First Replacement Local Development Plan 2016-2031
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires the Council to monitor and review its Local Development Plan (LDP). Up-to-date LDPs are an essential part of the plan-led planning system under national policy set out by Welsh Government.
Following consideration of a Review Report in April 2016 on the previous adopted LDP 2006 – 2021, the Council commenced work on its First Replacement Local Development Plan 2016 – 2031 in August 2016 on approval of the Delivery Agreement.
The Replacement LDP 2016 – 2031 underwent Examination in Public in 2019 and was adopted by Council on 29th January 2020. The Replacement LDP supersedes the previous adopted LDP and forms the basis for land use planning decisions in the County Borough, excluding Brecon Beacons National Park.
This page sets out relevant information and documents relating to the preparation of the Replacement LDP.
Adoption of the Replacement LDP 2016 - 2031
On 29th January 2020 Council formally adopted the Replacement LDP 2016 – 2031. The Adopted Plan documents are:
- The Adopted Replacement LDP Written Statement - January 2020
- Proposals Map - January 2020 (View the Interactive Proposals Map)
- Constraints Map - January 2020 (View the Interactive Constraints Map)
- Final Sustainability Appraisal Report - January 2020
Further details regarding the Adoption of the Replacement LDP can be found in the Adoption Notice and Adoption Statement.
Reference copies of the Adopted Replacement LDP documents can also be viewed and at the Council’s main offices, The Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN and at the deposit locations listed below during normal opening hours:
- Council Offices, Unit 5, Triangle Business Park, Pentrebach, CF48 4TQ
- Merthyr Tydfil Central Library, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AF
- Rhydycar Library Hub, Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1UT
- Treharris Library, Perrott Street, Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil, CF46 5ET
- Dowlais Library, Church Street, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3HS
- Aberfan Community Library, Pantglas Road, Aberfan, CF48 4QE
If you require further information regarding the publication and adoption of the Replacement LDP please e-mail devplanning@merthyr.gov.uk or phone 01685 726279 and ask to speak to a member of the LDP Team.
Plan Preparation Stages
LDP 2006-2021 Review Report:
A full review of the Adopted LDP 2006-2021 commenced in May 2015 culminating in the production of a Review Report, which was approved by Full Council on 20th April 2016. The Review Report recommended the preparation of a Replacement LDP. View the LDP 2006-2021 Review Report.
Delivery Agreement:
The Delivery Agreement (DA) for the preparation of the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council first Replacement LDP 2016 -2031 was approved by Full Council on 13th July 2016 and agreed by the Welsh Government on 10th August 2016. The DA comprises a timetable for preparing the replacement LDP and a Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) which sets out how and when stakeholders and the community can contribute to the plan preparation process. View The Delivery Agreement.
Candidate Sites Register:
The Council invited the submission of Candidate Sites to be included in the Replacement LDP from 30th August 2016 to 2nd December 2016. Some 98 candidate sites were submitted for consideration, either for development or protection, at that time. The consultation on the Preferred Strategy, which ran from 14th July 2017 and 6th October 2017, afforded an additional opportunity to submit sites. A further 5 sites were submitted and are included in the Candidates Sites Register October 2017.
The Candidate Sites Register contains individual site maps of the 103 sites submitted for consideration. Each map is followed by a Sustainability Appraisal (SA), the main purpose of which is to identify the potential sustainability implications of the sites included in the register.
View a copy of the Candidate Site Register October 2017.
Comments were invited on the initial Candidate Site Register June 2017 during the Preferred Strategy public consultation and on the updated Candidate Site Register from 13th October 2017 to 24th November 2017. View the Representations on the Candidate Sites.
Preferred Strategy:
Following approval of the Delivery Agreement the Council began preparation of the Preferred Strategy (PS). The PS set out the overall direction proposed for the Replacement Merthyr Tydfil LDP 2016-2031. It sets out a key diagram, vision, strategy and objectives. Given that it was for a replacement plan it also contained some detailed policies normally found at Deposit Plan stage. View The Preferred Strategy.
The Council consulted on the Replacement LDP Preferred Strategy and accompanying documents (also known as the pre-deposit consultation stage) from 14th July to 6th October 2017. All duly made representations were taken into account during preparation of the Deposit Plan and the results of this can be found in the Replacement LDP Initial Consultation Report June 2018.
Deposit Plan:
Following consultation on the Preferred Strategy in 2017 the Council prepared the Replacement Deposit Plan. A 6-week public consultation on the Replacement Deposit Plan took place from Monday 30th July to Monday 10th September 2018. The Deposit Plan documents and supporting background papers are listed above.
The Replacement Deposit Plan Representations Register (November 2018) provides a copy of the duly made representations that were received by the Council during the Deposit Plan public consultation period. Hard copies of the Representations Register are available to view at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Unit 5, Triangle Business Park, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 4TQ and at all other Deposit locations on request due to the size of the register. If you wish to view the register at these locations please contact officers in the LDP Team using the contact details below.
Submission of the Replacement LDP for Examination:
The Replacement LDP and supporting documentation were ‘submitted’ to Welsh Government and the Planning Inspectorate for independent Examination on Monday 21st January 2019.
A public consultation on a limited number of ‘Focused Changes’ took place from 21st January to 4th March 2019. A copy of the representations received were submitted to Welsh Government and the Planning Inspectorate on 18th March 2019. Copies of all submission documents can be found on the LDP Submission Documents page.
Following formal acceptance of the submitted Replacement LDP documents on 20 March 2019, the Ministers of the Welsh Government appointed Mr Paul Selby BEng (Hons) MSc MRTPI to conduct the independent ‘Examination in Public’ to assess the soundness of the LDP. Further details of the Examination in Public can be found on the Examination webpage.
Inspector’s Report:
On 17th December 2019 the Council received the Inspector’s Report on the Examination into the Replacement Merthyr Tydfil Local Development Plan (LDP) 2016 – 2031. The appointed Inspector, Mr Paul Selby BEng (Hons) MSc MRTPI, found that subject to the recommended changes the Replacement LDP is sound. The relevant documents are:
- Covering Letter to the Inspector’s Report
- The Merthyr Tydfil Replacement Local Development Plan Inspector’s Report
- Inspector’s Report Appendix – Schedule of Matters Arising Changes (MACs)
A report was subsequently presented to Council on 29th January 2020 to formally adopt the Replacement LDP 2016 – 2031.
If you require information on the Replacement LDP please contact the Planning Policy Team at:
MTCBC, Unit 5
Triangle Business Park
Pentrebach
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 4TQ
Telephone: 01685 725000
Email: devplanning@merthyr.gov.uk