Vale of Glamorgan RLDP Vision

By 2036 :

The Council will have achieved its target of becoming zero carbon by 2030. It has adopted innovative techniques and efficient resource use to mitigate its impact on the environment, and exemplar zero carbon projects including schools and district heating networks have been implemented. Development of the Cardiff Capital Region Aberthaw Green Energy Park has established the Vale of Glamorgan as a regional hub for innovation in renewable and green energy and zero carbon manufacturing. All development within the Vale of Glamorgan is now built to the highest standards of environmental design and performance, incorporating measures to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of Climate Change.

The Vale of Glamorgan is a healthy and inclusive place for everyone, with equitable access to services and facilities both physically and digitally. Residents are proud of where they live and have access to the homes they need. Housing growth has delivered homes which caters for all, including affordable homes and older person's housing; contributing towards diverse and cohesive communities where residents can maintain their independence.

Through placemaking, places and spaces are safe, accessible and socially inclusive. Development respects local character and sense of place is valued by residents and contributes positively towards health and well-being. Positive improvements have been achieved in narrowing the disparities in the quality of life and health outcomes for residents living in the most deprived areas through improved access to employment, education, training, services, and investment in the built environment.

The Vale enjoys a network of connected, multi-functional and accessible green and blue spaces, providing a range of enhanced leisure and health benefits within and between towns, villages, and the countryside. More residents participate in active and healthy lifestyles. Investment in green infrastructure has produced a net biodiversity benefit with the creation of new habitats, enhanced connectivity and Planting providing carbon storage and contributing towards Climate Change resilience and adaptation.

The Vale continues to be a place where the culture and diversity of people, and the unique qualities of its communities, are recognised and protected.

Placemaking supports a strong sense of community and has contributed to improving the quality of life for all generations. Residents and visitors have access to local facilities and inclusive places to meet and play. New development will have respected the local character of the Vale, protecting its outstanding and distinctive historic, natural and built environment. The important historic heritage of the Vale continues to be conserved and enhanced.

The Council's Growth and Regeneration Programme for Barry has successfully transformed the town. The town and local retail centres are vibrant places, while the new marina at Barry Waterfront and revitalised Barry Island provide all year-round tourism. A range of public realm schemes have enhanced the built and natural environment throughout the town.

The towns of Cowbridge, Llantwit Major and Penarth are vibrant and attractive sustainable service centres playing a vital role in providing a diverse range of services and facilities for their residents and those living in neighbouring villages. Town centres have adapted to reflect changes in retail behaviour and now function as multi use centres providing retail, leisure, recreation, community, and employment spaces.

Growth within rural settlements has provided for the needs of residents and supports balanced multigenerational communities that contribute to the vibrancy of the rural area. Through investment in active travel, public transport, and broadband connectivity the rural vale is a living and working countryside supporting a network of sustainable and thriving rural communities.

The delivery of the South East Wales Metro means that the Vale of Glamorgan is now well connected by an integrated transport system supporting economic growth. Communities have access to improved transport connectivity both locally and regionally, with economic and housing growth delivered sustainably to the benefit of communities. Enhanced active travel networks within and between towns and villages have created liveable and accessible neighbourhoods for residents linked to their surrounding rural settlements.

The Vale has a thriving local economy with a balanced, diversified business base. New employment growth at Bro Tathan and Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zones has attracted inward investment from knowledge-based and high-tech businesses, creating high quality employment and training. The Vale has a skilled and adaptable workforce. The delivery of strategic and local employment sites, alongside opportunities for rural businesses, agricultural diversification and digital connectivity, has enabled existing businesses to grow and thrive and has contributed to a reduction in outward commuting.

Through strong investment in tourism, leisure, recreation and green infrastructure, the Vale of Glamorgan is an all-year-round tourist destination. Sensitive and sustainable management of its built and natural assets including the Heritage Coast, Country Parks, beaches, countryside and historic heritage has enabled tourism to flourish. The Vale attracts visitors from afar and tourism is an important source of local employment, investment, and an enabler of rural diversification.

Objective 1 - Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change

• Ensure the efficient use of natural resources, promoting sustainable design and construction techniques within new developments. Support increased generation of renewable and low carbon energy, including district heating and community led schemes.
• Encourage development that reduces the need to travel by car and encourage people to participate in active travel and use sustainable transport to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
• Ensure that all new development and infrastructure is resilient to future impacts arising from Climate Change. Direct development away from areas prone to flood risk and incorporate water management, biodiversity enhancement and adaptation measures.

Objective 2 - Improving Mental and Physical Health and Well-being

• Ensure that all places offer inclusive and accessible environments for all ages that facilitate interaction with nature and others, and access to necessary healthcare facilities. Enable residents to participate in active lifestyles, through the provision of convenient access to open spaces and active travel routes for leisure, recreation and work.
• Enable the delivery of local employment, training and regeneration opportunities that reduce health and social inequalities.

Objective 3 - Homes for All

• Ensure that all new residential developments provide high quality housing that includes the right mix, tenure and type of homes that respond to the changing needs of the Vale's population. This includes homes that are affordable, accessible and adaptable for people of all ages and that address the identified accommodation needs of all the Vale's communities through all stages of life.

Objective 4 - Placemaking

• Through placemaking, ensure that all development will contribute positively toward creating a sense of place. All new development will be appropriately located and contribute toward creating active, safe, and accessible places that contain a range of uses. The character of existing communities will be protected and enhanced by developing places that respect local distinctiveness and the existing setting.
• Facilitate the provision of accessible community infrastructure that is tailored to meet the needs of the community, including high quality health, education, training, cultural, social, recreation, and community facilities and spaces.

Objective 5 – Protecting and Enhancing the Natural Environment

• Ensure that all development makes a positive contribution towards the development of a network of green infrastructure, protect natural habitats and soil quality and assist in reversing the nature emergency by delivering a local net biodiversity benefit.
• Prioritising previously developed brownfield land for new development, directing development away from areas of nature conservation interest and safeguarding the sensitive natural environment from inappropriate development.

Objective 6 - Embracing Culture and Heritage

• Recognise the value of the Vale's built heritage by embedding placemaking into the Planning process, to ensure that development proposals protect the Vale's historic built environment from harmful changes. Ensure that new developments conserve and enhance the attractive qualities of the Vale's historic assets, respond appropriately to the locally distinctive context, and achieve high standards of design.
• Maintain and enhance the Vale's cultural facilities, and where appropriate secure opportunities for cultural enrichment within new developments, including promoting the use of the Welsh language, the public realm and through the provision of multi-purpose community spaces and buildings.

Objective 7 - Fostering Diverse, Vibrant, and Connected Communities

• Facilitate physical, economic, and social regeneration, reflecting the needs and aspirations of local communities, through the provision of new homes, employment, and enhanced transport connectivity.
• Enable diversification of uses within town and local commercial and service centres to offer a mix of retail, leisure, commercial and community uses. Improve active travel and public transport connectivity within and between towns and neighbouring settlements.
• Provide for vital and vibrant rural communities whilst protecting the countryside through the delivery of growth in sustainable locations, related to the Settlement Hierarchy, alongside the provision of supporting infrastructure.

Objective 8 - Promoting Active and Sustainable Travel Choices

• Ensure new development is directed to locations that are or can be accessible by a choice of modes of transport, including walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Ensure that all new development increases the opportunities for residents to engage in active travel, by incorporating active travel facilities and encouraging a modal shift towards greater use of sustainable transport.
• Identify opportunities for maximising local transport investment arising from the South East Wales Metro to strengthen public transport connectivity both locally and regionally, provide management of the highways network, and offer safe and effective choices for walking and cycling alongside enhanced public transport services.

Objective 9 - Building a Prosperous and Green Economy

• Provide for a range and choice of good quality employment land and support infrastructure to enable local businesses to expand. Create opportunities for inward investment and enable the Vale's economy to respond to future changes in work and employment patterns.
• Promote Bro Tathan Enterprise Zone, Cardiff Airport and Aberthaw, as important employment areas, enabling delivery of high-quality and skilled jobs, training, and education opportunities.
• Support diversification of the rural economy, enabling opportunities to provide employment and business premises within rural settlements and facilitate the growth in rural enterprises.
• Facilitate sustainable tourism growth, recognising its contribution to the Vale's economic well-being. Enable enhanced leisure, recreation, economic activity, diversification, and sustainable development.

Objective 10 – Promoting Sustainable Tourism

• To create an attractive tourism destination with a positive image for the Vale of Glamorgan, encouraging sustainable tourism and high-quality facilities to enrich the experience for visitors and residents.