Timetable set for Neath Port Talbot development plan

Neath Port Talbot Council is in the process of reviewing and replacing the current Local Development Plan (LDP).

The LDP sets the framework for the development and use of land and is a vital land use document which defines a vision for the future for the County Borough.

It allocates land for development (such as housing, employment, retail and tourism) alongside policies to protect the environment and address the climate emergency. The LDP also plays a leading role in the determination of planning applications.

Councils have a duty to review their LDPs regularly and the process involves a series of formal stages. The review of the LDP is now underway and the Council has published its draft ‘Delivery Agreement’ which includes a detailed timetable for producing the replacement plan over the next four years and the Community Involvement Scheme which sets out the methods to be used in engaging stakeholders and the public in the process.

The Replacement LDP will also need to be subject to a detailed sustainability assessment in order to give full consideration to potential impacts on the people of Neath Port Talbot, their well-being, and the environment. A Scoping Report setting out how this will be undertaken is also being published.

Both the draft Replacement LDP Delivery Agreement and draft Scoping Report are now published on the Council’s website for public and stakeholder consultation. The consultation period runs from midday on Monday August 16^th, 2021 to midday on Monday September 27^th 2021. Comments are invited via the website, by email or by post.

Comments received will be considered by the council and amendments made as required prior to final publication and agreement with Welsh Government. Preparation of the Replacement LDP will then need to follow the agreed provisions and timetable.

How to make comments on the Replacement Local Development Plan Delivery Agreement:

Online at: www.npt.gov.uk/ldp/consultation
By E-mail to:ldp@npt.gov.uk
By Post to: Mr Ceri Morris, Head of Planning and Public Protection, Neath Port Talbot Council, The Quays, Brunel Way, Baglan Energy Park, Neath SA11 2GG.

Comments via e-mail or post will need to be submitted using the ‘DA Representation Form’. Copies of the form are available on request from the LDP team at ldp@npt.gov.uk or 01639 686821.

The deadline for comments is midday on Monday 27th September 2021 (Comments received after the deadline will not be accepted).

(Lead image: Geograph / Kevin Corcoran / CC BY-SA 2.0)