SPG Programme
The Development Plans Team is responsible for SPG preparation and publication. Following the Adoption of the UDP, a programme for SPG preparation was developed and endorsed by the Council. This Programme seeks to prioritise SPG preparation and progression in the context of overall UDP/LDP priority and is the subject of annual review. This will provide the opportunity for the Council to evaluate progress and reprioritise if necessary.
In the annual review undertaken in November 2007 first priority has been accorded to SPG on UDP Policies RL1-3 ‘Recreation and Open Space’. This will be prepared in tandem with commissioned research to ascertain the level of recreation and public open space in Monmouthshire relative to local need. This research will inform LDP preparation in the absence of existing data.
Priority is also accorded to the preparation of SPG on ‘Section 106 Agreements’. Developer contributions may be sought on a range of matters including affordable housing, recreation, education and highways. While guidance is provided on affordable housing in the Adopted SPG and will be provided in a future Recreation SPG, it is recognised that it would be valuable to provide an overarching SPG outlining the type and level of contributions sought. This would help to ensure that the Council secures appropriate financial contributions relevant to the needs of Monmouthshire.
Lower priority is given to those SPGs where no preparatory work has been undertaken to date or which are available in draft form, some of which were issued for consultation in association with the Deposit Version of the UDP in 2001. These documents require re-examination to ensure that they reflect the most up to date legislation and adopted UDP policy, prior to reporting to Members for consultation or adoption as appropriate. In the context of overall priority to LDP preparation and resource constraints, it is unlikely that these SPG documents will be progressed during 2007/08.
SPG Status
In order for documents to be accorded the full status of SPG, the Welsh Assembly Government advise that documents should be directly linked to UDP policy and prepared in consultation with the general public and interested parties, with their views taken into account before the documents are finalised. They should then be the subject of a formal Council decision to adopt as SPG. SPG which derives out of and is consistent with the UDP and has been prepared in the proper manner can then be given substantial weight in decision making on planning applications.
SPG Availability
SPG documents are available for reference at all County Council Offices and Libraries during normal opening times or they can be obtained by using the following link to our Publications Page or by downloading the Adobe Acrobat PDF files below.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader then follow the link at the top right of this page to download it. An alternative would be to visit the following link:
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Adopted SPG Notes
South Wales Car Parking Guidelines 1993 (Addendum Sept 2001)
This document aims to assist developers, designers and builders in the preparation and submission of planning applications and to achieve a common approach to the provision of vehicle parking facilities associated with new development and change of use. Appendices contain information on access for disabled, design and landscaping.
Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP): Biodiversity & Development SPG
In July 2005, the County Council adopted the Monmouthshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The LBAP was produced by the Monmouthshire Biodiversity Partnership in association with Monmouthshire County Council and Countryside Council for Wales.
Planning Officer Society Wales Model Residential Design Guide
Planning Committee resolved on 29.11.05 to recommend to Cabinet approval of this document as SPG.
The Severn Estuary Strategyand Wye Valley AONB Management Plan have also both been approved by the Council.
Policy H7 Conversion/Rehabilitation of Buildings in the Open Countryside for Residential Use: Assessment of Re-use for Business Purposes
The County Council adopted this document as SPG to the Monmouthshire UDP in November 2006.
The SPG Note provides detailed guidance on how criterion (g) of Policy H7 will be applied in practice. Criterion (g) states that the conversion of buildings that are well suited for business use will not be permitted unless the applicant has made every reasonable attempt to secure suitable business use. The SPG sets out the procedures that an applicant must follow to demonstrate compliance with this requirement.
The SPG was adopted after a nine-week period of consultation that ended on 22 September 2006. A Report of Consultation was presented to the Council’s Planning Committee and appropriate Cabinet Member, summarising the representations received and giving the Council’s response.
Affordable Housing
The County Council adopted this document as SPG to the Monmouthshire UDP in March 2007.
The Guidance Note supplements the affordable housing policies contained in the UDP. It provides information on the need for affordable housing in Monmouthshire and gives guidance on how the Council's affordable housing policies will be implemented. This includes details of how the Council will expect developers to provide affordable housing and the financial arrangements that will need to be secured.
The SPG was adopted after a six-week period of consultation that ended on 15 December 2006. A Report of Consultation was presented to Planning Committee and Full Council, summarising the representations received and giving the Council's response.
Policies H13 and H15: Replacement Dwellings and Extensions to Dwellings in the Countryside
The County Council adopted this document as SPG to the Adopted Monmouthshire Unitary Development Plan in October 2007. The UDP has introduced two new policies – Policies H13 and H15, which, respectively, deal with replacement dwellings in the countryside and extensions to rural dwellings. The SPG sets out guidelines on how the policies will be applied when assessing planning applications for these forms of development.
The SPG was adopted after a six-week period of consultation that ended on 5 April 2007. A report was presented to Planning Committee and Cabinet, summarising the representations received and giving the Council's draft response. If you wish to see the final results of the consultation exercise then follow the link to the Report of Consultation.
Consultation Draft SPG Notes 2001
The Programme includes a number of SPG Notes that were issued for consultation alongside the Deposit Version of the UDP in 2001. These documents listed below require re-examination to ensure that they reflect the most up to date legislation and adopted UDP policy, prior to political reporting.
Draft Affordable Housing (591KB)
Draft Access for all (1.7MB)
Draft Conservation Areas (418KB)
Draft Conversion of Agricultural Buildings (348KB)
Draft Cycling (10.9MB)
Draft Development Briefs (4.2MB)
Draft Listed Buildings (454KB)
Draft Recreation (885KB)
Draft Special Landscape Areas SPG - Dec 03 (15.8MB)
Draft Trees (1.99MB)
Draft General Design Guidelines LANDMAP (3.5MB)
LANDMAP Landscape Assessment (Volume 1) (16.8MB)
LANDMAP Volume 4 - Public Perception Study - pt1 (4MB)
LANDMAP Volume 4 - Public Pereception Study Pt 2 (4MB)
LANDMAP Volume 5 - Earth Science Aspect (1MB)
LANDMAP Volume 5 - Visual and Sensory (1MB)
LANDMAP Volume 5 - Biodiversity Aspect (1.3MB)
LANDMAP - Volume 5 - Historical Aspect (27.2MB)
LANDMAP Volume 5 - Cultural Aspect (1.3MB)
LANDMAP Volume 6 - Evaluation Matrices (3.2MB)
Background Papers
The Development Plans Team are also responsible for preparing three Background Papers. Two of these Papers are prepared on an annual basis following extensive survey work and form a significant part of evidence base required for development plan policy formulation. However these Papers are not accorded the status of SPG as they are not prepared in consultation with the general public and are not the subject of a formal Council decision to adopt as SPG.
Joint Housing Land Availability Study
This Study is prepared annually and is based on a survey of all sites with planning consent for residential development. Further details may be found on the Development Plans Research page.
Retail Background Paper
Based on annual survey work in the Central Shopping Areas of Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow, Monmouth and Usk on retail representation, vacancies and footfall figures. Additional floorspace and consumer survey elements are subject to quinquennial review. Further details may be found on the Development Plans Research page.
Population Background Paper
Further details may be found on the Development Plans Census and Statistics page.