Primacy of Local Development Plan outweighs housing shortfall in Wales

21 Oct 2020

Planning and Environment

In a recovered appeal (APP/K6920/A/19/3226294) relating to a scheme for up to 300 dwellings on land at Heol y Cefn, Cefn Forest, Bedwellty, outside the nearest settlement boundary, the Minister for Housing and Local Government concluded:

“I am committed to a plan-led system in Wales and I consider the primacy of the adopted LDP is key to providing certainty for communities and developers, regarding the type and scale of development that will be permitted in local authority areas throughout Wales.

Whilst I accept the proposed development would provide some benefits, particularly the provision of affordable housing, I am not satisfied these benefits outweigh the identified conflict with LDP policies, which have been designed by the local planning authority in order to control housing development outside defined settlement policy boundaries.” 

Although the local planning authority, Caerphilly County Borough Council, had accepted that there had been insufficient housing delivery since the LDP had been adopted, the Minister considered that brownfield allocations in the LDP should be developed before the greenfield appeal scheme.

Robin Green acted for Caerphilly County Borough Council.

A copy of the Minister’s decision can be found HERE.