1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 All Local Authorities in Wales are required to produce a Local Development Plan (LDP) to manage of land and development over the long term, setting out a positive vision for the area, and identifies where and how development should take place in the future.

1.2 The existing Vale of Glamorgan LDP was adopted in June 2017 and covers the period 2011-2026. Following the adoption of the LDP, the Council is required to annually monitor the performance of the plan, and after 4 years undertake a review of the plan to consider whether there is a need to update or replace its LDP. A review of the adopted LDP was undertaken in June 2021, which concluded that because of changes to national planning and the Council's new ambitions and aspirations, such as addressing climate change it was deemed necessary to produce a Replacement LDP (RLDP). Work on the RLDP was formally commenced in May 2022 which will replace the existing adopted LDP once adopted and will cover the period 2021-2036.

1.3 The RLDP will set out where and how new development will take place over the period to 2036. It will include site allocations for different land uses, such as housing and employment, and policies to help tackle the declared climate and nature emergencies, safeguard the environment, and secure high-quality design. When adopted by the Council, the RLDP will be used as a basis for determining planning applications.

What is the LDP Preferred Strategy?

1.4 The Preferred Strategy is the first statutory consultation stage in the RLDP preparation process and, in accordance with the LDP Regulations, is subject to a statutory six-week public consultation.

1.5 The Preferred Strategy sets out the proposed strategic direction that the Council will take in managing development within the Vale of Glamorgan up to 2036. It identifies the sets out the Council's Vision, strategic objectives, and broad spatial strategy, including the strategic growth level and broad spatial distribution of growth across the Vale of Glamorgan, as illustrated below:

Figure 1: Breakdown of Preferred Strategy

1.6 The Preferred Strategy is not the final RLDP and as such it does not include all the policies, land use proposals or infrastructure that will be required to support development. This detail will be set out in the Deposit RLDP which will be subject to public consultation in early 2025.

1.7 In developing its Preferred Strategy, the Council has engaged with key stakeholders in the identification of the key issues that the RLDP should consider and in the development of the Vision and Objectives and the Preferred Growth and Spatial Options. Figure 2 illustrates the various stages of the RLDP preparation and where the RLDP Preferred Strategy Consultation sits within the various stages in the preparation of the plan. The full RLDP preparation timetable and the Community Involvement Strategy is set out in the approved Delivery Agreement which is available on the Council's web site.

Figure 2: Stages of RLDP Preparation

Integrated Sustainability Appraisal of the Preferred Strategy

1.8 In line with statutory requirements the preparation of the Preferred Strategy has been subject to and informed by an Integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA) which fulfils the requirements and legal duties for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Well-being of Future Generations Assessment (WGFGA), Health Impact Assessment (HIA), Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) and Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA).

1.9 The aim of the ISA is to assess the extent to which the emerging planning policies will help to achieve the wider environmental, economic and social objectives of the RLDP. The ISA of the Draft Preferred Strategy is published as a separate document. The Draft Preferred Strategy has also been screened under the Habitat Regulation Assessment (HRA). Both documents form part of the evidence base for the RLDP and are available on the Council's website.

1.10 These assessments have been undertaken in an integrated manner and used as plan-making tools to inform the Preferred Strategy allowing for the environmental, social and economic implications of each component of the Strategy to be scrutinised and for any uncertainties, issues or mitigation requirements identified during the impact assessment processes to be addressed. This iterative process will continue to be an integral part of the Council's plan preparation of its RLDP.

Other Supporting Documents

1.11 Sitting alongside the Preferred Strategy are a number of background evidence papers that provide key sources of information that have informed the strategy. These documents have been published separately and are available on the Council's website.

1.12 They focus in more detail on some of the key issues that are of particular significance for the Vale of Glamorgan and therefore for the RLDP. They should be read alongside the Draft Preferred Strategy, as only their main findings are highlighted in Preferred Strategy document given the significant amount of data and background information they contain.

Have Your Say on the Preferred Strategy

1.13 The Council would welcome your views on the Replacement Local Development Plan Draft Preferred Strategy and give you the opportunity to have your say on the future of the plan area.

1.14 The statutory consultation period will take place between 6^th December 2023 and 14th February 2024. The closing date for the submission of comments is 23:59 on 14th February 2024. Any comments received after the stated closing date and time will not be considered.

1.15 The Preferred Strategy and all supporting documents are available to view on the Council's website and copies of the Preferred Strategy have been placed in all Council run libraries and the Civic Centre.

How to Comment on the Draft Preferred Strategy

1.16 Comments on the Draft Preferred Strategy consultation can be made in the following ways.

• Using the online consultation portal:
  The Council encourages all responses to the Draft Preferred Strategy to be made via its online consultation portal, which includes elements to help you comment, as well as the ability to save and review consultation responses prior to final submission.
  
  To submit an online response to the Draft Preferred Strategy, you will need to set up an account and follow the Guidance Notes available on the web site. Once registered, you can use the online consultation portal to read documents published by the Council and to either make comments during a public consultation or view comments made by others.
  https://valeofglamorgan.oc2.uk/
   
• Email: Please complete the consultation form available of the Council's web page at www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/ldp and send it to: LDP@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk
   
• Post: The comment form may be printed, completed and returned to the LDP team at: The LDP Team, The Vale of Glamorgan Council, The Dock Office, Subway Road, Barry CF63 4RT

1.17 The Draft Preferred Strategy consultation comment form is available in other formats on request e.g., Welsh, large print. Please contact the LDP Team at LDP@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk or the above address.

What Will Happen After the Consultation?

1.18 Once the consultation closes the Council will carefully consider the responses we receive. An Initial Consultation Report will be prepared, which will set out who was consulted, the main issues raised and how these comments have influenced the next stage of plan preparation – the Deposit RLDP.

1.19 Following consultation on the Deposit RLDP, the Council will also consider all comments received and preparations will be made for the plan to be submitted to the Welsh Government, who will arrange for an independent Planning Inspector to be appointed to conduct an examination in public.

1.20 Following the examination, the Inspector will issue a report recommending required changes to the LDP. If the Inspector considers the Plan is fundamentally unsound it will not be recommended for adoption. The conclusions reached by the Inspector will be binding and unless the Welsh Government intervenes, the Council must accept the changes and adopt the LDP as amended.

1.21 Once adopted, the Replacement LDP will replace the existing LDP adopted in 2017 and will become the framework against which decisions on planning applications are made.