although non-statutory, adds an additional layer of protection to those areas where it is considered that development pressure exists or will exist during the lifetime of a development plan”. Given the minimal development pressure identified above, it is therefore difficult to justify the need for an urban containment mechanism in this location.
Given this, it is questioned as to whether the designation is necessary as the B4265 provides an adequate and sufficient barrier to development north of the by-pass – which is designated as ‘countryside’ and does not adjoin a/the settlement boundary (to either Llantwit Major and / or Llanmaes), and is significantly protected in policy terms as a result.
It is clear and evident that Llanmaes, and by association the clients land is separated from Llantwit Major by not only the significant corridor of the ‘by-pass’, but also a significant and mature tree belt that follows the course of the watercourse running in an east-west direction, this is depicted by the following annotated aerial photograph:
Defensible Boundaries between Llantwit Major and Llanmaes
Paragraph 2.6 sets out the “Vale of Glamorgan has incorporated green wedge policy and designations in multiple development plans over many years to protect the openness or countryside and settings of urban areas” (GJP emphasis). Given our client’s land is directly adjoining the settlement boundary, and visually and functionally associated with the built form of the village, the land does not exhibit the characteristics of the open countryside. The site forms part of the curtilage of the West Croft property, and appears as a continuation of the village. In contrast, the land to the south of Llanmaes Brook displays a clear rural character and represents genuine open countryside. As such, the inclusion of the West Croft land is not warranted, as the intended function of the Green Wedge - to protect the countryside, can be achieved without its inclusion.
The Vale of Glamorgan Green Wedge Assessment assessed the Llantwit Major to Llanmaes wedge as having a “strong distinction from the urban area”. However, this characterisation does not apply to the specific context of the West Croft parcel of land. Given its direct relationship with the built form, both to the north and south, it cannot reasonably be concluded that this land provides a “strong” degree of separation between settlement and countryside.
For these reasons, the justification for including the West Croft land within the Green Wedge is not supported by guidance set out in PPW and the Green Wedge Background Paper. The designation of this parcel is therefore strongly questioned.
Furthermore, Step 18 of the Green Wedge Assessment seeks to ‘Determine whether outer boundary should be adjusted in order to use clear boundary features, or to simplify its form’. Paragraph 3.5. of the Green Wedges Background Paper (BP27) reiterates the PPW guidance for defining green wedges “boundaries should be chosen carefully using physical features and boundaries to include only that land which it is necessary to keep open in the longer term”. In respect to the Llantwit Major and Llanmaes green wedge, it was considered in the assessment that the wedge should “Use Llanmaes Brook which forms the southern edge of the existing Conservation Area boundary as the northern boundary of most of the green wedge to the southeast”. This suggested alignment is set out in a plan within the assessment – ‘comparing and contrasting’ the candidate site (suggested) Green Wedge boundary with the assessed and considered boundary, which has been extracted below for reference:
Compare and Contrast of Proposed Green Wedge and Candidate Site Green Wedge
It is important to note that this suggested alignment recommends the omission of the objectors (our client’s) land from the designation:
A further comment is passed in the assessment, setting out that “It probably doesn’t really matter if Conservation area and green wedge cover same area. Therefore may be more appropriate to include land to east of Llanmaes Road (both areas of blue line).” For context, the Llanmaes Conservation Area boundary is defined as follows:
Llanmaes Conservation Area
It is relevant and important to note from the assessment of the nearby proposed other Green Wedge designation – Land between the B4265 and Boverton – that the following position was taken in respect to the presence of a Conservation Area in the case “there are several constraints which are considered to prejudice future designation as a green wedge, not least, the inclusion of the land within the Boverton Conservation Area boundary”.
In this case, the Conservation Area was clearly a key factor and contributor (alongside lack of development pressure, as is the case in the Llantwit Major to Llanmaes green wedge) that led to the case for designation of a Green Wedge in that instance and location being rejected, the overall conclusion in that case being that “the land does not warrant the additional protection provided by a green wedge designation and that the existing and emerging policy suite of the adopted Local Development Plan and the Replacement Local Development Plan could adequately prevent inappropriate development on the land.” Given this, and in the interests of consistency, the boundary of the proposed Green Wedge in this case ought to be revised in order to omit the parcel that falls within the Conservation Area boundary – as assessed by the Green Wedge Background Paper.
Summary
The omission of our clients site ‘West Croft’ from the proposed Green Wedge is both evidence based and consistent with the guidance set out by PPW. As such, the revised boundary running adjacent to Llanmaes Brook and the associated vegetation, represents a more robust, defensible, and policy compliant Green Wedge designation.
The following plan depicts a considered more evident and policy compliant extent to any Green Wedge designation:
Proposed Alteration to the Green Wedge
Summary and Conclusion of these Deposit Representations / Objections
In summary, these representations to the Deposit Plan object to the green wedge designation between Llantwit Major and Llanmaes, specifically the inclusion of the West Croft site.
It is considered the assessment for this green wedge is not soundly based. As set out above, the decision to include the West Croft site is not justified given its clear relationship with the village and the absence of development pressure. A more appropriate, evidence-led boundary is therefore put forward, following clear defensible physical features by adjusting the northern edge of the Green Wedge to correspond with Llanmaes Brook.
Given the detailed nature of this representation our clients would be happy to discuss any aspect of this letter when your Authority comes to evaluate the content.
We look forward to hearing from you in due course. In the meantime, however, we hope and trust that all is in order with this submission. Please do not hesitate to contact us in the event that further information is required or considered beneficial.
