Decision details

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

 

The Director of Prosperity and Development provided Members with an overview of his report, which presented a proposal for a strategic development plan for the Cardiff Capital Region.

 

Members were advised that the Welsh Government have invited all Local Planning Authorities to submit proposals for SDPs, stating that the ability to plan strategically to support the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) would be essential to ensure that key economic, social and environmental outcomes are achieved in a cohesive and evidence based approach, across the wider region.

 

The Director advised that the City Deal Agreement gave a commitment to prepare a Strategic Development Plan for the region and to work collaboratively on strategic transport and strategic planning issues.       He added that a statutory SDP provided certainty to developers, investors and communities that key strategic decisions around housing, transport, employment and infrastructure provision are being taken at an appropriate regional level, whilst still allowing key decisions on planning proposals to be taken locally through Local Development Plan allocations and policies and thereafter in development management decisions.

 

The Cabinet were informed that a proposal to proceed with an SDP for the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) could only be put forward to Welsh Government, by an identified Responsible Authority, once all Councils have formally given approval. Members were advised that the Vale of Glamorgan were to become the ‘Responsible Authority’ and the director provided Members with details and reassurance in respect of the governance arrangements going forward of the Strategic Planning Panel, the representatives, including voting rights.

 

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development & Housing spoke of the need for the SDP to be put in place and the benefits such a plan would have for RCT and the City Deal region.  The Cabinet Member spoke of the importance surrounding governance and confirmed that the Panel would have no planning application powers over a Local Authority.

 

The Leader spoke of the hard work by officers and Members from all of the 10 regions culminating in the current position and the work needed to be taken forward, commenting on the position of Welsh Government in taking the development of the SDP forward.

 

Following discussions, it was RESOLVED:

 

1.    That Rhondda Cynon Taf Council endorse the content of the report and agree that the Responsible Authority be authorised to submit the Proposal for a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for the Cardiff Capital Region to the Minister on behalf of the 10 Local Planning Authorities in the region.

 

2.    That Rhondda Cynon Taf Council endorse the Vale of Glamorgan Council as the Responsible Authority for the Cardiff Capital Region Strategic Development Plan.

 

3.    That Rhondda Cynon Taf Council endorse that the strategic planning area should comprise the 10 local planning authority areas within the Cardiff Capital Region as shown on the map at Appendix A of the report.

 

4.     That Rhondda Cynon Taf Council authorise relevant officers to engage with the Welsh Government in drafting the Strategic Development Plan Regulations to establish the governance arrangements for the SDP and Strategic Planning Panel (SPP) as set out in paragraphs 5.10 to 5.24 of the report.

 

5.    That a Regional SDP officer team is established to progress the preparation of the SDP to be appointed by representatives of Interim Strategic Planning Panel, with appropriate human resource support from the Responsible Authority.

 

6.    That the cost of preparing the SDP is shared across the 10 Authorities on a proportional cost based on the voting representation on the Strategic Planning Panel, to be reviewed on an annual basis. This would mean an initial contribution of £6,520 by Rhondda Cynon Taf towards a collective £50,005 to cover the start-up costs likely to be incurred in this financial year 2019/20. Details of these costs and the further annual costs are set out in paragraphs 5.30 to 5.40 of the report.

 

 

(N.B as minutes No.157 refers the Leader of the Council made a personal declaration of Interest in relation to this item.)

Publication date: 18/06/2019

Date of decision: 18/06/2019

Decided at meeting: 18/06/2019 - Cabinet

Effective from: 25/06/2019

Accompanying Documents: