Review Report
A full review of the Monmouthshire Local Development Plan 2011 – 2021 (adopted 27th February 2014) was undertaken in 2018, the findings of which are set out in the LDP Review Report.
This provides an overview of the issues that were considered as part of the full review process and subsequently identified any changes likely to be needed to the LDP, based on evidence. The report recommended that the Council commence the preparation of a RLDP following the full revision procedure. The final Review Report was published alongside the Draft Delivery Agreement (May 2018).
Candidate Sites
Call for Candidate Sites
As part of the plan preparation process, the Council invited land-owners, developers and the public to put forward ‘candidate sites’ to be considered for development, redevelopment or protection in the Monmouthshire Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP).
A Candidate Site is a piece of land submitted to the Council by an interested party (e.g. a development or landowner) for the Council to consider the land for a certain purpose. A Candidate Site submission can be for development/redevelopment or protection. A Candidate Site has no status and is not a planning application.
Stage 1 of this process involved an Initial Call for Candidate Sites for a 16-week period from the 30th July 2018 to 19th November 2018.
The Second Call for Candidate Sites took place alongside the consultation on the second Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) Preferred Strategy from the 5th July 2021 to 31st August 2021. The purpose of this was to allow the submission of new candidate sites considered to be in conformity with the Preferred Strategy, and the submission of additional supporting information for those sites submitted during the Initial Call for Sites that accord with the Preferred Strategy and satisfied the high-level assessment.
As part of the preparation of the Deposit RLDP, each candidate site has been assessed in accordance with the Candidate Site Assessment Methodology.
Candidate Site Register
All sites submitted during the Second Call for Candidate Sites have been published in a Candidate Sites Register which updates and replaces the register published following the Initial Call for Candidate Sites. Sites that were not resubmitted following the Initial Call for Candidate Sites are not included in the updated Register.
Overarching Maps for the Second Call for Candidate Sites 5th July 2021 – 31st August 2021 have been produced to show the range of sites across settlements/areas.
Candidate Site Guidance Notes
The guidance notes below were made available on some of the key assessments needed to support Candidate Site submissions.
Ecological Site Assessments of Candidate Sites
Consideration of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land
Viability Guidance Note June 2021
Tackling Climate Change Candidate Sites Advice Note
Viability Assessment
The Council’s preference for viability assessments is to utilise the Development Viability Model (DVM) which can be made available to developers, site promoters, or any other individual/organisation, for the purpose of undertaking a financial viability appraisal (FVA) of a proposed development. The DVM has been created as a comprehensive, user-friendly model that can be used by site promoters and decision makers for the purpose of assessing the financial viability of a development proposal. Further information can be found on the Development Viability webpage.
RLDP Submission
Independent Examination
The Deposit RLDP will be submitted to the Welsh Government for independent Examination. This will be the plan that we consider to be ‘sound’.
The Examination will be carried out by an Independent Inspector appointed by PEDW. The aim of the Examination is to ensure that the RLDP has been prepared in accordance with procedural requirements, and, to determine whether the RLDP is ‘sound’, including ensuring that that the views of all of those who have commented throughout the process have been considered.
The procedural requirements ensure that the RLDP has been prepared in line with the Delivery Agreement (including the Community Involvement Scheme), the Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Habitats Regulations Assessment.
The RLDP will be considered against the three ‘tests of soundness’:
- Does the Plan fit?
- Is the Plan appropriate?
- Will the Plan deliver?
The Examination will include hearings in public, with all objectors having the right to be heard by the Inspector, although the way in which they are heard is up to the Inspector.
Inspector’s Report
The inspector will prepare a report outlining any changes that should be made to the RLDP, with an explanation of why these changes are needed.
Delivery Agreement
Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) Delivery Agreement
The Delivery Agreement contains a timetable for the preparation and delivery of the RLDP and includes a Community Involvement Scheme which sets out how members of the public and other interested groups can contribute to the preparation of the RLDP.
Revised Delivery Agreement
A revised Delivery Agreement, which sets out an amended timetable for Plan preparation, was agreed by Welsh Government on 25th October 2024. Work on the RLDP will progress in accordance with the revised Delivery Agreement
Pre Deposit Stage
The Issues, Vision and Objectives Paper (Updated December 2022) identifies the key issues, challenges and drivers facing the County together with the RLDP draft vision and objectives. The RLDP draft vision and objectives have been refined throughout the RLDP process prior to inclusion in the Preferred Strategy.
The growth and spatial options have been informed by a range of evidence and respond to a number of challenges that have arisen following stakeholder consultation and engagement on the previous Preferred Strategy in Summer 2021, namely the Welsh Government objection to the level of growth set out in that Preferred Strategy and phosphate water quality issues in the Rivers Wye and Usk.
The Growth and Spatial Options Paper (September 2022) expands upon the work completed to date on the growth and spatial options.
The Preferred Strategy is the first statutory consultation stage in the Plan preparation process and provides the strategic direction for the development and use of land in Monmouthshire (excluding the area within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park) over the Plan period 2018 to 2033 and identifies how much growth is needed and where this growth will broadly be located.
The Preferred Strategy along with the Initial Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment were available for public consultation for an eight week period from 5th December 2022 to 30th January 2023.
In October 2023 Council endorsed updates to the Preferred Strategy following the statutory consultation/engagement in December 2022- January 2023.
Deposit Plan
The Deposit Plan is a key stage in the preparation of the Development Plan for Monmouthshire. It progresses the evidence gathering, stakeholder engagement and Pre-Deposit work undertaken to date, including the Preferred Strategy consultation, and sets out the strategy, proposals and detailed policies for the future use and development of land in Monmouthshire over the period 2018-2033. The RLDP will cover the whole County except for the area within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (BBNP). Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) consulted on its Deposit Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP), together with the supporting Integrated Sustainability Appraisal Report and Habitats Regulations Assessment from 4th November until 16th December 2024