4. Section Four - Spatial Policies and Supporting Development Management Policies

The principles of sustainable development underpin the Conwy LDP. Sustainable development means achieving economic stability and removing social inequalities whilst at the same time protecting and enhancing the environment. The Development Principle Policies aim to ensure that the location, scale and type of development allowed follows sustainable development principles and achieves environmental, economic and social gains for current and future generations of Conwy.

It is essential that we promote attractive, high quality, sustainable places where people want to live, work and relax. This chapter, therefore, contains the key principle policies relating to sustainable development and sets out the priority criteria that new development will need to meet, in principle, in achieving sustainable and appropriately located development.

Proposals in the Plan Area should seek to promote sustainability by demonstrating that the following criteria set out in Policy DP/1 – ‘Sustainable Development Principles’ have been taken into account.

This key policy draws together sustainability issues to ensure that the fundamental principles of sustainable development underpin all development proposals. The issues dealt with are covered in greater detail in the later subject chapters. It also includes references to key sustainability issues of building methods and materials, which will be part of the overall consideration of the development proposal, but are not directly related to the planning system.

The Overarching Strategic Approach defines the framework for the location of development. This is necessary to ensure that the countryside is protected from gradual encroachment on the edges of villages and to help guard against incremental growth in unsustainable locations. However, the efficient re-use of previously developed land within development frameworks will generally be supported, subject to the satisfaction of relevant policies, in the interests of sustainability. Frameworks have been defined to take into account the present extent of the built-up area, development committed by planning permissions and other proposals included in the LDP.

To contribute to achieving the priority issues of protecting the natural and built environment and providing land to meet AHLN, the Council is promoting a level of development over the Plan period which looks to play a part in delivering these priority issues. In tackling these issues facing Conwy, development will be focussed in the most sustainable locations, in line with Policy DP/2 – ‘Overarching Strategic Approach’ in the Urban Development Strategy Areas of Abergele, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Llandudno Junction.

Any development, from an urban extension to an extension to an existing household, must respond to its context, including existing buildings, open spaces and village edges, and ensure an integrated scheme that does not harm local amenity and, wherever possible, brings benefits to the area. High quality design is a priority issue for the Council to encourage the younger population to remain and return to the area to work and live. Sustainable development can be achieved where attractive and functional places are created that have substantial benefits for the development itself, the residents, the environment and community. Minimum requirements for accessibility to buildings are included in Approved document Part M of the Building Regulations and assessed separately from the Planning system; however the Council will look favourably on proposals that seek to provide higher levels of accessibility than are required. Poorly designed developments are unacceptable; they can reduce the perception of safety, increase crime, discourage recycling, increase energy consumption and discourage residents from exercising and using local open spaces. To assist good design, a Householder Design SPG has been prepared and a Design SPG will be prepared in line with the monitoring section to support Policy DP/3.

All new buildings should be of high quality, sustainable design and must respect and enhance their surroundings without harming local amenity. They should protect and enhance local distinctiveness and character. They should be of an appropriate scale, design and materials which are appropriate to their location including landscaping. Public art may make a significant contribution to enhancing local character and identity, and will be supported where appropriate in accordance with DP/4 – ‘Development Criteria’ and the supporting Planning Obligations SPG.

It is important that development proposals make proper provision to meet the needs generated. Read together with Policies DP/1 and DP/3 on ‘Sustainable Development Principles’ and ‘Promoting Design Quality and Reducing Crime’ respectively, this policy provides a check-list for developers to help ensure that all requirements are met. To avoid an overly lengthy and complex policy, many of the criteria cross-refer to other policies in the Plan, which provide the full detail.

Proposals for development in Conwy will be supported which have made suitable arrangements for the improvement or provision of on-site and off-site infrastructure, services and facilities made necessary by the development and for their future maintenance.

It is important that provision is made for additional infrastructure, services and facilities resulting from new development and for their future maintenance, as well as for suitable access, parking, drainage, design, renewable energy and landscaping within the site. All new development contributes to demands on existing infrastructure, community facilities and public services. Developers will, therefore, be expected to contribute towards the necessary improvements or new provision to serve needs arising from their development. Development should not take place before the infrastructure needed by its occupants is in place. Development will only be permitted when agreement has been reached between the relevant parties on the funding and programmed implementation of required on-site and off-site provision as set out in the Planning Obligations SPG. However, it is apparent that some sites experience considerable constraints which could have an impact on the deliverability of a site financially. In these cases, a degree of flexibility will be applied.

The contributions will be sought in line with priority mechanisms set out in the Planning Obligations SPG.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a voluntary mechanism that allows local authorities in England and Wales to levy a standard charge on most types of new development, to fund the infrastructure needed to support development in their area.

The regime for this new charge now allows local authorities to impose charges upon most new development via CIL. The CIL has been the subject of lengthy consultations. In essence, CIL has been designed to replace the current system of planning obligations. However, the Government has set out transitional rules for a period of 4 years from 6th April 2010, following which Local Authorities may not seek contributions for pooled resources, for example play-space contributions, via Section 106 agreements. It is the intention of the current Plan to secure contributions via Section 106 Agreements until work begins on the CIL (potentially early 2013). The LDP policy and any related SPG provided in the interim will be monitored annually through the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) and amended where required.

A thorough scoping exercise has been undertaken of all national guidance as set out in BP/1 – ‘Related Plans and Strategies’ to understand areas of repetition. However, to provide the user of the Conwy Revised Deposit LDP with the relevant national guidance related to certain planning applications, the Council will provide regular updates on the public website and provide guidance notes.

Policy DP/6 subjects all planning applications to up-to-date planning guidance to avoid unnecessary repetition throughout the LDP.

The overarching aim of Masterplanning is to achieve sustainable places. This process identifies the need for consideration of site planning, community integration, sustainable transport, ecology and landscaping. There is also a recognised need to raise the quality of design for new developments in the Plan Area, from strategic sites and significant areas of change to some smaller individual sites.

There are a number of such schemes in progress including Masterplans for Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction and Llanrwst which have been progressing in accordance with specific and separate briefs and are all at different stages. A further Abergele Materplan is proposed to not only provide the strategic direction for the proposed developments set out in this Plan, but to further understand the wider implications and improvement measures associated with the development. The LDP will support those aspects of the masterplans which meet Policy DP/7.

The majority of masterplans will be Council-led, however, developers or community groups may wish to undertake similar exercises to inform wider development proposals. In both instances there will be two main aims: to “regenerate town centres and villages and rejuvenate run-down or underused areas” and to “protect, conserve and enhance the natural and built environment”. Any proposals requiring planning permission will be considered against the Development Principles and other policies in the plan.

In 2008, the Welsh Government (WG) launched the Strategic Regeneration Area Initiative (SRA) to regenerate coastal communities in Conwy and Denbighshire. The Council are working in partnership with WG to promote the comprehensive regeneration of coastal communities, broaden economic activity, address social exclusion and reduce deprivation. As part of this regeneration initiative, a multi-disciplinary team of consultants has been appointed to prepare a Masterplan for Colwyn Bay to promote the sustainable regeneration of the area to 2025.

The urban regeneration of Colwyn Bay is not about radical redevelopment. The objectives will be achieved through changing and enhancing the spatial experience of the town and link its assets together. This will be achieved via key themes and spatial objectives.

Allocating land in the Urban Development Strategy Area and, in particular, housing allocations within Colwyn Bay, will improve and support the objectives of the Colwyn Bay Masterplan and other settlements in the coastal zone which are supported by the SRA. The Colwyn Bay Masterplan forms Supplementary Planning Guidance, which consists of the final report produced by DPP Shape and supported by evidence set out in BP/23 – ‘Colwyn Bay Master Plan Baseline Report’.

Housing issues remain the key area of concern for many communities within the Plan Area. The shortage of affordable housing to rent or to buy is one of the greater challenges facing many communities in Conwy. Local incomes in the Plan Area are generally low and opportunities for higher paid employment limited. The combination of these factors creates difficulties for local people to access the housing market. The accessibility and affordability of housing is an essential factor in securing long term sustainability of our communities. The average household size in the Plan Area has also decreased, as more people live alone and young people move from the area, to be replaced by older people moving in. The changing age and social structure of Conwy’s population may threaten the wellbeing of communities and the viability of local schools, businesses, services and facilities. Therefore, it is crucial to the future of Conwy that the needs of predicted population and household change are secured and a more balanced age structure promoted through the development of well designed and accessible dwellings of the right type, size and tenure.

The strategic housing policy is designed to ensure that over the remainder of the Plan period a housing land supply of a maximum of up to 6,520 houses (with a contingency level of up to 7,170 dwellings) will be built in the right places and of the right type to maximise the contribution it makes towards meeting identified market and affordable housing needs (refer to BP/2 – ‘Population and Household Projections’). The key priority is to increase the supply of Affordable Housing for Local Need (AHLN) and the Council will take every opportunity through its policies to maximise AHLN provision. The policy approach ensures that the affordable housing requirement of 1,875 (refer to BP/36 – ‘Affordable Housing Needs Calculation’) is met through the provision of approximately 1,000 new build affordable housing units over the Plan period. The strategy recognises that the ‘bottom line’ affordable housing need figure of 1,875 is not simply about the requirement to build new homes – it’s about households in need. As well as providing new affordable housing of approximately 1,000 new build dwellings, the strategy recognises that there are a variety of other ways of helping these households which don’t require new-build homes – for example through placement within existing social housing stock, the provision of supported purchase schemes such as the Homebuy initiative, and through financial support to rent within the private sector (housing benefit). Such non-build methods of delivery will be met through the Conwy Housing Strategy Team and the implementation of the Conwy Local Housing Strategy. As evidenced in BP/36, this approach seeks to deliver the identified need of 1,875 which comprises a split of 50% social and intermediate housing.

To that point, the policy target for the level of affordable housing to be provided over the Plan period is informed by taking account of the risks to delivery, the types of sites likely to come forward over the Plan period and on the likely levels of finance available for affordable housing, including both public subsidy such as Social Housing Grant and the level of developer contribution that could reasonably be secured. Site capacity thresholds and site specific targets set out in the housing policy have been balanced against the need for affordable housing and site viability as evidenced in BP/9 – ‘Affordable Housing Viability Study’ (AHVS). Informed by the AHVS, a split target has been adopted to take into account different market areas in Conwy. The Plan fully recognises in its housing supply figures that it will not always be possible to achieve the required percentage of affordable housing on all sites (allocations and windfall), in particular from brownfield site developments. A flexible policy approach to affordable housing contributions through negotiation and viability assessments, in addition to the other mechanisms to deliver need, provides the bases for a realistic and achievable target.

The Tier 1 Main Villages will provide a combination of market value and AHLN from existing commitments, on allocated sites and from windfall development, to realise the spatial objectives for the delivery of AHLN and protection of the natural and historic environment. Within the Tier 2 Main Villages, the Council will seek to deliver 100% AHLN only on allocated and windfall sites within the settlement boundaries. To provide an element of flexibility, market dwellings may be permitted in exceptional circumstances on allocated and windfall sites within the Tier 2 Villages where it is essential to assist the delivery of affordable housing on site and where supported by the completion of a Viability Assessment Pro-Forma. Such windfall schemes will generally be smaller than those permitted in the Urban Development Strategy Areas (no more than 10 dwellings on windfall sites) and will be phased in line with the provision of infrastructure. Small scale (up to 5 dwellings) 100% AHLN exception sites may be permitted outside, but on the edge of, the settlement where it meets local need.

There are no settlement boundaries for Minor Villages and no allocations are made for new dwellings. To meet the needs of the community, the Council will seek to deliver 100% AHLN only on windfall sites within the confinements of the settlement or where single or small groups of new dwelling estates (up to 5 dwellings) represent a form of infilling and relates physically and visually to the settlement. The level of development should represent the level of facilities and services and safeguard the Welsh language. To provide an element of flexibility, market dwellings may be permitted in exceptional circumstances on windfall sites only where it is essential to assist the delivery of affordable housing on site and where supported by the completion of a Viability Assessment Pro-Forma. Small scale 100% AHLN (up to 3 dwellings) exception sites may be permitted outside, on the fringe of, the main settlement confinements where it meets local need.

The needs of the Hamlets will be met through appropriate development. Agricultural or forestry worker dwellings, conversions to dwellings and single AHLN developments may be permitted in appropriate locations.

The policy approach recognises that the improved delivery of AHLN is challenging, resulting from a lack of financial subsidy, increased developer build costs and decreasing house prices. This not only requires a flexible approach by the Council, but also a positive ‘step change’ from landowners and developers when negotiating land purchase or option costs in the future. Proposals for reduced affordable housing contributions from housing schemes will not be permitted where it results from land being purchased at ‘inflated’ prices. Land purchase should be negotiated on the basis of providing affordable housing, other planning obligations and overcoming ‘known’ constraints. The policy assumption is that land has been purchased at the right price. Deviation from the policy assumption and reduction in affordable housing contribution will only be acceptable where a supporting viability assessment demonstrates that ‘unknown’ development costs are apparent.

To contribute to the viability of schemes in the future, the Council will be proactive and propose to use its own land holdings and establish a register of public owned sites to contribute to meeting AHLN.

The Plan includes criteria based policies to contribute to meeting the site needs for gypsies and travellers identified in the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA) and in assessing applications to accommodate housing for the elderly. Policies are also covered to ensure the right density and type of housing is considered in addition to controlling the development of further houses in multiple occupation to encourage higher living standards. To safeguard the open countryside, further policy is set out to control the conversion of rural buildings in the open countryside.

This section incorporates the necessary detailed policies, supported by the Implementation and Monitoring Section, to ensure this strategy is delivered.

Table 3: HOU1a Settlement Hierarchy

Table 4: HOU1b Estimated Housing Delivery

The Welsh Government requires local planning authorities within each region of Wales to work together and with appropriate stakeholders to apportion the Assembly’s sub-national household projections, or agree their own regional projections. Local planning authorities in North Wales have undertaken an apportionment of the latest Welsh Government household projections with the involvement of key stakeholders. The apportionment procedure placed an expectation on Conwy to consider options for housing development based around a figure of 5,325 dwellings during the Plan period (i.e. 355 dwellings per year).

The growth projections and associated housing requirement are informed by BP/2. This paper updates the 2008-based projections which were published by the Welsh Government in 2010. The updated projections were produced in October 2011 by Conwy County Borough Council’s Corporate Research Department. The LDP uses the 6,620 15 year figure as the principal indicator of new dwelling requirement for the whole of the County Borough for 2007 – 2022 period. This figure is reduced to 6,520 for the 15 year period when development within the part of the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which falls within the Conwy County Borough boundary, is taken into account. BP/2 uses more recent data to prepare a more up-to-date set of population and household projections, and provides data on the assumed dwelling impacts of these projections, including potential future housing mix requirement. It also looks at the migration trend assumptions used in the preparation of Welsh Government’s 2008-based projections and discusses why Conwy County Borough Council have opted to use different assumptions to predict future growth taking into account the justification to deviate away from the WG 2008-based projections. WG produced only one migration scenario (5-year trend based) which had limited usefulness, especially as migration is the most volatile component of change. Taking these factors into account, the requirement for new housing during the Plan period has been calculated at approximately 6,520 (approximately 478 dwellings a year) with a contingency level up to 7,170 dwellings.

This level of housing growth reflects the principal natural population change, household size change, net in-migration and at the same time contributes to tackling the key objectives of AHLN delivery, protection of the natural and built environment and provides suitable housing for the existing and future younger population to remain and work in the area. Overall, this growth represents past trend builds over the last 5 years (refer to BP/4 – ‘Housing Land Supply’) and reflects the capacity of the house building industry and their ability to deliver over the Plan period (refer to BP/31 – ‘Capacity of the House Building Industry’).

The majority of this housing requirement will be delivered in the Urban Development Strategy Area being the most sustainable location as demonstrated in BP/37 – ‘Growth Distribution Options Report’ and BP/8 ‘Hierarchy of Settlements and Settlement Boundaries’.

The Authority proposes that this housing requirement of 6,520 should be met by phased development across the Plan period, split into three time periods (from April to March) as shown in table HOU1b, the Implementation and Monitoring Section, BP/30 – ‘Phasing Plan’ and BP/4 – ‘Housing Land Supply’.

Sufficient land, therefore, needs to be allocated in the LDP to accommodate approximately 6,520 dwellings over the Plan period, including the contribution from those already built since 2007, current commitments and the sources of supply from windfall sites (refer to BP/4). A further contingency land supply from suitable and deliverable sites totalling 650 dwellings is included in the Plan (6,520 + 650 = 7,170 dwellings). Contingency sites will be released in order of priority as outlined in Policy HOU/1, where the Council is unable to achieve a five year housing land supply.

In accordance with national planning policy, development in sustainable and accessible locations on previously developed land (PDL) is preferred to greenfield sites. In delivering the housing needs in Conwy, it will not be practicable to deliver the whole dwelling requirement on PDL, so some loss of greenfield sites and green wedges will be necessary to ensure deliverability of the Plan. Within this LDP, the strategic housing sites (sites over 100 dwellings) and non-strategic sites (sites under 100 dwellings) are located on the Proposal Map and within the Housing Delivery and Phasing Plan set out in the Implementation and Monitoring section.

The Conwy LDP will allocate sites that are capable of providing 10 or more dwellings for housing. As shown from the 2012 Joint Housing Land Availability Study, Conwy has already delivered 1,418 new homes between 2007 and 2012. The outstanding commitments (those with current planning permission but not yet built) and projected windfall (development likely to come forward on unallocated sites) totals 2,293 homes (refer to BP/4 – ‘Housing Land Supply’), which are likely to be built over the Plan period. This figure includes bringing back into use a projected 519 empty homes over the Plan period and developing out sites totalling approximately 199 dwellings becoming available from the School Modernisation Programme. The Council will consider serving a completion notice to reduce that uncertainty and ensure deliverability of the needs facing the communities of Conwy.

Taking into account all these sources of housing supply, land is allocated in this Plan to accommodate approximately 2,324 houses and a further 522 for contingency as shown below:

Evidence to support the distribution of growth is detailed in BP/37 – ‘Growth Distribution Options Report’. As part of the process to investigate where housing land might be made available to meet future housing needs, all the settlements within the Plan Area have been subjected to a sustainability test to assess their capacity for housing and in formulation of the Settlement Hierarchy (refer to BP/8 – ‘Hierarchy of Settlements and Settlement Boundaries’). As detailed in the Strategy (section 3) and BP/37, a greater scale of development is proposed within the Urban Development Strategy Area to reflect the sustainability of the area in terms of adequacy of facilities and the capacity of the local environment. These locations have a strong range of community facilities offer with good access to new and existing jobs, key services and infrastructure. The target for housing developments in each settlement tier between 2007 and 2022 is set out in Table HOU1a.

Housing development in the open countryside will be strictly controlled unless it can be fully justified by reference of robust supporting evidence. One of the few circumstances in which new isolated residential development in the open countryside may be justified is when accommodation is required to enable rural enterprise workers to live at, or close to, their place of work. In line with Policy DP/6, rural enterprise dwellings include:

• A new dwelling on an established rural enterprise (including farms) where there is a functional need for a full time worker and the business case demonstrates that the employment is likely to remain financially sustainable.
• A second dwelling on an established farm which is financially sustainable, to facilitate the handover of the management of the farm business to a younger farmer.
• A second dwelling on an established farm which is financially sustainable, where there is a functional need for a further 0.5 or more of a full time worker and at least 50% of a Grade 2 Standard Worker salary, as defined by the latest version of the Agricultural Wages Order, is obtained from the farm business.
• A new dwelling on a new rural enterprise where there is a functional need for a full time worker.

A rural enterprise comprises land related businesses including agriculture, forestry and other activities that obtain their primary inputs from the site, such as the processing of agricultural, forestry and mineral products together with land management activities and support services (including agricultural contracting), tourism and leisure enterprises.

New permanent dwellings will only be allowed to support established rural enterprises providing the required functional, time and financial tests are met in line with Policy DP/6 and demonstrated through a Rural Enterprise Dwelling Appraisal.

In general, preference will be given to the re-use or replacement of existing buildings over those which propose the erection of a new dwelling in order to avoid further development in the countryside. Where new buildings are proposed to be erected they should be sited and designed to minimise impact on the countryside, and where possible be grouped around existing development and meet the Development Principles and other related policies of the Plan. The erection of a further dwelling would not be justified where an existing dwelling serving the unit, or closely connected with it, has either recently been sold off or in some way separated from it.

The Plan encourages younger people to manage farm businesses and promote the diversification of established farms. To support this policy objective it may be appropriate to allow a second dwelling on established farms that have met the financial and functional tests as set out in Policy DP/6. The two exceptions to the policy are:

• Where there are secure and legally binding arrangements in place to demonstrate that management of the farm business has been transferred to a person younger than the person currently responsible for management, or, that transfer of management is only conditional upon grant of planning permission for the dwelling. The younger person should demonstrate majority control over the farm business and be the decision maker for the farm business; or,
• There is an existing functional need for an additional 0.5 or more of a full time worker and that person obtains at least 50% of a Grade 2 Standard Worker salary, as defined by the latest version of the Agricultural Wages Order, from the farm business.

In line with Policy DP/6, a new dwelling will be permitted where it can be demonstrated through evidence base that it is essential to support a new rural enterprise. It will be essential for applications to further demonstrate that there is a clear evidence of a firm intention and ability to develop the rural enterprise concerned, that the new enterprise needs to be established at the proposed location and it meets the functional, time and financial tests. These forms of evidence base should be supported though the submission of a Rural Enterprise Dwelling Appraisal at the application stage in line with Policy DP/6.

One Planet Developments may take a number of forms. They can either be single homes, co-operative communities or larger settlements. They may be located within or adjacent to existing settlements, or be situated in the open countryside. Where One Planet Developments involve members of more than one family, the proposal should be managed and controlled by a trust, co-operative or other similar mechanism in which the occupiers have an interest. Land based One Planet Developments located in the open countryside should, over a reasonable length of time (no more than 5 years), provide for the minimum needs of the inhabitants in terms of income, food, energy and waste assimilation. Where this cannot be demonstrated, they will be considered against policies which seek to control development in the open countryside as set out in this Plan.

Planning applications for land based One Planet Developments located in the open countryside need to be supported by robust evidence. In line with Policy DP/6 a management plan must accompany planning applications for this type of development. The management plan should set out the objectives of the proposal, timetable for development of the site and timescale for review. It should be used as the basis of a legal agreement relating to the occupation of the site should planning consent be granted. The management plan should include a Business and Improvement Plan, Ecological Footprint analysis of the development, Carbon analysis of the development, Biodiversity and landscape assessment, impact assessment to identify potential impacts on the host community, and a Transport Assessment and travel plan to identify the transport needs of the inhabitants and propose sustainable travel solutions.

A shortage of Affordable Housing for Local Need (AHLN) is one of the most pressing priority issues the County Borough faces. The authority has been working collaboratively with Snowdonia National Park, Ynys Môn, Gwynedd and Denbighshire Housing and Planning Authorities to develop improved shared understanding of the housing market through a Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA), recognising that housing market areas do not conform to administrative boundaries. The LHMA Phase 1 (refer to BP/7) provided a good guide to the general County-wide level. A further revised assessment of the affordable housing requirements has been prepared as detailed in BP/36 – ‘Affordable Housing Needs Calculation’. The affordable housing needs calculation presented in BP/36 uses the methodology recommended in Welsh Government’s Local Housing Market Assessment Guide (March 2006) and represents a partial update of the Local Housing Market Assessment base line report that was produced for North West Wales in 2008. The revised affordable housing needs calculation looks at current and potential future affordable housing need, and calculates an annual estimate of how many households will require help to access affordable housing in addition to households who are already being helped. The revised calculation gives an annual estimate of households falling into affordable housing need in the Plan Area of 125 (approximately 61 social need and 64 intermediate need each year), concluding an overall affordable housing need of 1,875. This represents a reduction in overall affordable housing requirement based on past assessments. This is as a result of the availability of better quality up-to-date base data and a review of the calculation methodology, rather than as a reflection of an increase in the supply of affordable housing or a dramatic fall in the number of households in need.

‘Intermediate housing need’ covers those who do not fall into the social need category but still need help to rent or buy within the open market. As detailed in BP/36, 64 households (960 by 2022 rounded up to 1,000) are in need of intermediate housing and will be delivered via new build dwelling supply detailed in table HOU/2a above. Table 6 provides the level of affordable supply, calculated based on the housing supply in Table 3, with AHLN delivery on the basis of the split policy in HOU/2. This calculates the maximum levels of AHLN likely to be achieved from the identified sources of housing supply; 1,542 units. In practice, a lower level is likely to come forward, owing to the flexibility within the policy on the basis of viability considerations. Even so, the level of AHLN oversupply that is provided in this scenario will ensure that the new-build requirement of 1,000 AHLN units will be met over the Plan period, with almost half of this figure already either complete or committed. Small-scale schemes on brownfield sites coming forward over the Plan period are those most likely to be less viable for AHLN provision owing to higher existing use values and increased development costs. In contrast, large and particularly Greenfield allocated sites will provide higher levels of AHLN, with financial viability being taken into account on a site-by-site basis. However, the policy assumption is that land has been purchased at the right price taking into account the requirements of planning obligations and constraints. Applications seeking to provide a lesser level of affordable housing as a result of inflated land purchase costs will not be accepted. Only new ‘unknown’ development costs will be considered through the completion of an Affordable Housing Viability Assessment Pro-forma demonstrating issues of viability. Based on the level of delivery of affordable housing set out in Policy HOU/2 the overall need of approximately 1,000 new build dwellings can be achieved through the Plan’s growth level.

An Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance will be prepared to give further guidance on how Policy HOU/2 is to be implemented. It will include information on defining affordability and eligibility, types and sizes of affordable housing for local need, financial viability and applying flexibility to the requirements.

The Welsh Government guidance on undertaking Local Housing Market Assessments states that in the context of rural settlements an additional survey at the community level is the practical way to proceed to assess housing needs in rural areas as housing need can be highly localised in rural areas. In order to improve the information on local housing needs and help deliver affordable housing in Conwy, the Authority part funds Rural Housing Enablers. The role of the Rural Housing Enablers is to act as independent, impartial brokers working on behalf of local communities to assist communities to come up with tailor-made solutions to meet identified local housing need and to help communities carry out housing need surveys.

In line with the Welsh Government’s Technical Advice Note 2 (TAN2) which emphasises the importance of viability testing policy targets, the Council has prepared evidence on the financial viability of housing development by setting deliverable affordable housing targets and by assessing an appropriate threshold which should trigger affordable housing contributions.

Through the results of the financial viability evidence base, within the Urban Development Strategy Area and Tier 1 Main Villages the Council proposes a split affordable housing target by housing market area, ranging from 35% in Llandudno, Penrhyn Bay and Rhos on Sea, to 10% in Abergele, Towyn and Kinmel Bay. The Council will seek to achieve 100% AHLN provision within the Tier 2 Main Villages and Minor Villages; however, market dwellings may be permitted in exceptional circumstances on allocated and windfall sites where it is essential to assist the on-site delivery of affordable housing and where supported by the completion of a Viability Assessment Pro-Forma. In the Hamlets only single 100% AHLN units will be permitted in exceptional circumstances.

The assumption is that land purchase costs are negotiated on the basis of taking on board known planning obligations as identified in the Plan and known constraints. Applicants should complete the Affordable Housing Viability Assessment Pro-Forma available on the council’s website, or as detailed in the Planning Obligations SPG, where new unknown viability issues become apparent which impact on the deliverability of the scheme.

The Council will closely monitor delivery through the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) should there be significant market change.

The LDP affordable housing target must be based upon a realistic assessment of what is likely to be achievable within the Plan Area. The AHVS provides the viable target to which affordable housing should be provided and the threshold from which it should be sought.

The contribution to the affordable housing target will be delivered through completions since 2007, commitments (those with planning permission), the predicted windfall and new allocations. This source of potential affordable housing supply will be further contributed too through the implementation of the Empty Homes Strategy, new build on exception sites (see Policy HOU/6) and conversions within the open countryside to form agricultural workers dwellings. Table HOU2a details the distribution of these sources of supply and the overall delivery target over the Plan period. The application of these targets and the yield of affordable housing will be key monitoring elements in the AMR. However, what is clear from viability testing of sites in a range of market areas is that a single AHLN target cannot apply to all sites and the split approach taken in Policy HOU/2 is appropriate and allows financially viable development of AHLN on sites throughout the Plan Area. A conservative approach to estimate AHLN demonstrates that the new-build AHLN requirement of 1,000 dwellings can be delivered on this basis, taking into account the flexibility in the policy subject to viability testing.

There remains a relatively high level of long term empty properties in Conwy as detailed in the Council’s Empty Homes Strategy. As a result of current initiatives and the commitment of a full-time Empty Homes Officer in Conwy, it is anticipated that 519 empty dwellings could be brought back into use for housing purposes over the Plan period and in many cases will give wider regeneration benefits. Some of the affordable housing shortfall identified in Conwy will be met by empty properties being brought back into use. A Commuted Sum Protocol has been prepared which sets out that commuted sum payments can be used to finance the bringing back into use of empty homes. It is important that Conwy works in partnership with other organisations to help bring these long-term empty properties back into permanent residential use as affordable housing for local needs. The LDP housing policies link up with Gwynedd and the Snowdonia National Park Authority’s Empty Property Strategies by facilitating the return of long-term empty properties and the conversion of other appropriate empty buildings back into permanent residential use including AHLH.

It can be seen that the proportion of affordable housing required by the Local Development Plan is based on the AHVS. Whilst this provision is to be challenging, it represents an appropriate response to a well established need and is a major community priority which has been clearly expressed throughout the preparation of the LDP. The priority in delivering this contribution will be via on-site affordable housing. Off-site provision or commuted payments will be acceptable for development proposals consisting of 3 or less dwellings, and may be acceptable for proposals consisting of 4 or more dwellings provided there is sufficient justification. It is expected that the affordable housing units will be provided without subsidy. To assist developers, an Off-Site Assessment Pro-Forma supports the Planning Obligations SPG which should be completed as part of a planning application if an off-site contribution is sought.

The Tier 1 Main Villages will provide a combination of market value and AHLN from existing commitments, on allocated sites and from windfall development. Within the Tier 2 Main Villages, the Council will seek to deliver 100% AHLN only on allocated and windfall sites within the settlement boundaries. In exceptional circumstances market dwellings will be permitted in the Tier 2 Villages within the settlement boundaries on allocated and windfall sites where it is essential to assist the delivery of affordable housing and where supported by the completion of a Viability Assessment Pro-Forma. Such windfall schemes will generally be smaller than those permitted in the Urban Development Strategy Areas (no more than 10 dwellings on windfall sites). Small scale (up to 5 dwellings) 100% AHLN exception sites may be permitted outside, but on the edge of, the settlement where it meets local need.

There are no settlement boundaries for Minor Villages and no allocations are made for new dwellings. To meet the needs of the community, the Council will seek to deliver 100% AHLN only on windfall sites within the confinements of the settlement or where single or small groups of new dwelling estates (up to 5 dwellings) represent a form of infilling and relate physically and visually to the Minor Village. The level of development should represent the level of facilities and services and safeguard the Welsh language. To provide an element of flexibility, market dwellings may be permitted in exceptional circumstances on allocated and windfall sites only where it is essential to assist the delivery of affordable housing and where supported by the completion of a Viability Assessment Pro-Forma. Small scale 100% AHLN (up to 3 dwellings) exception sites may be permitted outside, on the fringe of, the main settlement confinements, where it meets local need. The Affordable Housing SPG will provide further guidance on sites classed as falling within the confinements of the settlement and exception sites.

The needs of the Hamlets will be met through appropriate development. Agricultural or forestry worker dwellings, conversions to dwellings and single AHLN developments may be permitted in appropriate locations.

The Council expects developers to purchase land for housing in the future having taken into account the need to provide the ‘known’ planning obligations and any ‘known’ abnormal costs (e.g. contamination costs). This step change in purchasing land over time will further assist the delivery of affordable housing as it is anticipated that this reduction in the value of the land will make such sites attractive to Housing Associations seeking to provide affordable housing. However, it is inevitable that changes to the economic climate, site specific issues and the level of need will change over the period of the Plan which could warrant sites being unviable or indeed more viable to seek a higher provision. Therefore, a flexible approach is applied to Policy HOU/2 and trigger points have been put in place in the Monitoring and Implementation section for when actions need to be taken to release contingency sites or warrant a review of the Plan.

Further guidance on applying flexibility to affordable housing contributions will be provided in the Affordable Housing SPG.

The onus will be on the developer to set out the exceptional circumstances as to why provision may not need to be on site and how their alternative proposal will address the affordable housing need identified by the Local Authority.

In the light of local circumstances and sustainability, the Plan phases development over the period of the LDP. The Phasing is justified by considerations relating to physical or social infrastructure, or to the adequacy of other services, which may indicate that a particular site cannot be released for development until a particular stage in the Plan period (refer to BP/30 – ‘Phasing Plan’). As set in BP/30, where phasing is included in an LDP it should take the form of a broad indication of the timescale envisaged for the release of the main development areas or identified sites, rather than an arbitrary numerical limit on permissions or a precise order of release of sites in particular periods.

Proposals for phasing should allow for a reasonable degree of choice and flexibility, for example to secure an efficient and effective housing market. Flexibility will be needed in respect of the emergence of unidentified sites, i.e. sites not allocated in the LDP for the particular type of development and generally referred to as windfall sites. Phasing policies should recognise the need for possible adjustment to the timing of land release to the extent that the emergence of unidentified sites exceeds or falls short of the assumptions in the LDP. Where assumptions are made in the LDP about the future availability of windfall sites the assumptions will need to be checked by regular monitoring of planning permissions granted.

Residential proposals should comply with the policies in the Development Principles and LDP9 – ‘Design’ Supplementary Planning Guidance in order to achieve quality living environments. For new homes to contribute to meeting the needs of current and future residents, it is important that they are designed to a high quality, are sustainable and inclusive and create an attractive environment that functions well, where people want to live, which meets their needs and which creates a sense of place where community identity can develop.

In line with government guidance, higher density developments are encouraged. This approach is supported by BP/9 – ‘Affordable Housing Viability Study’ where it is shown that increasing the density to 40 dwellings per hectare (dph) will improve residual values and overall affordable housing delivery. For example, in the lower value areas of the Plan Area, increasing the density from 30dph to 40dph will make the difference between having a scheme which has negative residual value to one where the residual is positive and affordable housing is provided. Evidence as shown in BP/9 demonstrates that housing density at 50dph and above decreases the viability of schemes resulting in a lesser affordable housing provision. The main reason for the apparent decrease in viability is that the 50dph and above schemes includes a significantly higher proportion of smaller units, notably flats. Smaller units, in a location such as Conwy, will normally have a depressing impact on overall viability since they do not generate a significant surplus of sales value relative to costs. When affordable housing is included in these schemes, residual value can quickly become negative or viability marginal. In general terms however, BP/9 demonstrates that residual value will be maximised between 40dph and 50dph. The Council has, therefore, sought higher density developments of up to 50dph on a number of Urban Development Strategy Area sites in sustainable locations to ensure a higher level of affordable housing delivery. It will be essential to test the viability of a housing scheme at planning application stage in line with Policy HOU/2 but the Council also recognise that lower densities, of below 30dph, may be necessary in exceptional cases to achieve a satisfactory design and amenity. To this point, low cost market dwelling schemes built at a price affordable to those in need, enabled through the level of density proposed, design, layout and materials, will be supported where affordable housing is delivered and retained in perpetuity. The Housing Delivery and Phasing Plan details those sites which will accommodate higher housing density.

Building at moderate to high densities also enables best use to be made of development sites, and helps safeguard the countryside from unnecessary development. Where building occurs on a large scale, dense forms of development can also support the critical mass of people that may be needed to support local facilities. There is no reason why higher densities should compromise the quality of new development.

All housing developments in Conwy should be inclusive and accommodate a diverse range of residents' household size and housing need to create mixed communities. All housing developments, therefore, need to provide a more balanced range of housing types to reflect identified community need. The percentage split of housing mix throughout the Plan Area was concluded using the most up to date population projections set out in BP/2. This information will be reviewed resulting from future projections for Conwy and the finalisation of the Conwy LHMA.

As set out in Planning Policy Wales it is desirable in planning terms that new housing development in both urban and rural areas should incorporate a reasonable mix and balance of types and sizes of affordable housing to cater for a range of housing needs and contribute to the development of sustainable communities. PPW also states that for affordable housing it is important that authorities have an appreciation of the demand for different dwelling sizes and types of housing (i.e. intermediate and social rented) in relation to supply, so that they are well informed in negotiating the required appropriate mix of dwellings for new developments. The Council will implement the LHMA and the Affordable Housing Registers in negotiating the appropriate mix of housing type to meet the needs of the community. This applies especially to housing estates which, because of their size, have the potential to contribute significantly to the community’s need for a wider range of dwelling sizes and types. As with HOU/4, all policy implications relating to density and development mix issues need to be tested at a scheme specific level taking into account the viability of the scheme in line with HOU/2.

National policy allows for exception sites when meeting affordable housing need within, or adjoining, villages in circumstances where planning permission would not normally be given and where there is a demonstrable local need for affordable housing that cannot be met in any other way. These ‘rural exception’ sites provide a small but important source of affordable housing in rural areas and are regarded as additional to the provision of housing to meet the general needs. The location of rural exception sites will be determined by Policy HOU/2.

Such sites and proposals will be assessed on the basis of proven need, the suitability of the site and size of the dwelling(s), in addition to local requirements and affordability. It must be possible to develop a selected site in a way that contributes positively to the area and it must also be affordable. The density, setting, design, materials, landscaping etc must make a positive contribution to the character of the village or area.

In every case the needs of the particular village are carefully surveyed and assessed by the Council, Registered Social Landlords and Rural Housing Enablers before a scheme is progressed. Occupancy controls are imposed to ensure that the benefits of affordability (usually gained by the low land value derived from the exceptional basis of the scheme) are preserved in perpetuity for subsequent occupiers if the Council’s criteria are met.

Exception sites will be considered where allocated sites exist within the development boundary but have not been brought forward. Evidence must be produced to demonstrate that the site is not likely to come forward for some time or is no longer deliverable due to new constraints.

The disposal of local authority and Government owned land for AHLN will also add to the certainty of delivery. As a result of the level of housing need within the Plan Area, and the priority issue to protect the natural and historic environment, Council owned land is identified in the Housing Delivery and Phasing Plan. Where deliverable and suitable to the character of the area, the Council will seek to accommodate a higher AHLN provision on-site than the standard set for privately owned sites.

To maximise the use and deliverability of exception sites and potential future 100% allocations for AHLN, the Council will proactively establish a County Borough-wide register, alongside Engineering and Design Services, Housing Services, neighbouring authorities where cross-boundary issues exist, and the Welsh Government. Land will be appraised on a regular basis to ensure that a land-bank of potential deliverable and suitable sites are available to meet the affordable needs of the community.

Appropriate provision is required to meet the needs of gypsies, and travellers. An understanding of these needs is required if appropriate accommodation is to be provided and the number of unauthorised encampments and developments in the Plan Area reduced. It is now a statutory requirement under Section 225 of the Housing act 2004 for all local planning authorities to assess the accommodation needs of all gypsies and travellers and address any identified needs through the planning system. All local planning authorities are, therefore, required to include suitable policies in the LDP to be used in the consideration of proposed gypsy and traveller sites and to allocate sites where a clearly defined need has been identified.

Welsh Government Circular 30/2007 (‘Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites’) requires local planning authorities to make provision for gypsy and traveller caravan sites through site allocation, where a need is identified, along with criteria-based policies. While the guidance acknowledges that a range of information sources can be considered in assessing the need and level of provision required, it emphasises that the information must be robust. The guidance acknowledges that Local Housing Market Assessments (LHMAs) provide the key source of information enabling local authorities to assess the level of gypsy and traveller accommodation provision that is required when preparing their LDPs.

Separate Welsh Government Guidance on the preparation of LHMAs (March 2006) strongly recommends that local authorities work in partnership with neighbouring authorities, as travelling patterns are liable to cross local authority boundaries.

In the light of these findings, the Council has expanded Policy HOU/9 to include a commitment to identify and seek planning permission for sites within a specified timescale based on this identified need. To ensure that there is potential to provide both residential and transit needs the Council will identify suitable sites in Conwy and seek permission within the timescale specified. Additionally, as a separate exercise, the possibility of a joint approach with Denbighshire County Council will be considered which could identify further opportunities to accommodate transit needs.

In planning for the accommodation of gypsies and travellers, it is important that site(s) are sustainable and have good access to key services and facilities and maintain and enhance the natural environment. With regard to site provision possible Welsh Government sources for funding for site delivery will be explored.

Whilst the creation of self contained flats helps to meet a housing need, in some instances their provision can be detrimental to the amenity of existing residential areas. For example large numbers of flats can lead to problems such as a shortage of on street parking and bin storage issues. In addition, areas with high levels of flats are often associated with low levels of owner occupation which in some instances can lead to lower standards of maintenance and associated environmental degradation issues (thereby prejudicing environmental improvement and regeneration objectives). Furthermore, the cumulative impact of converting larger dwellings to flats can have a detrimental impact on creating mixed and balanced communities by reducing the number of family homes available within an area. There are currently already high concentrations of self contained flats that are having an impact on the character and appearance of the Colwyn Bay area. To improve the area’s appearance and aid the regeneration of Colwyn Bay, in particular, and other areas within the coastal belt, Policy HOU/10 is required to prevent the over concentration of such uses and ensure that development is meeting identified needs. Policy HOU/10 will also support the approach to be set out in the Colwyn Bay Area Masterplan to improve housing offer, address social exclusion and reduce deprivation in Colwyn Bay.

In addition to self contained flats, the provision of Houses in Multiple Occupation (buildings where some facilities are shared by several people who are otherwise living independently of one another) has also historically been a problem in Conwy, in particular, in Colwyn Bay. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) often provide a relatively poor living environment and rarely contribute positively towards the quality of an area. In order to support national and local regeneration aims, as well as other adopted Council policy, further HMOs will be strongly resisted and an emphasis placed on the reduction of such properties within Conwy.

The Council will produce Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on Self Contained Flats and Houses of Multiple Occupation to support the policy. The SPG will provide supporting guidance to Policy HOU/10 detailing the definitions of Self Contained Flats and HMOs and the required design standards for self contained flat conversion.

From a sustainable development perspective, the Authority considers that the settlements within the Urban Development Strategy Area and the Tier 1 Main Villages provide the most appropriate locations for residential homes for the elderly. In locations where the Authority is satisfied that a care home for the elderly can be satisfactorily provided, it should be sited within reasonable walking distance of town or village services and in a location which will minimise the affects of the proposal on the amenity of neighbouring residential properties.

Likewise the Authority will support the re-use of large buildings for residential care purposes, subject to the location requirements outlined above. In addition the Authority must be satisfied that the building to be used can be converted without detriment to its existing character or in a manner which is likely to harm the amenity of neighbouring properties.

Extra care housing is an important contribution to affordable provision. Although not counted in statistics as new affordable housing, some residents who move into these homes do leave vacated affordable housing units for others.

Proposals for residential development will only be considered where every effort has been made to secure a suitably constructed rural building of merit for economic use in line with the policy. A supporting statement should be submitted with the application which explains the extent of the marketing exercise and includes the agent’s view as to the commercial viability of the site. Applicants are encouraged to read the relevant sections contained within the SPG on Rural Conversions for further detailed guidance on undertaking satisfactory marketing exercises and producing supporting statements.

Due to their location, such developments must be carefully controlled. It is crucial that the proposed use and design takes account of the character and appearance of the existing building and the surrounding area. Policy DP/3 – ‘Promoting Design Quality and Reducing Crime’ and supporting LDP9 – ‘Design’ SPG also apply. Additionally, the Council recognises that the Plan Area has a number of non-listed buildings and structures which by reason of their design, material and social and historical connections are fundamental parts of the character and identity of their locality. Policy CTH/3 – ‘Buildings and Structures of Local Importance’ and supporting LDP8 – ‘Buildings and Structures of Local Importance’ SPG are also applicable.

Developments should be of a scale appropriate to their location, as large employment developments in the countryside may conflict with the principles of sustainable development, resulting in unsustainable traffic movements and potential environmental harm. Developments resulting in significant numbers of employees or visitors should be located within or near to settlements and be accessible by public transport, cycling or walking. In areas without such access, small-scale business development may still be appropriate where it results in only a modest increase in vehicle movements. This may require the production of a Travel Plan and/or mitigation of traffic impact in accordance with Strategic Policy STR/1 – ‘Sustainable Transport, Development and Accessibility’.

The economic strategy policies of this Plan need to address a number of employment related challenges and aspirations including:

• Meeting the employment needs of the predicted population;
• Promoting and developing new higher value employment opportunities;
• Supporting business and technology clusters;
• Supporting the growth of existing business, entrepreneurs and business start-ups;
• Developing a skills and knowledge based economy which optimises the value of the area’s natural resources, environment and cultural heritage;
• Utilising the County’s strategic road and rail position. Ideally, such employment initiatives should provide permanent skilled careers that will attract and retain young people within the area.

The employment strategy is designed to ensure that over the Plan period the Council works with its partners to plan, monitor and review the delivery of approximately 2,350 new jobs (20.5 hectares of land) of B1, B2 & B8 office and industrial employment uses with an additional contingency level (of 235 new jobs) up to a total of 2,585 jobs (22.5 hectares). A further 1,800 jobs (15.5 hectares) with an additional contingency level (of 180 new jobs) up to 1,980 new jobs (17 hectares) has been made available for B1, B2 & B8 office and industrial employment uses within the Plan to contribute to reducing out-commuting levels The development of business and technology clusters will be promoted, together with the transport, environmental and telecommunications infrastructure needed to support such networks. The Economic Strategy recognises that within such 'clusters' collaboration between related businesses (which buy and sell from each other and share the same infrastructure, technology, potential customers and skill base), can result in a more competitive, productive and innovative environment.

Policies developed under the Economic Strategy seek to focus attention on accessible locations with good infrastructure. This should contribute towards meeting population objectives, reducing out-commuting levels, meeting identified needs in the urban and rural settlements, developing skills and creating higher value employment. The Council will work closely with private and public partners to formulate an investment strategy for the Plan Area that takes account of potential financial incentives which may become available through various schemes such as the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan.

The Wales Spatial Plan identifies strategic hub areas within which future investment for employment, housing, retail, leisure and services should be focused. Conwy/Llandudno Junction/Llandudno/Colwyn Bay is recognised as one such hub, and the designation of Colwyn Bay – Rhyl as a Strategic Regeneration Area adds emphasis. The Council recognises this through seeking to concentrate development within the Urban Development Strategy Area. To that end the publication of the Colwyn Bay Masterplan is a key delivery vehicle in creating employment and overcoming deprivation and economic decline, of which jobs creation represents a key driver. However, the economic strategy recognises the high level of constraints within the strategic hub to the east of the Plan Area in distributing and safeguarding employment supply.

It is important that the economic strategy also encourages smaller scale employment outside the urban settlements so that rural enterprise can develop and contribute to local economic development. However, such development must be compatible with the landscape, highway, ecological and amenity interests. It is also important to improve the speed, quality and accessibility of high speed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to facilitate greater opportunities for home or remote working in rural areas. Such working offers distinct opportunities, not only for implementing sustainable development principles, but also for creating new employment, re-using vacant buildings and reducing the need for vehicular journeys to work. It may also help mitigate the migration of local people from the area and strengthen community life by allowing people to live and work in their home village.

The economic strategy includes policies which look to protect the existing stock of office and employment premises and promote new office and industrial employment generating businesses on suitable non-allocated sites. The promotion of appropriate green economy and eco-industry networks are also supported provided there are no unacceptable impacts. Additionally, the rehabilitation and refurbishment of existing employment areas will be encouraged wherever possible to encourage environmental improvements, investment attraction and regeneration overall.

This Economic Strategy sets out the approach to contributing to these key issues.

The majority of the larger and more sustainable settlements within the Plan Area are along the A55 and rail coastal corridor. Whilst these urban locations will accommodate the majority of the employment growth over the Plan period, the Plan recognises the needs of the rural communities and allocates employment land within the Rural Development Strategy Area to assist in promoting sustainable rural communities and contribute to reducing private car travel.

Studies into the requirements for employment land (refer to BP/2 - Population and Household Projections’) and availability of suitable sites from current supply (refer to BP/13 – ‘Employment Land Monitoring Report’) show that there is a large supply of land with planning permission for employment purposes within the Plan Area, predominantly within the Urban Development Strategy Area. As evidenced in BP/13, there is also sufficient land available to meet the majority of the short and medium to long term needs of the area. However, new land for employment purposes is allocated in the Urban and Rural Development Strategy Areas, predominantly in the Wales Spatial Plan strategic hub locations of Conwy, Llandudno Junction and Llandudno and the accessible location of Abergele, to meet the identified shortfall and the additional requirement to reduce out-commuting levels. In addition, appropriate proposals for new office and industrial development within and on the fringe of recognised settlements will be promoted where the priority objectives are met.

Most new employment development is to be located within the Urban Development Strategy Area, but additional allocations are made within the more accessible and serviced Rural Development Strategy Area settlements, predominantly within the Tier 1 and 2 Main Villages, to contribute to the promotion of more sustainable communities and locally sourced and accessible jobs. The Council recognises that supporting existing and new businesses will assist local communities to prosper, provide skills development and help reduce the need for people to commute long distances to work. The policy approach is flexible enough to ensure that new appropriate proposals for rural local employment opportunities are also encouraged on non-allocated sites. It is paramount that the protection and enhancement of the Welsh language and culture in addition to the environment is achieved.

It is important that the existing stock of office and industrial employment premises is safeguarded. However, the Council recognises cases where current office and/or industrial premises are unsuited to an area and require relocation or are no longer viable financially.

To meet the employment land demands generated from predicted population change over the Plan period, Conwy needs to plan, monitor and review a requirement for 20.5 hectares of employment land with an additional contingency of 2 hectares (22.5 hectares in total) over the Plan period (Refer to BP/2) inclusive of employment constructed since 2007, sites undeveloped with planning permission and new allocations (refer to Table 7). The translation of jobs to land requirement ratio is detailed in BP/42 – ‘Employment Land Supply and Demand’. In line with BP/37 – ‘Growth Distribution Options Report’ 85% (17.5 hectares) of this employment land requirement is to be located in the Urban Development Strategy Area and 15% (3 hectares) in the Rural Development Strategy Area. This split of overall supply matches the distribution of contingency and housing sites providing for a holistic strategy approach.

The most recent assessment of commuting levels published by the Welsh Government in 2010 sets out that 7,200 people out-commute from Conwy to work, an increase on previous 2009 figures (figures are net). An objective of the Council is to reduce the level of out-commuting through the provision of economic growth. The provision of more jobs than housing could lead to a reduction in out-commuting, but overall the level of net outward commuting is unlikely to be reduced dramatically, due to the smaller and more rural nature of the Plan Area. Only larger urban areas have sufficient population and employment to provide the variety of jobs required to support relative self containment. Therefore, the distribution of employment land generated from out-commuting reduction is allocated within the strategic hub locations and in the accessible and sustainable location of Abergele.

As identified in BP/2 and BP/3, a further 1,800 jobs should be accommodated in the Plan to contribute to reducing out-commuting.

All allocations and their uses as set out in Policy EMP/2 are protected. The change of use from protected allocation to alternative employment or non-employment uses will not be permitted. Table 7 below details the employment land framework over the Plan period.

Table 7: Plan Area Employment Land Framework 2007 – 2022

Achieving and maintaining high levels of B1, B2 & B8 economic growth and employment is an important planning issue with implications, not only for the creation of sustainable employment opportunities, but also upon interrelated issues such as housing availability and infrastructure. Therefore, the intention is to ensure that economic opportunities are utilised to their full potential within the Plan Area.

The Plan recognises that B1, B2 & B8 employment land supply in Conwy cannot be considered in isolation from that in neighbouring authority areas, especially those locations that are strategically positioned along the A55 corridor. The Conwy LDP takes into account the levels of employment land availability, as well as the intensity and type of existing employment activity. In Denbighshire, the St Asaph Business Park is a large 47-hectare development consisting of large-scale office uses, Parc Menai and the Bryn Cegin estates in Gwynedd are also key employment sites. In addition, the Denbighshire LDP proposed the allocation of approximately 26 hectares of new employment land at Bodelwyddan. However, to meet the priority objectives of the Plan, in particular to reduce out-commuting levels, predicted population changes and promote a holistic growth strategy, new employment allocations are promoted within the Conwy Plan Area.

In meeting the required 20.5 hectares of employment land to contribute to predicted population change and the additional 15.5 hectares to contribute to out-commuting levels over the Plan period, the Council can also take account of employment completions (those built) and commitments (those with planning permission but not yet built) since 2007. The Council has already undertaken work to identify and classify this existing stock. The Employment Land Monitoring Report (refer to BP/13) sets out that there is already a significant land-bank of employment land. Table 8 below summarises the current position in terms of land supply. This gives the Council a clear idea of what land is freely available for development purposes prior to considering new employment allocations. Additionally, it is paramount to ensure that the right type of land use (B1, B2 & B8) is available at the right time over the Plan period as detailed in BP/13 and BP/42. Overall, in taking account of the completions and committed sites, the Council needs to allocate approximately 11 hectares of employment land within the Urban Development Strategy Area and 3 hectares within the Rural Development Strategy Area, predominantly for business (B1) use to meet predicted population change and contribute to reducing out-commuting. This takes into account that some 11.7 hectares have already been built since 2007 and 10.57 hectares have permission but not yet started as shown in Table 8 below, BP/13 and BP/42. Of this supply, none falls within the Rural Development Strategy Area.

The Council recognises that there may be occasions where the sites detailed in Table 8, or new allocations, do not come forward. To compensate for this possibility, the Plan has identified 3 hectares of land in the urban area and 0.5 hectares of land in the rural area as a contingency employment supply if required. Every opportunity has been taken to allocate land within the Strategic Hub locations. The release of the employment contingency land will be informed by the Implementation and Monitoring Plan, Phasing Plan and the Annual Monitoring Report.

Table 8: Employment Land Supply (2007 to date)

In addition to the above sources of supply and allocations, the Authority will also consider B1, B2 & B8 economic development proposals on non-allocated sites within or adjacent to the main built up areas within the Urban Development Strategy Area and the Tier 1 & 2 Main Villages subject to Policy EMP/3 and other policies within the Plan. Proposals for waste management facilities at such locations will be considered on their individual merits in line with Policies EMP/3 and MWS/6. A professional business plan, prepared by a qualified and independent advisor/surveyor, will be required to support a planning application under the policy, demonstrating the viability of the scheme and the employment benefits, including skills development. Proposals will not be supported where there are adverse impacts on the environment and amenity of the area. Proposals for new office and industrial development will be subject to meeting LDP4 – ‘Planning Obligations’ Supplementary Planning Guidance document, in particular for local skills development.

Supporting evidence is required to demonstrate that there are no alternative allocated or previously developed sites that could be utilised as an alternative to the use of greenfield sites. The Council will take full advantage of its Rural Business Asset Plan in brining back into use empty or derelict land and buildings for employment use within the Rural Development Strategy Area prior to considering new build developments on greenfield lands subject to Policy EMP/6 – ‘Re-use and Adaptation of Redundant Rural Buildings’.

Proposals will be subject to meeting Policy CTH/5 and Supplementary Planning Guidance LDP4.

There is significant pressure to allow alternative, higher value land uses on employment sites. If uncontrolled, this will reduce the scale, range and type of employment sites available within the Plan Area. Existing established office and industrial areas are shown on the Proposals Map as safeguarded areas. These existing and established office and industrial areas are vital to the current and future supply, where other forms of non office and industrial development will not be permitted in line with the policy. Proposals for changes of use between the B1, B2 & B8 use classes on existing designated land will be permitted subject to being acceptable in terms of the policy and other related Local Development Plan Policies. Policy EMP/4 does not relate to new employment allocations as detailed in EMP/2. In line with Policy EMP/2, new employment allocations are protected solely for the use that they were allocated in order to meet the strategic employment land requirement over the Plan period. The review and monitoring of the allocated and designated sites will form part of the Council’s annual Employment Land Monitoring Report.

Many waste management activities fall within the general industrial class in the Use Classes Order and can be considered to be a B1, B2 or B8 use. This is particularly the case given the increased move towards enclosing waste management activities in purpose-designed buildings. The North Wales Regional Waste Plan recommends that each Local Planning Authority assesses available industrial land for suitability for waste management operations. Proposals for waste management facilities at such locations will be considered on their individual merits.

In addition to the designated areas and proposed allocations, there are a significant number of smaller sites providing valuable office and industrial employment premises for local businesses, but are not specifically allocated or designated within the Plan. The Council will endeavour to ensure that these employment sites and buildings are treated as a valuable resource. The loss of such sites will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances under this policy. There may be cases where the site is unsuitable for B1, B2 & B8 employment purposes by virtue of its location and surroundings or comprehensive evidence demonstrates that the current office or industrial use is no longer viable. In such cases, the applicant must submit relevant financial information to support the case, plus evidence of the premises being marketed for a minimum of 12 months at a realistic price. A supporting statement should be submitted with the application which explains the extent of the marketing exercise and includes the agent’s view as to the commercial viability of the site. Applicants should take note of further detailed guidance to be produced as SPG, relating to satisfactory marketing exercises and producing supporting statements.

The Council recognises that it is sustainable to make better use of what we already have through improvement and refurbishment. There are many established industrial areas which have historically been developed on an ad-hoc basis. Whilst existing industrial sites are recognised as important safeguarded areas under Policy EMP/4 in terms of the benefits they provide for local employment, many of the areas have become outdated and unsuitable for modern processes, particularly in relation to poor environmental conditions, unsuitable premises and inadequate access and infrastructure. The sites covered by the policy provide opportunities for potential benefits in terms of environmental improvements/landscaping and improvements to the buildings and level of infrastructure provision. To be most effective such initiatives need to be undertaken as part of a comprehensive package looking at marketing/signage, the image of the estate, accessibility/public transport and the potential for rationalisation and partial redevelopment. Where appropriate, the expansion or relocation of businesses will be encouraged where Policy EMP/4 is satisfactorily met. The list is not comprehensive and opportunities will arise to improve other established employment areas.

Local Planning Authorities should adopt a positive approach to the conversion of rural buildings for business re-use (Planning Policy Wales). Where buildings are no longer required for their original use, predominantly agriculture, they can present a valuable opportunity to offer employment and support the rural economy and Welsh language and culture. In line with national guidance, re-use for employment use will always be the first priority over residential development. Potential new uses include business, tourism or recreation. Proposals for employment uses will be considered acceptable where all criteria are met under the policy. Further guidance is to be provided in LDP7 ‘Rural Conversions’ SPG.

A professional business plan, prepared by a qualified and independent advisor/surveyor, will be required to support a planning application under the policy, demonstrating the viability of the scheme and the employment benefits.

Tourism makes a vital contribution to the economy of the Plan Area. The Community Strategy – ‘One Conwy’ recognises that year-round tourist attractions are essential to the prosperity and well being of the area and the local economy. The main tourism accommodation focus lies in the traditional coastal holiday resorts. Principal attractions comprise the unique natural and built environmental assets of the Plan Area and the proximity to Snowdonia National Park. It is important not only to protect these traditional attractions and facilities and improve the overall quality of existing accommodation, but also to promote and support tourism in off-peak seasons whilst safeguarding environmental and heritage qualities. This section incorporates the necessary detailed policies to ensure that activities such as cycling, walking and environmental and heritage tourism are promoted and supported as part of a strategy that sustains the tourism industry and local communities. Development should also be in line with and take guidance from other local and national policy documents and strategies.

The natural and built environment assets are key factors in attracting tourists into the area and need to be effectively managed and protected. However, tourism in Conwy is currently experiencing a change in demand with a decline in traditional summer family holidaying and an increasing emphasis on a wider range of activities, not solely restricted to the traditional summer months. The three main growth areas are business tourism, marine activities and short activity and speciality breaks. These growth areas need quality accommodation and facilities to ensure that tourism continues to play an important role in the Plan Area.

The traditional coastal attractions and facilities offered by places such as Llandudno, Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Rhos-on-Sea, Towyn and Kinmel Bay remain important contributors to the economy but recent trends point towards the need for a more diverse tourism base. Venue Cymru in Llandudno has undergone expansion and contributes to the overall range and quality of business-based tourism facilities offered within the Plan Area. The opportunity exists to preserve and enhance these services through the provision of new facilities and the improvement in the quality of existing facilities. This will include improving the quality of holiday accommodation and enabling the provision of a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, with a preference towards the re-use of previously developed land.

The location of Foryd Harbour on the border between Kinmel Bay in Conwy and Rhyl in Denbighshire means its future use is in the hands of the two local authorities. This site will be safeguarded in the Development Plan for improved cycle and pedestrian links, with any future development and environmental safeguarding being carefully managed through a collaborative partnership approach.

There may be exceptional circumstances when larger tourism accommodation and attractions may be appropriate in the open countryside or other non-urban locations where they result in an all-year-round tourism facility and rural employment gain. However, development should not be at the expense of environmental quality or community interests. Well-designed schemes can often conserve or improve biodiversity and landscape quality but it is recognised that there can be negative impacts on the countryside which can lead to partial urbanisation. Therefore, Policy EMP/1 – ‘Meeting the B1, B2 & B8 Office and Industrial Employment Needs’ provides strict criteria for considering such proposals. Examples of schemes in the open countryside could include: eco-tourism, equestrian activities, mountain biking, canoeing, paint-balling and fishing as part of an integrated tourism facility. Examples of where major facilities may be acceptable in the open countryside are the former Dolgarrog Aluminium Works and Gwrych Castle, Abergele.

The demand for a wide range of year-round tourism facilities impacts on seasonality. The operation of different tourism businesses at different times requires a more flexible approach. The Council will support the development and adaptation of a range of tourism facilities to accommodate this changing demand where appropriate. In such cases a professional business plan, prepared by a qualified and independent advisor/surveyor, will be required to support a planning application under the policy, demonstrating the viability of the scheme and the employment benefits, including skills development.

The traditional summer visits for a period of one or two weeks is slowly in decline and the demand for shorter breaks is on the increase, however, this change should not be seen as a constraint. Tourism levels remain set to increase by 6% per year in the UK, a target which Welsh Government is committed to meet. One way in which this can be promoted is through the provision of a wider variety of all-year facilities in both rural and coastal locations such as water-based activities, the provision of activities/facilities for short breaks and day trips, and improved connections with neighbouring authority’s facilities.

Tourism can also thrive in the rural areas where market towns, for example, can be utilised in order to attract a higher proportion of visitors. Rural areas also have the potential to integrate business diversification with tourism and the Plan will support suitable schemes in appropriate locations complying with local and national guidance.

Other forms of visitor accommodation include, for example, bed and breakfast establishments and self-catering cottages and apartments. Whilst the latter provide a valuable form of accommodation, the nature, scale, and location of new accommodation needs to be assessed carefully, to ensure that they do not conflict with other Plan objectives and sustainability principles.

The settlements within the Urban Development Strategy Area are the preferred locations for new development in order that new facilities are accessible to visitors and that new accommodation is provided where visitors can access a range of services by a choice of travel modes.

Within the Rural Development Strategy Area proposals should first look to the re-use of existing buildings and extensions to existing businesses in order to protect the countryside from inappropriate development, in line with Strategic Policy TOU/1 and Policy DP/6 – ‘National Planning Policy and Guidance’. New-build attractions and serviced accommodation could however be permitted in certain areas of the countryside if there are no sequentially preferable sites or buildings. This will enable particular development that could help extend the tourism season, provide benefit to the local community and promote greater links with Snowdonia National Park. However, ‘new-build’ un-serviced accommodation will not be permitted in the open countryside to protect the area from private holiday homes being built across the Plan Area

Visitor pressures particularly can give rise to concerns in environmentally sensitive locations. Related national guidance, strategies and studies confirm that policy needs to recognise the more restricted capacity of these areas.

There are many existing buildings within the towns and villages which present opportunities for conversion to holiday accommodation, both serviced and self catering. In addition, there are many rural buildings becoming redundant due to modern farm practices. The conversion of such suitable buildings to holiday accommodation would contribute towards the diversification of the rural economy and contribute to the promotion of Welsh culture and, therefore, would be generally welcomed, in line with Policies EMP/6 – ‘Re-Use and Adaptation of Redundant Rural Buildings’, DP/6 – ‘National Planning Policy and Guidance’ and the Council’s occupancy conditions. For such developments an independent Business Plan should be submitted to support the planning application in line with Policy EMP/6.

The Council aims to ensure that any decline in the level of serviced holiday accommodation, by change to alternative uses, is properly controlled.

Hotel accommodation is an important aspect of a sustainable tourism economy. The development of new hotels can be of benefit where they are improving the quality of accommodation in a specific locality. It is also important that the loss of hotels is resisted. It is important to retain hotel accommodation in the Llandudno and Deganwy area, where possible, in order to retain its unique character, vitality and appeal to tourists.

A key vacant site partly within one of the Holiday Accommodation Zones is the site of the former Pier Pavilion on North Parade. Redevelopment of this site has been long-awaited, however, there are existing technical constraints for any new proposals such as listed structures/remains. The Council is supportive of the site being redeveloped for a use which enhances the serviced Holiday Accommodation Zone whilst retaining the historic importance of the site.

The level and density of serviced accommodation will be regularly monitored in the Holiday Accommodation Zones to ensure the correct area is protected as detailed in the Implementation and Monitoring section.

Static and touring caravan sites as well as chalets and camp sites are an important offer of holiday accommodation, which can be crucial to the success of the tourism economy. However such sites are often seen as being visually intrusive, which is particularly apparent in the main resort areas of Towyn and Kinmel Bay where a series of sites have merged and become prominent in the landscape. Similarly, past intensification of sites has visually affected a small number of rural locations. In some areas the cumulative impact of existing sites may be considered visually obtrusive and dominant in the landscape, therefore, the Council will encourage landscaping schemes to improve and screen sites as well as reducing density. The Plan will seek to ensure that future development is permitted only where the proposal would not result in an over concentration of similar uses in the locality and where there is significant enhancement to biodiversity in the area.

For clarity the term tourist ‘attraction’ refers to a recreation or leisure offer without accommodation, whilst sites that combine elements of both accommodation and attractions are defined as a tourism ‘facility’. Individual schemes of a high design quality where both attractions are combined with accommodation will be assessed on their own merits in line with the above policy and other policies within the Plan.

The amount of land given over to self-catering accommodation in the form of static caravans and chalets is excessive in the Urban Development Strategy Area. Therefore, the Council will continue with the long established policy of resisting proposals to develop further land for additional units in these areas. This problem of saturation does not apply in the more extensive rural area. However, such development, particularly static caravans, can be obtrusive in the landscape and damaging to the character of the rural area unless strictly controlled. Whilst recognising this strict control, the Council also believes that given the right location the development of small-scale groups of high quality, purpose built, holiday chalets can be acceptable in the rural area. However, development permitted under the policy must form part of an existing hotel/motel facility, working farm or an established tourist attraction, since this would assist in retaining the enterprise and be beneficial to the rural economy.

The replacement of static caravans with woodland-lodge style chalets/cabins will be permitted where it improves the impact on the landscape. However, as with all development, proposals for any accommodation will only be allowed after it has been demonstrated that there will be no adverse impact on the integrity of the natural environment, including Natura 2000 Sites, and that biodiversity benefits have been shown in line with Policy NTE/3.

In line with Policy DP/6 and TAN15 – ‘Development and Flood Risk’, extending the holiday season to sites that are highly vulnerable to flood risk, such as the existing self catering caravan and chalet parks in the Towyn and Kinmel Bay area, will be resisted to ensure safety and limit overall risk. The Council will need to be satisfied, following consultation with Natural Resources Wales, that there is no increased risk from flooding on the application site before it will grant planning permission to extend the holiday season. The Council must also first be convinced that the presence of extra caravan-based population will not jeopardise the safety interests of permanent residents, either in the aftermath of a major flooding event, or in the event of short-notice warnings to evacuate the area.

A protocol for development in this area has been formed between the Council and Natural Resources Wales and should be given regard as to new development in the eastern part of Urban Development Strategy Area.

The provision of social and community facilities is essential when considering new development proposals. Communities need good access to a wide range of services and facilities such as education, health and social care, open space and allotments, leisure and shopping in order to be sustainable. The provision of such facilities should be properly managed and incorporated into planning policies and regeneration plans.

An assessment of community infrastructure requirements in the Plan Area has been undertaken to establish the need for certain types of facilities over the Plan period - this evidence base is set out in the relevant Background Papers 15, 16, 19, 24, 25 and 32 on retailing, open space, education facilities, allotment provision and burial grounds. Land has been assessed and policies have been compiled to enable these needs to be met. This section of the LDP, therefore, includes the policies and allocations of land deemed necessary to ensure that existing community facilities and services are protected and the additional needs of communities can be met over the Plan period.

The provision of cultural and leisure facilities are particularly important in town centre destinations and should be retained. Any proposals creating, enhancing or resulting in a loss of such uses will be assessed against the Development Principles and other relevant Plan policies.

PPW at paragraph 10.2.1 states that local planning authorities should identify an existing hierarchy of centres and highlight any which fulfil specialist roles.

The categories within the retail hierarchy are based on those contained within PPW at paragraph 10.1.1. Detailed criteria relating to where each centre is positioned within the hierarchy has been formulated and provided in BP/16 – ‘Primary & Secondary Retail Areas & Hierarchy Study’.

New developments should be in keeping with the scale and function of the existing centres in order to create sustainable development patterns and to avoid any adverse effect on the other centres. Having regard to the position of the centre within the overall hierarchy is essential.

Individual planning applications relating to retail will be assessed on their own merit, in line with Policy DP/6 and on the basis of paragraphs 10.2.11 and section 10.3 of PPW. First preference will be given to developing sites within existing sub-regional and town centres, followed by edge-of-centre sites, and then district, local and village centres.

Llandudno’s role as the sub regional shopping centre attracts a large number of shoppers from the Plan Area and other neighbouring authorities. The LDP recognises the need to promote the retail function within Llandudno and Colwyn Bay whilst also supporting appropriate retail development in other centres in the hierarchy.

The second largest retail centre in the hierarchy, Colwyn Bay, will be enhanced in line with LDP10 – ‘Colwyn Bay Masterplan’ SPG and other associated regeneration proposals. To respond to declining economic conditions, the Council is actively working on the regeneration of the town centre and surrounding areas in line with Policy DP/8 – ‘Colwyn Bay Urban Regeneration Masterplan’. The Council and its partners will identify regeneration areas in the urban area of Colwyn Bay on the basis of its brownfield land redevelopment potential, economic and social need, and proximity to the Town Centre and sustainable transport links. The area presents unique qualities, opportunities and challenges, which are described in more detail in LDP10.

BP/15 - ‘Retail Study’ concludes that the town of Conwy is currently over-trading in respect of convenience retailing, which may be detrimental to residents’ choice and quality of retail experience. The Study suggests that there is benefit in the development of a retail outlet which provides top-up shopping facilities for residents on a day to day basis within the town centre. However, due to the historic nature of Conwy, this is more likely to be accommodated within the existing built fabric of the town, and the retention of the historic environment should take precedence over fulfilling identified convenience need.

The conclusions from BP/15 indicate that there is no need to allocate sites for retailing within the Plan period. Although the Retail Study does not recommend retail allocations in the LDP it does, nevertheless, state an element of need for additional comparison floor space in the Llandudno/Llandudno Junction area by 2015. This need is, however, already met by a number of existing commitments for comparison goods retailing on the retail parks in Llandudno. The position will be reviewed as part of the next retail study which commenced in 2011/12.

Shopping not only contributes to the vitality, attractiveness and viability of town centres, but provides benefits to the local economy and can complement the leisure and tourism objectives of this Plan. It is therefore vital to protect the retail core of the main shopping centres and oppose developments which harm or undermine this function.

Examination of the mixture of uses within BP/16 indicate that around 70% of units within the primary shopping areas of Llandudno and Colwyn Bay are currently class A1 use. The primary shopping areas are therefore intended primarily for A1 use, although other uses will be permitted where they comply with the policy.

While it is necessary to protect the retail function within town centres, it is also important to consider how long term vacancy rates could be avoided or reduced. The number of vacancies within town centres has increased rapidly due to the current economic climate. This is true also for the sub-regional centre of Llandudno, which has seen an increase in vacancy levels over recent years.

One way the planning system can assist the recovery of town centres is to enable greater flexibility where long term vacancies are becoming a problem. In such cases, where a change of use from A1 is requested, the applicant would need to provide evidence of marketing the premises for a six month period at a reasonable market rate to demonstrate that there is no longer demand for a class A1 use at that location. Normally, where such a criterion is applied, a 12 month period of marketing is requested, however the Council recognises the negative impact vacant shop fronts have in town centres and seeks to help reduce vacancies wherever possible.

The Council will also need to be satisfied that the proposed new use will comply with criterion b) of Policy CFS/3, and balance the need for reducing the number of vacant units whilst protecting the integrity of the primary shopping area. In particular, special care must be taken to prevent the clustering of uses which may be detrimental to the attractiveness of the centre.

Policy CFS/3 will be subject to annual monitoring and review to prevent over-concentrations of uses which are detrimental to the centre. The overall level of vacancies within centres will be monitored on an annual basis to determine whether there is a need to adjust the policy criterion from 6 months to 12 months.

Retail designations in previous adopted plans have been reviewed in the light of data collected over the previous ten years relating to changes of use and vacancy levels within shopping zones. Designated areas are proposed to protect the retail core of these areas.

Within the shopping zones, there is a presumption in favour of retaining class A1 uses, but it is recognised that other uses, in particular class A3 uses (such as cafes/restaurants), or commercial or service sector uses may be acceptable where this does not harm the vitality, attractiveness and viability of the centres. Indeed PPW at paragraph 10.2.4 states that planning policies should encourage a diversity of uses in centres. Particular attention, therefore, should be given to avoid the clustering of certain uses where these are detrimental to the attractiveness of the centre. Over recent years, problems have arisen with anti-social behaviour within certain town centres, this in most cases being associated with a high concentration of licensed premises such as pubs, clubs, bars and takeaways in a particular part of town, for example as on upper Mostyn Street, Llandudno which is an area containing both licensed and residential premises. Here the number of premises licensed to sell alcohol has increased from 7 premises in 2005 to 13 premises in 2011.

Planning proposals for the change of use to class A3 in such areas will need to be considered carefully against Policy CFS/4 and the Development Principles (in particular, policies DP/3 – ‘Promoting Design Quality and Reducing Crime’ and DP/4 – ‘Development Criteria’). The LPA will need to be satisfied that the proposal will not have a detrimental effect on the attractiveness of the centre arising from an over concentration of A3 uses, and/or cause unacceptable adverse impact on residential amenity, public safety, noise and crime. Relevant evidence supplied by other Council departments and external bodies such as the Police should also be taken into account where this forms a material planning consideration.

Mostyn Champneys Retail Park and Parc Llandudno are situated on the edge of Llandudno town centre and perform different retail functions to those which are typically found within town centres. Mostyn Champneys and Parc Llandudno Retail Parks consist of large format retail stores, ‘large format’ being stores which are typically 929 sqm (10,000 sq ft), or above, in size with associated car parking. In the case of Mostyn Champneys Retail Park, retailing is focused on the sale of bulky goods and in-bulk goods, whereas Parc Llandudno consists of large format retailers selling non-bulky goods. As stated in PPW at 10.3.12, the scale, type and location of such retail developments should not undermine the vitality, attractiveness and viability of town centres. Legal agreements are in place to restrict the change of use and subdivision of units at these locations.

District, local, village and rural facilities such as those mentioned in Policy CFS/6 play a vital role in sustaining smaller centres and reducing the need for residents to travel to meet everyday needs. In smaller villages they also play an important community function, supporting those who have difficulty travelling further afield and forming a hub to village life.

The Council will encourage the retention of such community facilities as advocated in TAN6 – ‘Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities’ para 5.1.3 where they provide an essential service to the locality and are economically viable. When considering proposals which involve the loss of such facilities, the Council will consider the impact of the loss on the local community, in terms of the availability, access to alternatives and social implications, including the impact on the viability of the village as a whole. Where such proposals are received, the applicant will need to demonstrate that the current use is no longer viable by supplying relevant financial information to support the case, plus evidence of the premises being marketed for a minimum of 6 months at a realistic price. A supporting statement should be submitted with the application which explains the extent of the marketing exercise and includes the agent’s view as to the commercial viability of the site. Applicants are encouraged to read the relevant sections contained within LDP7 – ‘Rural Conversions’ SPG for further detailed guidance on undertaking satisfactory marketing exercises and producing supporting statements.

Shop fronts are critical in forming the character and appearance of shopping frontages. The Council attaches considerable importance to suitably designed shop fronts, not only to preserve the character of buildings, but also to retain the overall attractiveness of streets and to maintain their commercial viability. Inappropriate developments can have a severe detrimental effect not only on the building but also the street scene, and the street’s trading potential.

Both customers and shopkeepers benefit if the environment of the street scene is enhanced by well-designed and maintained shop fronts. In villages it will be important to respect the existing street and village character, while in major shopping centres within the Urban Development Strategy Area the emphasis will be on creating and maintaining a quality and vibrant environment. It should be acknowledged that many shop fronts will be located within conservation areas. Reference in such cases should be made to Policy CTH/2 – ‘Development Affecting Heritage Assets’.

Allotment gardens can contribute to open space within the Plan Area. They have positive benefits not only for environmental sustainability but also for food production, wildlife and general amenity value. Allotments are an important community resource.

Planning permission will not be granted for the redevelopment of allotments simply because they have been allowed to fall out of use and become neglected. Development which would remove allotments from use altogether will only be allowed if it has been demonstrated that there is no need for the allotments or alternative provision has been made.

As detailed in BP/25 – ‘Allotment Site Demand and Supply Report’, there are 13 separate existing sites which provide in total 324 allotment plots in Conwy.

In locations where there is no publicly owned land to meet the needs of the community, the next best location in terms of sustainability has been allocated. Resulting from high constraints in Trefriw, those residents in need will be accommodated partly through allocation at Llanrwst, whilst some suitable land may also be available in the Snowdonia National Park Plan Area. Similarly, for those residents in need in Llandudno and Conwy, where sites are in short supply, the allocation in Llandudno Junction will help meet demand.

It is recognised that there is a need for allotments in other parts of the Plan Area and the Council are actively seeking suitable sites to meet the needs of communities. Suitability of such sites will be considered in accordance with the Development Principles.

Housing developments should, in the majority of cases, incorporate play and amenity spaces into a scheme or, where this is not feasible, make a financial contribution secured through a planning obligation made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Financial contributions will be accepted for residential developments of less than 30 dwellings. For residential developments of 30 or more dwellings, the Council will seek the provision of on-site children’s play facilities and a financial contribution to off-site outdoor sports space. Developments of 200 or more residential dwellings will normally be expected to provide all required outdoor sport and children’s playing space on-site. Further details on provision of open space and commuted sums can be found within LDP4 – ‘Planning Obligations’ SPG.

Recreation and open space is a key contributor to the overall quality of life of local people. A recent assessment of open space provision highlights a deficiency of outdoor sports, play space and in some areas, amenity space across the Plan Area. This amounts to a shortage of land for outdoor sports and for children’s play space.

As recognised within the Healthy Conwy Strategy 2008 – 2011, the benefits to health and well-being that parks and open spaces bring to communities include increased exercise levels, social interaction and greater opportunities for children’s play. One of the aims of the Conwy Children and Young People’s Plan is to encourage children and young people to make use of areas such as parks, open spaces, sports and outdoor leisure facilities. However, the deficiency of public open space could present an obstacle to achieving such aims.

In acknowledging the deficiency, in 2003 the Council adopted a Standard for open space provision (based on the former NPFA Standard). These standards were revised in 2008 by Fields in Trust (FIT) and added to the revised TAN16 on ‘Sport, Recreation and Open Space’ in early 2009. It is these revised standards that have been incorporated into the policy.

Additionally, in recognising the importance of providing and improving amenity open space, the policy also includes a standard of 0.6 hectares per 1,000 population for this purpose, split 0.3 ha for ‘major formal amenity’ and 0.3 ha ‘neighbourhood amenity’. This is the standard previously adopted in the Colwyn Borough Local Plan which will be reviewed when undertaking the Open Space Audit and Assessment. Major formal amenity open space includes areas such as parks, public gardens, nature reserves and commons. At a local level, for example within housing developments, it can be used to provide the necessary buffer zones around children’s play areas. The need to provide amenity open space as with other types of open space will be guided by the Open Space Audit and Assessment. Developments in areas that have an oversupply of certain types of open space may not need to provide additional space, however a qualitative assessment should be undertaken to determine both the quality and accessibility of open spaces in these locations when considering if a contribution is necessary.

In addition to the policy, the Council has published LDP4 – ‘Planning Obligations’ SPG in line with Policy DP/4 – ‘Development Criteria’ to provide guidance to developers on how the open space standard will be applied to new developments.

Open space surveys are undertaken by the Council on a biennial basis and provide information on the adequacy of open space provision within the larger settlements. The most recent study undertaken in 2010 shows that there are deficiencies with the provision of playing pitches, outdoor sports and / or play space in the following areas: Abergele, Deganwy, Glan Conwy, Greater Colwyn, Kinmel Bay, Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Llanfairfechan, Llanrwst, Llysfaen, Penmaenmawr, Penrhyn Bay, Penrhynside, and Towyn.

TAN16 suggests standards of space for playing pitches and outdoor sport as supported by FIT. These standards have been used in the most recent Open Space Assessment. However, it is acknowledged that TAN16 relates to other types of open space such as green corridors, civic spaces and amenity green space but due to the timing of publication of this TAN and the advanced stage of the LDP and supporting evidence base, it is considered appropriate to review the position once the Plan has been published for deposit as per advice in TAN16 (paragraph 2.29 refers to not delaying work on the LDP in the absence of a new Open Space Audit and Assessment).

It is, therefore, proposed that an Open Space Audit and Assessment will be undertaken to identify local needs, assess local provision and provision standards for accessibility and quality, and identify deficits/surpluses of open space in accordance with the latest version of TAN16. When completed, the Audit and Assessment will form part of the LDP evidence base and policies will be reviewed accordingly via mechanisms in the LDP adoption or review process.

The term ‘open space’ as referred to in Policy CFS/12 includes the following types as described in TAN16: public parks and gardens, outdoor sports facilities, amenity green space and provision for children and young people. Such areas are of great significance to the local communities in the Plan Area. This is not only for the sports and recreational opportunities they offer, but the impact open space has on the attractiveness of the built and natural environment. Therefore, existing open space should not be lost unless the open space assessment clearly demonstrates an over-provision of open space necessary for the community’s requirements. In such cases, developers will also need to demonstrate how their proposals will bring about significant benefits for those communities which will be losing the open space, such as provision of a satisfactory level of affordable housing, neighbourhood shops or other leisure facilities as and where appropriate.

If there is an under provision of open space in the community, the developer will need to provide an acceptable alternative site within the vicinity of the development, or within the same town or community council area. Any alternative site should be equivalent to, or better than, that taken by development and be easily accessible to the local community by sustainable transport modes.

The Open Space Assessment, undertaken in December 2010, shows deficits in open space provision across the Plan Area. The above sites have been allocated to address deficits in current provision and reflect agreement and on-going deliverability discussions with landowners and developers. The playing field extension in Abergele is not additional provision, but replacement provision for the section of playing field that will be allocated for the housing allocation. Additional land for open space in Abergele will be provided as part of the total land allocation for housing.

To meet the need for burial capacity in the Llanrwst and Abergele areas, the Council has undertaken work to identify suitable locations for either extensions to existing cemeteries, or new burial grounds. BP/32 – ‘Burial Grounds Demand and Supply Report’ gives more detail on work undertaken to date. In relation to Llanrwst, the existing capacity at the Cae Melwr cemetery will have reached its capacity by the end of 2013; therefore an extension to the existing cemetery is being created. Land adjacent to Penmaenmawr cemetery is also allocated in order to safeguard this site for future use, though it will not be required during the Plan period. Need also exists in Abergele and the Council are working with the local Burial Board and Town Council to seek suitable land to accommodate this need.

The Welsh Government recognises the need to invest in schools for the future, and requires the Council to have in place a clear strategy across all schools. The Council embarked on the Primary School Modernisation Project (PSMP) 3 years ago. The strategy and implementation plan was formally adopted by the Council in October 2010.

Further consultation meetings will now take place within the banding as noted in the implementation plan. These formal consultation meetings will be staggered over a number of years. The responses from each formal consultation meeting will be presented to the Council who will consider them in deciding which option to progress and implement for each area/school. No new allocations for Educational Establishments can be decided until this process has been completed for individual schools or areas.

The results of the next phase of the PSMP are currently unknown, therefore, all options are still open, which could mean, status quo, amalgamation, area school on existing site, area school on new site, area school on multiple sites, or refurbishment of existing school. However, the Council will review its approach following the finalisation of the Conwy Primary School Modernisation Project in line with BP/24 – ‘Conwy Primary School Modernisation Report’. New schools will be supported subject to meeting other relevant policies within the Plan.

The Plan Area benefits from attractive rural and coastal attributes which support a thriving tourism industry and provide a valuable leisure and recreation resource for residents. Policies in this section aim to protect and enhance the character of the countryside, landscape, built environment and the rich biodiversity and geological assets.

The countryside also supports a healthy agricultural economy and Government policy states that the location of the best and most versatile agricultural land should be taken into account alongside other sustainability considerations when determining planning applications.

As well as protecting the local environment, new development must also seek to limit the impact on the global environment by minimising resource use, increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. The Spatial Strategy and sequential approach to its assessment directs development to be located in settlements that provide a range of services and facilities, reducing the need to travel (and therefore carbon emissions). Other policies in this section seek to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and increase production of renewable energy. There is also a need to ensure that development does not make wildlife and habitats more susceptible to loss through climate change and that they can adapt to future climate changes.

Much of the coastal area, particularly in the Urban Development Strategy Area, is at risk from flooding and there is a need to prevent inappropriate development in areas at risk. This risk is likely to increase in the future as a result of climate change and a rise in sea level. A restrictive approach is therefore applied to new development in areas at risk in line with Policy DP/6 – ‘National Planning Policy and Guidance’. Appropriate surface water drainage arrangements, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems, will be required to help control surface water flooding as set out in this section.

The open countryside consists of all areas outside defined settlement boundaries. National guidance seeks to conserve and, where possible, enhance the countryside for the sake of its ecological, geological, physiographic, historical, archaeological and agricultural value. The open coastline is important to amenity, wildlife and recreation. The Great Orme is designated as Heritage Coast because its limestone cliffs and grassland are recognised as being among the nation’s finest coastal scenery. The marine leisure industry and sea defence works both place pressure upon the coast. Such developments need to be sympathetic to the ecology and appearance of the coast. Likewise, some areas are likely to flood and development needs to be sited away from high risk areas.

Paragraph 4.9.1 of Planning Policy Wales protects, where possible, the best quality agricultural land as this is a finite resource. There is no Grade 1 agricultural land within the Plan Area, although there are areas of Grade 2 and Grade 3a land in coastal areas. The Council will seek to minimise the loss of Grade 2 and Grade 3a land to new development although some may be necessary to ensure the housing targets are met. Planning applications affecting this issue will be subject to meeting the requirements of Policy DP/6.

The quality and variety of the environment in the Plan Area is reflected in the number of sites of international and national importance. National policies seek to protect, and in some cases enhance designated areas of the countryside and coast, biodiversity rich areas, habitats of local importance, agricultural land and the urban environment. Planning applications that are likely to impact on these areas will be subjected to Policy DP/6.

The Plan Area contains diverse, high quality landscapes and areas of visual quality from the open moor land of Hiraethog to locally significant spaces around towns and villages. The western boundary of the Plan Area adjoins the Snowdonia National Park. Although the National Park Authority decides planning applications within its area, CCBC is the planning authority for adjoining areas which could affect the Park’s setting. In these areas, the Environment Act 1995 requires the Council to have regard to the purposes for which the National Park was designated.

Paragraph 5.2.8 of Planning Policy Wales promotes approaches to development which enhance biodiversity, prevent biodiversity losses, or compensating for unavoidable damage.

There are two Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and seven Special Areas of Conversation (SACs) which lie partly, or totally, within the Plan Area. SPAs and SACs are of international importance and consequently the European Directives and national policies afford them very high protection covered by DP/6. They are shown on the Key Diagram, assessed through the Habitats Regulations within BP/11 and listed in table 9 below:

Table 9: European sites within and adjacent to the Plan Area

Paragraphs 5.3.8 and 5.3.11 of Planning Policy Wales also protect biodiversity on sites of national importance (for example, Sites of Special Scientific Interest). Sites of local importance (such as Local Nature Reserves and Wildlife Sites) are not protected through national policies, but will be recognised in the LDP due to their local importance. Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) LDP5 – ‘Biodiversity in Planning’ provides further information on this topic.

Urban areas also contribute to biodiversity. The Plan Area has over 400 hectares of urban green spaces, such as parks, sports pitches and road verges. These sites provide habitats and can act as wildlife corridors to allow species to travel between sites. They are also important in terms of amenity, recreation and wellbeing.

The Local Planning Authority, Countryside Council for Wales and the North Wales Wildlife Trust have identified a network of sites of local importance for biodiversity which are considered as candidate ‘Wildlife Sites’. These sites, together with the nationally protected sites, form a habitat network which provides the foundation of the biodiversity resource in the Plan Area. Since a full evaluation of the entire candidate Wildlife Sites has not been carried out to date, their biodiversity value will be evaluated on a site by site basis when development proposals come forward in these locations.

Geodiversity relates to geological and geomorphological features. Such features include the Little Orme, which hosts a limestone pavement, and Llanddulas caves. Some sites have statutory protection such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In addition, Regionally Important Geological Sites are designated by regional groups on the basis of their scientific, educational, historic and aesthetic value. Planning applications that are likely to impact on these areas will be subjected to Policy DP/6.

Together these sites discussed above represent a strategic framework for the conservation of biodiversity and geodiversity. These sites include the statutorily protected international (Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas) and national (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and locally protected Local Nature Reserves and County Wildlife Sites and RIG sites.

Trees and woodlands create and link habitats, contribute to landscape character and are increasingly managed as a renewable source of energy. The UK is one of the least wooded places in Europe. Only 12 per cent of the UK and 14 percent of Wales is woodland, compared to an average of 44 percent in other parts of Europe. Ancient and semi-natural woodlands, in particular, are protected through Planning Policy Wales as irreplaceable habitats. Retaining existing trees, and planting and maintaining new trees, within new developments contribute to visual amenity and biodiversity. SPG documents on both Biodiversity and Design provide information on biodiversity, integration, planting, maintenance, legislation, surveys and sustainable requirements of development. Planning applications that are likely to impact on trees or woodland will be subjected to Policy DP/6.

Within the Plan Area, green wedges safeguard the undeveloped coast and countryside and prevent settlements from merging. A review of green wedge designations has taken place to inform this LDP as set out in BP/12 – ‘Green Wedge Assessment’. The designated green wedges are shown on the proposals map.

To meet the levels of development required to meet the needs of the community and tackle the key issues impacting on Conwy, the Council has to assess which areas of land are most suitable for development. As the amount of Conwy’s brown-field land is low, the Council will inevitably need to allocate new development on the periphery of settlements. The review of the Green Wedges has assessed which areas are the least damaging to the open countryside, existing settlement and landscape.

The Council is committed to the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and will work with partners to ensure a proactive approach to the protection, enhancement and management of biodiversity in support of the Conwy Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). Whilst the need for development will be carefully considered against its impact on biodiversity, opportunities can arise through sensitively located and carefully designed developments. Change can bring about new opportunities where the use of conditions and Section 106 agreements can be used to create new habitats and manage existing ones.

Policy NTE/3 also applies to the potential impact of the development allocations made in this LDP and proposed development on Natura 2000 sites. BP/11 – ‘The Habitats Regulations Appraisal Screening Report’ sets out that all allocations within the plan are not likely to have a significant impact on Natura 2000 sites. Development will be permitted where it improves the appearance, biodiversity and landscaping of the site. Development proposals will only be allowed after it has been demonstrated that there will be no adverse impact on the integrity of the Natura 2000 Sites in accordance with Policy DP/6. The integration of biodiversity within new developments is an important part of sustainable development.

‘Protected species’ are those species of plants and animals which are afforded legal protection, for example, under the European Union Birds Directive and Habitats Directive (these “European Protected Species” are the highest priority requiring protection), or under Schedules 1, 5 and 8 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Priority species or habitats are those defined in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) or the Conwy LBAP.

Policy NTE/3 supports species protection legislation and Local Biodiversity Action Plan targets, and ensures that any harm to a species or habitat is weighed against the benefit of a development proposal. The judgement will be made on the basis of the expected effect on the species, the local, national or international significance of the population of the species, and its abundance, rate of decline or degree of threat.

As is detailed in the Development Principles section and, in particular, Policy DP/3 – ‘Promoting Design Quality and Reducing Crime’, when considering development proposals it is important to first afford priority to the maintenance and enhancement of existing habitats and species. The creation of compensatory habitat of species or habitats should only be considered as a measure of last resort. Where a species is affected mitigation and compensation measures should facilitate the survival of a species’ population, reduce disturbance to a minimum and provide adequate habitats to sustain at least the current level of a population.

Mitigation may include the provision of specific measures to reduce disturbance, harm or potential impacts, provision of adequate alternative habitats to sustain, and where possible enhance, the affected population, or facilitate the survival of individual members of the species. Such measures may be required through Section 106 agreements or planning conditions.

Policy NTE/3 also applies to the effects of development on people’s opportunity to enjoy and experience nature on a site. Development on or adjacent to an important site can have an adverse impact upon people’s enjoyment of the site’s biodiversity and landscape value, for example, through intrusive visual features, restrictions on access or a significant increase in noise levels.

Opportunities should be taken to achieve positive gain through the form and design of development. Where appropriate, measures may include creating, enhancing and managing wildlife habitats and natural landscape which could form the basis for a management agreement with the Council. Changes to the built environment should be viewed as an opportunity to fully integrate biodiversity within new development through innovation. Priority should be given to sites which offer habitat creation or linking which assists in achieving targets in the Conwy Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP).

Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 places a duty on all local authorities and other public authorities in England and Wales to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in exercising their functions (biodiversity duty).

WG guidance on how LAs should comply with the biodiversity duty in the development control process states that key elements are screening development proposals for potential effects on biodiversity and seeking planning conditions and obligations to achieve biodiversity conservation. Further guidance is available in LDP5 – ‘Biodiversity in Planning’ SPG.

Paragraph 5.5.11 of Planning Policy Wales addresses the planning issues and in some cases, it may also be necessary for developers to obtain licences from the relevant authorities. The Council will work with developers to protect and enhance habitat for protected species and subject planning applications to Policy DP/6.

The visual character of the landscapes, seascapes and townscapes in the Plan Area, and the separation of settlements, both within and outside of designated areas, is highly valued by residents and visitors. High priority is given to the protection, conservation and enhancement of this landscape character and new development should be well-designed and help sustain and/or create landscapes and townscapes with a strong sense of place and local identity.

The purpose of the designation is to ensure that the local character of these areas is not altered by inappropriate forms of development and that features which contribute to local distinctiveness are preserved. Poorly designed or sited development will be resisted. The design and materials used in the construction of that which is permitted should have regard to the local vernacular, and the siting and form of development should be such as to integrate with the landscape in a manner that is consistent with development which already exists. Guidance should be taken from LDP9 – ‘Design’ and LDP1 – ‘Householder Design Guide’ SPG.

LANDMAP, prepared by the Countryside Council for Wales, has been used to identify and describe distinctive Special Landscape Areas throughout the Plan Area. It incorporates details and values on habitat, historic, geological and cultural landscape qualitative. This information should be used, along with other studies that provide part of the evidence base about the landscape and the character of towns and villages in the Plan Area, to ensure that development proposals reflect the distinctiveness, qualities and sensitivities of the area.

Land falling outside of the SLAs is not instantly rendered suitable for development as there are other considerations and designations that could apply. LANDMAP may still also be relevant depending on layer coverage as most of the Plan Area is covered by at least one high value layer. A Landscape Character Statement will be required for all development outside of the settlement boundaries and outside of the SLAs, both defined on the proposals maps, and all development over 15 dwellings or 0.5 hectares inside the settlement boundaries.

A Landscape Character Statements can be incorporated in the Design and Access Statement where one is required or form a separate document. A Natural Environment SPG will be produced to provide further guidance on completion of a Landscape Character Statement.

The integration of development with the landscape should also have regard to landscape elements, such as walls, trees or hedgerows which are important to landscape character and should be retained. Development which is incapable of being sensitively and unobtrusively integrated into the landscape, and which would be detrimental to landscape character, will not be permitted. In certain cases, the proposed development may benefit from being landscaped, in a manner which is in keeping with the locality, to minimise its impact.

The need to control development along coastlines is important for environmental and economic reasons. Coastlines warrant special protection as they are often sensitive to development due to their open character and they also provide habitats for certain species of plants, mammals and birds. In addition, development should not interfere with natural coastal processes such as erosion and deposition. TAN14 states that “it is for each LPA to consider and define the most appropriate coastal zone in its area”. From an economic point of view, the coast can be an important tourist and leisure attraction. Employment opportunities can be provided from other coast related activities such as fishing and marinas. Coastal areas may also be susceptible to flooding and, therefore, there may be a need to carry out defence works to protect areas from such risks.

A high proportion of Conwy’s coastline is protected from flood risk although breaching from the sea is a continual risk. Large areas of Conwy’s eastern coastline have previously been breached and the central Bay of Colwyn has suffered undermining to the seafront and storm damage, although further defence work began in 2011. To the west, Llanfairfechan seafront has also suffered from over-topping. TAN14 states that “Planning Authorities need to be aware of coastal issues on two scales; the site and its immediate environs and in terms of the wider setting”.

The undeveloped coast will be protected as it will rarely be the most appropriate location for new development. The developed coast, by contrast, may provide opportunities for restructuring and regenerating existing urban areas. Where new development requires a coastal location, the developed coast will normally provide the best option, provided that due regard is paid to the risks of erosion, flooding or land instability. The LDP will also offer opportunities for safeguarding land and routes for Emergency Planning scenarios.

Much of the coastal land resource in the Plan Area has already been developed, with the main centres of the population in the Plan Area located on the coast. The remaining undeveloped coast is considered to be one of Conwy’s major environmental assets.

The coastline of Conwy is a significant factor in attracting visitors to the area. Due to the role which tourism and recreation plays in the local economy it is important to maintain and enhance the attractiveness of the area through the development of improved facilities.

The Spatial Strategy, in the location of new development, is designed to minimise the need to travel, especially by car, thereby reducing carbon emissions. The design of new development is also important, as energy use in buildings accounted for nearly half of UK carbon dioxide emissions in 2004 and more than a quarter of these came from the energy used to heat, light, and power homes.

Climate change will have major implications on the UK’s environment and could result in more extreme weather events, including hotter and drier summers, flooding and rising sea levels leading to coastal realignment. This has severe consequences for the Plan Area, which is subject to large areas at risk of flooding.

The Council is seeking to ensure that all new development contributes towards sustainable principles and reduces or minimises carbon emissions, is resilient to future implications of climate change and protects residents from the effects of fuel poverty. New dwellings are likely to comprise the majority of new development in the Plan Area and the Code for Sustainable Homes is a national standard used to assess the sustainability of new dwellings. Particular Code for Sustainable Homes ratings should be met in order to ensure that the housing requirement is provided in a sustainable manner. The Code looks at dwellings in a holistic way and certain standards in terms of water consumption, environmental impact of materials used, provision of outside space, and protection of existing ecological features need to be met to reach a particular 'level'.

The policies in this section seek to achieve greater efficiency in the use of natural resources, minimise energy demand and increase the use of renewable resources. This should reduce the running costs of buildings and create attractive and healthy places for people to live and work by the use of natural light and ventilation. When looking at re-use of previously developed land, developers should seek to renovate existing buildings where appropriate rather than demolition and rebuilding. Recovered building materials should also be used where possible. This will reduce energy used in construction and will also contribute to protecting the built heritage.

Sustainable Development is at the heart of the Conwy LDP and the Council is seeking to create communities that use natural resources sustainably. Efficient use of natural resources, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, is one of the main means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the impact of climate change. The planning system affects the use of natural resources, including energy and minerals, and how we use and manage waste. By responsible and efficient use, we can minimise the impacts to the environment, whilst ensuring sustainable availability for future generations.

Planning Policy Wales seeks for Local Planning Authorities to integrate energy efficiency and conservation objectives into the planning and design of new development in their areas. There is an increasing need to reduce the amount of carbon released. Local materials with a low embodied energy will be favoured. Renewable energy schemes will be encouraged where appropriate but the best way of meeting these aspirational targets in this Borough is through encouraging the use of on-site renewable energy sources. Given the likely scale of new development in Conwy over the Plan period within the urban coastal belt areas, the potential contribution from this source is considerable. It could take various forms including localised wind generators, solar panels or photo-voltaic cells incorporated into buildings. Developments that are sustainably designed and constructed can provide local renewable energy sources, use less energy, minimise heat loss, use less water, optimise natural light, facilitate better recycling, provide sustainable urban drainage systems and use recycled construction materials.

The 2008 Act enables local planning authorities in England and Wales to set requirements for energy use and energy efficiency in their development plans. It gives local authorities the power to include in their development plan policies that impose reasonable requirements for:

• A proportion of energy used in development in their area to be energy from renewable sources in the locality of the development;
• A proportion of energy used in development in their area to be low carbon energy from sources in the locality of the development and;
• Development in their area to comply with energy efficiency standards that exceed the energy requirements of building regulations.
  

In July 2008 the Welsh Government issued a ‘Planning for Climate Change’ consultation paper seeking comments on possible changes to national planning policy including the following areas:

• The use of sustainable building standards to drive up the sustainability of buildings in Wales;
• A requirement that in future major development in Wales should incorporate on-site and/or near-site decentralised and renewable or low-carbon energy equipment contributing at least an additional 10% reduction in CO2 emissions, and;
• The ability for Local Planning Authorities to set higher standards in the above areas in their LDPs for strategic sites.
  

The Welsh Government has adopted the Code for Sustainable Homes to support its zero carbon aspirations. The code replaces the Ecohomes standard and applies to all new housing promoted or supported by the Welsh Government or Welsh Government Sponsored Bodies (WGSBs). Assessment of proposed developments will be expected to be submitted as part of planning application proposals.

The Code measures the sustainability of a new home against categories of sustainable design, rating the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. The Code uses a 1 to 6 star rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a new home. The Code sets minimum standards for energy and water use at each level.

The Code also gives new homebuyers better information about the environmental impact of their new home and its potential running costs, and offers builders a tool with which to differentiate themselves in sustainability terms.

From 1 May 2008 a minimum of Code Level 3 will be required for all new housing promoted or supported by the Welsh Government whether:

• Directly procured; 
• The subject of financial support; 
• Joint ventures or;
• Projects on land sold, leased or disposed of in any other way for development.
  

It also applies to all new housing on land improved or reclaimed with the Welsh Government or WGSB funding that is still subject to financial clawback.

Registered social landlords are also being invited to identify schemes within their work programmes. This is part of a pilot that aims to develop projects to meet the requirements of higher Code Levels, namely Code Levels 4 and 5. Housing developments promoted or supported by the Welsh Government will follow this approach.

The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is still a requirement for non residential developments promoted or supported by the Welsh Government.

Planning Policy Wales requires local planning authorities to carry out local Renewable Energy Assessments (REA) to establish levels of energy use, explore options for renewable energy and identify strategic sites and their potential within the LDP Plan Area. Guidance documents were published by the Welsh Government as the Revised LDP was being finalised for consultation. However, the Council is committed to producing an REA and incorporating the results into the LDP during future review opportunities. The Council has also signed up to the European Covenant of Mayors and the Pathways to Zero Carbon project (PTOC). The collection of initial baseline information will inform both the PTOC project and the REA. The team producing the REA will work in collaboration with the team producing the PTOC, and the land use implications arising will be integrated into the LDP by means of early review.

The approach taken in Policy NTE/6 will be reviewed in light of new Government Guidance in line with Policy DP/6.

The Welsh Government is committed to delivering an energy programme to reduce carbon emissions. Its target of 1,120 MW of wind-generated electricity will mainly be generated from larger wind farms, located in seven Strategic Search Areas (SSAs). One of these, in Clocaenog Forest straddling the boundary of the Plan Area and the county of Denbighshire, could potentially generate around 280MW (per The WG Energy Policy Statement 2010). The precise boundary of the SSA will be shown on the Proposals Map. This line indicates the outer limit of the SSA boundary as shown on the TAN8 map. Supplementary Planning Guidance for onshore wind turbine development is being developed with Denbighshire County Council and should be given regard when considering all types of wind turbine development. An additional guidance document for developers has also been prepared and offers pre-application guidance and checklist.

National policies also encourage smaller, community-based wind farm schemes, typically of less than 5MW, as well as other forms of renewable energy, such as biomass, geothermal and CHP where their effects are considered acceptable. Stand alone renewable energy projects that are sympathetic to landscape character and local amenity will also be supported.

Policy NTE/7 is designed to promote wind turbine development in the right locations at the appropriate scales in the context of targets proposed by the Welsh Government for power generated by onshore wind. Larger developments should be concentrated in the Clocaenog SSA as identified in TAN8. The Council also wish to promote the use of the Clocaenog Statement of Environmental Master Planning Principles (SEMP), developed by the RSPB in conjunction with Denbighshire and Conwy local planning authorities, CCW and the North Wales Wildlife Trust. This establishes a cross-boundary approach to land management in order to maintain, improve or create habitats affected by large scale wind turbine development.

These are the combined impacts as a result of the development with other existing and planned development. In assessing cumulative landscape and visual impacts, the scale and pattern of the turbines including ancillary development will be relevant considerations. It will also be necessary to consider the significance of the landscape and the views, proximity and inter-visibility, and the sensitivity of visual receptors. There may also be cumulative environmental and/or social impacts.

Community benefit is referred to in TAN8 and may go some way to ameliorate the community consequences of impacts in which the landscape and other depreciation of the quality of life may be compensated. It falls to be negotiated with developers but is not a mandatory requirement or a material consideration in the determination of planning merits and should not be viewed as a means to overcome fundamental planning objections to a particular development. There is no entitlement to site a wind farm development in a particular location or to gain from a developer doing so but community benefits may reasonably be regarded as:

1. Promoting good neighbour relations;
2. Offering compensation for community disbenefits;
3. Sharing the rewards with local communities.

Community benefit may fall within a number of categories (e.g. social, economic, environmental, ecological or educational benefits) and contributions may take a number of forms such as:

1. Community funds: regular or one-off sums to a community fund which is agreed at application stage or before;
2. Benefits in kind: infrastructure, environment, education or facility improvements agreed with the LPA and Community at application stage or before;
3. Local Ownership: shares in the project or operating company are offered to local residents either using their own investment, profit-sharing or part-ownership schemes designed to tie community benefits to wind farm performance;
4. Local contracting and management:  the use of local employment during construction and operation of the wind farm.

The LPA will seek to negotiate Community Benefits in respect of wind farm development as a means to off-set or compensate for community impacts.

The impacts of wind farms on local communities, including cumulative impacts, need to be considered when determining proposals including those within the SSA. The focus of Environmental Impact Assessment tends to be on environmental impacts particularly on landscape, habitats and species rather than impacts on human communities. In order to determine whether or not there is an unacceptable impact on people and communities (including aesthetic and other changes to the environment) developers should consider the impacts of proposals on local populations including the assessment of local economy, health and well being. This should include consultation with affected communities and identify measures to mitigate, remediate and/or compensate for negative impacts.

The use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to manage water flows can be an important tool in minimising flood risk by increasing permeable surfaces in an area which allows water to seep into the ground rather than running off into the drainage system and reduces the impact of diffuse pollution from run-off and flooding. The effective use of permeable surfaces, soakaways and water storage areas should be incorporated in all new development where technically possible. Early consideration of SuDS is required in order that a range of techniques can be considered and developers are encouraged to enter into early discussions with the Council.

It is preferable to manage surface water runoff through the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) as they provide environmental, biodiversity and aesthetic benefits. SuDS may take the form of swales, lagoons, permeable paving, green roofs and sensitively re-engineered channels or reed beds, depending on the nature of the development and the area.

When the Sustainable Drainage section of the Flood and Water Management Act is commenced, developers will require permission from the SuDS Approval Board (SAB). This will usually be a joint application alongside the planning process. It will therefore be necessary for drainage schemes to be put in place from the start of the design process and detailed in the DAS. Drainage design will be approved by the SAB and details of the required maintenance will also be needed as the SAB will be responsible for adopting SuDS which are constructed in accordance with the approved design (except for SuDS serving a single property). The SAB is the responsibility of the Lead Local Flood Authority but it is possible that a number of authorities will combine (to produce a North Wales SAB for example). National guidance is currently being prepared and will be considered under DP/6. The Water Framework Directive should also be referred to for considering any development which may have an impact on a river, lake or estuary. This assessment should be included in the DAS or Biodiversity Statement.

Development in the countryside, normally being development for agricultural purposes, including slurry from large agricultural installations, may be unacceptable if untreated effluent could enter local watercourses and the wider water environment. It will, therefore, be essential for such developments to provide plant which will treat their effluent if connection to the public sewer is not feasible. The policy makes it clear that the Council will not give planning permission for any development where it may prejudice the quality of ground or surface water, watercourses or sites of biodiversity importance unless measures are undertaken to mitigate the harm.

Where petrol, chemical or oil tanks or other facilities form part of a proposed development, the Council will normally require them to be contained by bund walls of sufficient size to prevent spillage or seepage.

There are a number of ways water conservation can be achieved, such as water saving devices, rainwater harvesting and grey-water recycling, and the policy offers a degree of flexibility on the exact methods used. Large developments or the cumulative impact of smaller developments, incorporating such measures could, by reducing surface water run-off, have the potential to reduce levels of water courses and water tables, and thereby have an impact on biodiversity. A balance must be achieved between management of water recycling and ensuring no adverse impact on the water environment and biodiversity.

Historic areas play a key role in fulfilling the objectives of the Local Development Plan (LDP), whether they form commercial or shopping centres, visitor attractions, or attractive and interesting places to live. The Council is keen to ensure that such assets are protected from inappropriate development, and will take the opportunity to enhance historic areas and buildings where this is needed.

Laws and detailed national planning policy and guidance specifically concerning the protection of the historic environment and sites of archaeological importance apply, however the importance of adopting a holistic view to the protection of heritage assets should not be underestimated. Heritage assets such as historic landscapes, parks and gardens and buildings and structures of local importance do not benefit from statutory designation, although these contribute significantly to the interest and distinctive character of a place.

This LDP, therefore, includes strategic level policies relating to development and historical assets with details and management proposals to suit the characteristics and meet the challenges of each individual area provided within supplementary planning guidance.

The Welsh language is an important part of the fabric of local communities. The Council is committed to protecting this and encouraging development which supports and sustains the long term well-being of the Welsh language.

Background papers BP/28 – ‘Historic Environment’ and BP/33 – ‘Welsh Language Impact Assessment’ provide more information on the prevalent issues.

There are 25 conservation areas designated within the Plan Area. The designations have been derived locally, and each conservation area is unique in character. The management of conservation areas has historically been provided by a set of over-arching policies that apply to all conservation areas. The approach adopted in this plan is to produce SPGs for particular themes or issues that are common to most, if not all, conservation areas and also formulate SPGs covering all conservation areas (based on the Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans) to proactively manage and guide development proposals.

Pressures for change within the majority of conservation areas in the Plan Area have been steadily mounting, with the special character and distinctiveness of many areas being significantly adversely affected by small-scale changes to many properties and larger scale alterations. In particular, installation of UPVC windows, doors, fascias and rainwater goods has had a negative impact on the character of a number of conservation areas. This is an example of problematic issues common to most conservation areas where additional guidance will be provided through an SPG.

Over recent years, pressure for development in low-density conservation areas has led to an increasing number of applications for demolition, redevelopment, infilling and backland development. Although national planning policy encourages prudent use of land with preference for the development of brownfield land within existing settlements, the character of low-density conservation areas, for example Pen y Cae, Penmaenmawr and Pwllycrochan, Colwyn Bay, should not be eroded. High density development, which is inconsistent with the built form of such areas, harms their character and there shall be a presumption against such development.

Where development or demolition proposals affect buildings or structures which contribute in a neutral or positive manner towards the special architectural and historic character of a conservation area there will be a presumption in favour of only those proposals that preserve or, if possible, enhance the character of the designated area. Where the character of conservation areas has been adversely affected by inappropriate changes and developments are proposed, the Council will seek to enhance rather than preserve the existing character by, for instance, the restoration of historic development and features.

Conwy castle (including the town walls) is a World Heritage Site. This designation highlights the international importance of the site. The Plan will advance proposals and guidance which reflect the pre-eminence of the designation together with the town’s conservation area. UNESCO requires the preparation of a management plan to guide development affecting World Heritage Sites. A draft management plan has been prepared which includes a buffer zone intended to protect the setting of Conwy World Heritage Site. The Council will also consider the wider setting of the World Heritage Site which extends beyond the setting as shown on the proposals map, in line with Policy CTH/2. In addition to this management plan the Council will prepare proposals for the conservation area designation of Conwy town that will be framed within a World Heritage Site and Conservation Area Management Plan. An SPG will then be formulated from these documents.

The inclusion of parks and gardens in the Cadw/ICOMOS Register does not confer any extra statutory controls. New development which is proposed within or affecting the setting of a registered historic park and garden should not harm its special interest. Enabling development proposals within historic landscapes, parks and gardens should be systematically assessed to ensure that the special character of these assets are preserved. Development proposals which fall within registered historic landscapes, parks and gardens will be assessed against Policy CTH/2, the Guide to Good Practice on using the Register of Landscapes of Historic Interest in Wales, the SPG on the Natural Environment, Policy CTH/4 and the SPG on Enabling Development where relevant.

The Council recognise the importance of pre-application advice in order to ensure appropriate options for changes to listed buildings are fully considered to preserve their character prior to the formal submission of an application. All proposals to carry out works to listed buildings need to be fully justified in terms of ensuring that the special historical and architectural character and features of significance of the buildings and their settings are preserved. The demolition of listed buildings or the partial demolition of significant parts of a listed structure will only be allowed on the rarest of occasions where overriding justification is proven. There is also a need to consider Strategic Policy NTE/1 – ‘The Natural Environment’ with regards to statutory protected species, their habitats and resting places when assessing proposals for works to listed buildings. An SPG will be produced on listed buildings to provide information and guidance to applicants.

The implications of climate change and the increasing importance of energy efficiency in buildings will lead to increased conflict with conservation objectives. Sustainable solutions should be pursued where these would not significantly or irreversibly damage historic interests. Cadw published guidance on renewable energy and the historic environment in 2010. An SPG will be produced that sets out the principles and policies for energy conservation and renewable energy proposals affecting historic buildings, areas and parks, gardens and landscapes.

Development should be sensitive to the preservation of archaeological remains and national policies stress the need to evaluate sites, record them and preserve those that are most important. Consultations with Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust and Gwynedd Archaeological Trust have revealed that some of the proposed strategic allocations may require archaeological assessments or evaluation prior to any development taking place. Consultation responses such as these will be taken into account when producing development briefs for these sites or when assessing developers’ proposals.

Scheduled ancient monuments form only a small proportion of the total number of archaeological and historic sites. When considering proposals on unscheduled archaeological sites, the Council will consult with the Clwyd-Powys/Gwynedd Archaeological Trusts, and take into account the interest and importance of the sites and their settings. Where necessary the Council will require that sites are properly assessed and evaluated before deciding on whether to grant planning permission. Planning permission will be refused if the archaeological site is of sufficient interest to merit protection from disturbance altogether. Preservation and recording of sites may also be secured through the use of planning conditions and agreements. An SPG will be produced to guide development proposals on these matters.

There are a significant number of buildings and structures which by reason of their design, materials and social and historical connections are fundamental parts of the character and identity of their locality. These buildings and structures should be retained, and appropriate uses sought to maintain their essential character. A local list of such buildings will be compiled from visual surveys and consultation with local interest groups. LDP8 – ‘Buildings and Structures of Local Importance’ SPG sets out the methodology for such a list and identifies criteria and additional controls, for example, Article 4 directions.

Enabling development which conflicts with planning policies or sound conservation principles is often advanced as a measure which will allow a listed building or building of local importance to be preserved or rescued from dilapidation and/or disuse. These buildings are frequently redundant, unused and possess large areas of surrounding land, including parks and gardens or landscapes that are themselves of special interest. Development proposals should be considered and formulated with an understanding of the design and significance of buildings and their settings, parks and gardens and their relationship with the historic buildings that are located within and adjacent to them. For example preserving key views and vistas to the building, and views from the building to its surroundings will be important determining considerations. Policy CTH/4 has been prepared in accordance with Cadw’s ‘Conservation Principles for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Wales’. An SPG on Enabling Development will provide guidance on the application of this policy.

The Welsh language is an important part of the fabric and heritage of local communities. The Council will support and promote the Welsh language by ensuring there is sufficient employment and housing opportunities to retain Welsh-speakers throughout the Plan Area and limiting development in the Villages and Hamlets.

BP/10 – 'Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment' and BP/33 – ‘Welsh Language Impact Assessment’ details the assessment of the LDP Spatial Strategy for Welsh language impact. As a result of the assessment work, applicants should submit a Mitigation Statement at application stage to determine the nature of any mitigation for the housing allocations in Abergele and Llanrwst and the mixed use site in Dolgarrog. The Council will prepare LDP6 – ‘Welsh Language’ Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to inform applicants of the requirements of a Mitigation Statement.

Unanticipated types of development, on sites not allocated in the LDP and not included in the windfall (below ten units) supply, may require assessment to determine Welsh language impact. Applications on unallocated housing sites for ten units or more in the Urban Development Strategy Area and five units or more in the Rural Development Strategy Area will require Welsh language assessment in the form of a Community and Linguistic Statement, including details of mitigation measures. Once the housing windfall target is met for a spatial strategy area as per the figures in table 3 HOU1a, this would trigger a review of the LDP with the requirement to assess all future housing applications on unallocated sites for Welsh language impact.

Commercial, industrial or tourist developments on unallocated sites with an area of 1,000 square metres or more and proposals which would be likely to lead to the loss of a community facility as defined in Policy CFS/6 would also require assessment through a Community and Linguistic Statement. This should be submitted at planning application stage and details of what is required in the Statement will be included in the Welsh Language SPG.

Where applications are submitted in the Plan Area on unallocated sites of a larger scale, substantially over all of the above thresholds, including large scale residential, commercial, and industrial, tourism and infrastructure developments, the cumulative impacts on communities and the Welsh language are likely to be greater. Such proposals should be accompanied by a Community and Linguistic Impact Assessment, including details of mitigation measures. This should also be submitted at planning application stage and details of what is required in the Assessment will be included in the Welsh Language SPG.

The results of the Community and Linguistic Statements, Impact Assessments and Mitigation Statements submitted in line with Policy CTH/5 will be assessed at application stage and the Council will resist developments which, because of its size, scale or location, will significantly harm the character and linguistic balance of a community.

Signs, development and street names are all ways of promoting the distinctive culture of Wales and should be encouraged through the planning process.

New development is required to address the transport implications of that development. Larger schemes may be required to prepare transport assessments to illustrate how the amount of trips generated will be accommodated and how accessibility to and from the site by all modes of transport will be achieved. For non-residential proposals which are likely to have significant transport implications, the Government also requires the submission of travel plans, the purpose of which is to promote more sustainable forms of transport in relation to the activities of a particular development (for example; encouraging reductions in car usage and increased use of public transport, walking and cycling).

Meeting the travel objectives will require action on two fronts. Firstly, there needs to be positive action brought about through the Regional Transport Strategy to provide a vision and strategy for integrated transport in the County. Secondly, the LDP needs to provide robust policies to ensure that the location of new development supports the above objectives. Partnership working is essential to the achievement of these objectives. This section incorporates the necessary detailed policies to ensure the sustainable transport strategy is delivered.

Good accessibility means that the community can access their needs (for example; shopping, education and employment) easily and without the need for a car. Accessibility can be improved by locating development at appropriate locations and by improving public transport, walking and cycling facilities and services. The development needs of the community will be met by locating the majority of development in the accessible locations, predominantly along the A55 and Rail Network corridor, within the Urban Development Strategy Area where there are key links to regular transport. Providing good accessibility can change travel behaviour towards more sustainable modes, however, travel planning, education and demand management are essential elements of the overall transport strategy. Improving accessibility and reducing car dependence helps to improve equality, reduce congestion and responds to the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability. To improve the offer of sustainable modes of travel, health of the community and the environment, the Council will allocate land for an interchange facility at Llandudno Railway Station.

For relatively short journeys walking and cycling are both highly desirable means of sustainable transport which also support a healthy lifestyle. Census data (2001) shows the majority (66%) of Conwy residents who are economically active use their car to travel to work and whilst 14% of residents walk to their place of work, only 1.7% cycle. Unfortunately, walking and cycling to some areas is obstructed because major roads and roundabouts act as barriers to pedestrians and cyclists. Walking is part of almost every trip, and people are less likely to walk to a local shop or bus stop if the pedestrian environment is poor or appears threatening. Some roads, streets and junctions have been designed such that walking and cycling have become subordinate to the free flow of traffic. Improvements to walking and cycling options and their safety will be targeted within all settlements, primarily where access to employment and retail is required, in Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Colwyn Bay and Abergele and for leisure and tourism purposes along the coast and river corridors. Examples would be the implementation of the Wales Coastal Path Improvement Programme and the Conwy Rights of Way Improvement Plan. All new developments will need to provide quality walking and cycling facilities and contribute towards sustainable improvements in the surrounding community as appropriate.

Walking and cycling are particularly important in centres where there are many people shopping, working, living and playing in close proximity. These centres can accommodate very large numbers of walkers and cyclists without the congestion, noise and pollution problems that can be created by a relatively small number of motor vehicles. To encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport, contributions towards improvements in health and protection of the environment will be sought. The Council will seek to implement new footbridge links at Llandudno Junction railway station and in Colwyn Bay between the town centre and seafront.

The LDP, therefore, seeks to make significant improvements to sustainable transport to improve walking and cycling options and their safety and to improve links to other sustainable modes of transport in the Plan Area and, in particular, to the Urban Development Strategy Area. To achieve this, the Council will work with partners to secure developer contributions and seek funding for improvements to cycling and walking, where required, to expand the SUSTRANS National Cycle Route 5 through the construction of a new cycle/pedestrian bridge connection at Foryd Harbour and to provide for a more complete network linking Conwy with Denbighshire. The completion of the National Cycle Route 5 at Llandudno is also being progressed.

In accordance with the Wales Transport Act 2006, the Taith consortium, which is a partnership of Local Authorities with transport responsibilities in North Wales, are required by the Welsh Government to produce a Regional Transport Plan (RTP). The RTP is a strategy for identifying and delivering improvements to our transport system over the next 25 years. The North Wales RTP has been produced and became operational in April 2010.

The availability of car parking can have a significant effect on people's choice of transport. Accordingly, Government policy seeks to restrict levels of parking associated with new development in order to reduce the use of the car and promote more sustainable modes of transport. Car parking can also occupy a great deal of space and, therefore, impacts upon the appearance of development and the efficient use of land. TAN18 Section 4 states ‘controls of parking, charging and limits on provision or time may be appropriate when they complement land use policies, contribute to the reduction in congestion and safeguard amenity’. The purpose of this policy and SPG is to manage demand for certain types of parking, in order to promote the environmental, social and economic goals of the plan. Where opportunities arise, for example on mixed use sites, shared-use parking and car pooling will be encouraged to minimise provision. The Council will review its parking standards in light of the Regional Transport Plan.

It is important that all development mitigates its transport impact. 'Major development' proposals or development proposals with 'significant transport implications', as set out in TAN18, will be required to produce a Transport Assessment and a Travel Plan (as set out in Policy STR/3). A Transport Statement should be submitted alongside all other development proposals to enable the applicant to demonstrate to the Council that they have properly considered the transport impact of the proposal and taken into account how to mitigate them. The level of detail of the Transport Statement will vary according to the scale and complexity of the application in line with national guidance and Policy DP/6 – ‘National Planning Policy and Guidance’.

A primary planning consideration is to ensure that development proposals achieve a suitable connection to the highway that is safe for pedestrians, cyclists, occupants of vehicles and other road users. Equally important is the need to ensure that road safety is not jeopardised by allowing proposals which would generate levels of traffic beyond the capacity of the surrounding road network.

The above hierarchy sets out the priority for the delivery of infrastructure provision for non-motorised modes through the planning process, for example; through Section 106 contributions. Although listed in priority order, no one priority should be promoted to the exclusion of others. The first priority is to connect to larger centres of attraction, both within or adjacent to the County, including the Urban Development Strategy Area and the Main Villages. These centres have a range of services and facilities, including schools and employment areas. This offers greater value for money in terms of the range of the population who could potentially use the routes. In addition, ‘Safer Routes to Schools’ is already delivered from a separate funding source. Leisure and recreation routes are also an important resource, particularly to improve access to the surrounding countryside as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Regional Transport Plan includes separate strategies on walking and cycling and recognises their importance and the need to secure improvements to the capacity, quality and safety of the network. At the same time, existing public rights of way need protecting. The Council, through its local Highways Authority, is responsible for keeping the definitive rights of way maps up to date and for developing Rights of Way Improvement Plans. Public paths in rural areas (footpaths, bridleways and byways) provide an important resource for walkers and, in appropriate cases, for cyclists and horse riders.

The availability and use of public transport is a very important element in determining planning policies designed to reduce the need for travel by car. To this end, national policy requires local planning authorities to explore the potential, and identify any proposals, for improving public transport by rail, including the re-opening of rail lines. Such routes could also provide walking and cycle routes as an interim measure prior to the introduction of rail services.

For many years, the movement of freight by rail had been in decline, primarily as a result of competition from road transport. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence in the use of rail nationally for the movement of freight but this has not been reflected locally. Many of the previously existing railfreight facilities in the Plan Area have been either removed or redeveloped except for the facilities that remain at Llandudno Junction and Penmaenmawr. These facilities consist of (i) sidings alongside Llandudno Junction Railway Station, (ii) the adjacent railfreight terminal at Llandudno Junction, and (iii) the ballast loading facility at Penmaenmawr. The railfreight terminal is currently unused, and part of the site has temporary planning permission for storage.

The Council supports the transfer of freight from road to rail and considers there is potential for the movement of freight by rail. Opportunities to create alternative railfreight facilities in the Plan Area are almost non-existent. The North Wales Joint Transport Board (TAITH) commissioned a strategic study into the potential for railfreight in North Wales in association with the development of the Regional Transport Plan. The study concluded that there was potential at Llandudno Junction for the movement of supermarket goods by rail, and for the movement of waste by rail as part of a wider North Wales initiative. TAITH supports the retention of railfreight facilities and the Council is mindful to safeguard all such facilities in the County, while there is the prospect of the further use of these facilities for railfreight purposes.

The Council recognises that a strategic approach is needed to ensure the long-term supply of aggregates. The North Wales Regional Technical Statement (NWRTS), (2009) has been used to guide the LDP on such matters, and this document concludes that there is no need to allocate land for hard rock in Conwy at present, unless there are specific technical or environmental circumstances that would justify an allocation. The Council considers that there are no circumstances that would justify an allocation in the Plan Area. As well as existing hard rock quarries, the LDP safeguards significant additional hard rock resources, as well as sand and gravel resources.

Buffer zones around quarries are proposed to protect the amenity of residents and other sensitive land users, and to ensure that mineral operators can carry out their normal activities without being constrained by the undue presence of sensitive land users.

There are many drivers for change in terms of how we better manage our waste. These include European Directives and National Guidance, and also regional-level working to bring about a step-change in the management of waste. Additionally, advances in technology and the introduction of policies and practices mean that many modern waste management facilities on the outside look no different to any other industrial building, and undertake industrial processes or energy generation activities that are no different to many other modern industrial processes in terms of their operation or impact.

The task of the local planning authority is to ensure that a sufficient amount of land within suitable locations is available for both regional facilities (where necessary) and local facilities. Site proposals should not adversely affect the integrity of European sites or be in conflict with other Plan policies. Waste facilities should, as outlined in the Wales Spatial Plan and Technical Advice Note (TAN) 21 – ‘Waste’, follow the proximity principle (i.e. the location of the facility should be as close to the waste source as possible). The outcome of the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Project will also play a part in determining the location and type of technology at a regional level, through the procurement of treatment capacity to deal with residual municipal waste arising in the five partner authorities.

National policy is provided by Mineral Planning Policy Wales (MPPW) and Minerals Technical Advice Note 1: Aggregates (MTAN1). The NWRTS give guidance for LDPs on the long-term supply of aggregates.

Conwy has three active quarries, all of which produce construction materials (known as ‘aggregates’). Penmaenmawr Quarry produces igneous rock, which is particularly suitable as railway ballast and for other uses. Raynes Quarry near Llysfaen and St George Quarry near Abergele both produce limestone, which is used, for example, in manufacturing concrete. Both Raynes and St George Quarry are physically constrained with regards to further physical extensions, however all three quarries have planning permissions which extend beyond the Plan period.

In addition to the active quarries, Llanddulas Quarry contains resources of high-quality limestone.  Most of the quarry is occupied by a landfill site, whilst a legal agreement prohibits quarrying for general aggregate use.

The NWRTS states that there is no need to allocate land for hard rock in Conwy at present, unless there are specific technical or environmental circumstances that would justify an allocation. The Council considers that there is currently no justification for an allocation in the Plan Area. However, to allow a degree of flexibility for any potential change in circumstances over the Plan period, future extraction of aggregate resources may be permitted where there is a need to maintain permitted reserves. This will be assessed against figures from the North Wales Regional Aggregates Working Party and both MPPW and MTAN1. It is acknowledged that in some instances figures may not exist; therefore, proposals should have regard to the demonstrated need of the industry concerned.

There are deposits of sandstone with potential for use as high PSV (Polished Stone Value) roadstone in the Plan Area. To date, there has been no pressure to extract this material in the Plan Area and MTAN1 identifies South Wales as one of the main prospects for extraction. No allocation is therefore made in the LDP, however, proposals for the extraction of this material may be justified where the proposal is intended to meet a particular high specification not currently met in the Plan Area.

MPPW supports the development of borrow pits, which serve specific construction projects, in appropriate locations. It also recognises the need for small scale quarries to provide locally distinctive dimension stone, where these would retain the character of the local built environment. Borrow pits and small dimension stone quarries therefore fall outside the scope of Policy MWS/2.

MTAN1 also contains guidance on addressing specific impacts such as noise, dust and blasting, restoration and the use of secondary materials, such as demolition waste.

MTAN1 also requires planning authorities to assess and review the likelihood of future extraction from long inactive sites that have not been worked for 10 years. There are currently no sites with permitted reserves in Conwy that have been inactive for this period. In the event that the period of inactivity on a site exceeds 10 years, and the planning authority considers that further working is unlikely, it will consider serving a prohibition order. The purpose of a prohibition order is to establish without doubt that mineral development has ceased and cannot resume without the fresh grant of planning permission, and to secure the restoration of the land.

The NWRTS recommends a specific safeguarding policy for Conwy.  This policy implements that recommendation, and safeguards identified mineral resources and related transport and processing facilities to ensure that they remain available. Sand and gravel is not currently produced within the Plan Area; however, data from the British Geological Survey has identified resources in various locations across the Plan Area. Background Paper 29 – ‘Safeguarding Aggregate Resources’ provides a full justification for the safeguarding approach. It is stressed that this policy does not establish a presumption in favour of granting planning permission, instead that the presence of the mineral is considered when assessing whether alternative development can take place.

Some types of development would have a nil or negligible impact on the safeguarded resource, either because they relate to a time-limited temporary use, or as they involve a relatively low degree of capital investment (such as farm tracks), or because existing development in the same location presents an equivalent or greater constraint upon the potential for mineral working. These include:

1. householder development incidental to the enjoyment of an existing dwellinghouse;
2. infill housing development between existing dwellings;
3. replacement dwellings, where the existing dwelling retains a residential  use right;
4. new agricultural buildings (including slurry pits etc) and extensions to existing agricultural buildings within an existing farmyard, or where a new agricultural building would replace an existing agricultural building on the same site;
5. agricultural access tracks;
6. proposals for the temporary use of land (e.g. caravan sites, composting facilities), where a condition imposes a specific end-date on that use, and where any related operational development is to be removed upon the cessation of that use.
   

Since geological and geomorphologic mapping is not an exact science, the Proposals Map does not identify a separate buffer zone around the Sand and Gravel Safeguarding designation or around the resources in the Safeguarded Hard Rock designation that do not have a current planning permission for mineral working.

Buffer zones serve two purposes. One is to protect the amenity of residents and other sensitive land users; the other is to ensure that mineral operators can carry out their normal activities without being constrained by the undue presence of sensitive land users. In this policy, ‘inappropriate development’ includes mineral working (within the buffer zone) and land uses that could be affected (this includes all applications for residential (except householder), employment and tourism development and community facilities). Applications for these types of development in these buffer zones should be brought to the attention of the Council’s Environmental Health Officer, Natural Resources Wales and the quarry operators. Proposals which would result in significant detriment to amenity or safety, or which would unacceptably restrict the operation of a quarry site, will be refused. In the case of hard rock, MTAN1 recommends that Buffer Zones should normally be 200m around each active area; for sand and gravel, the recommended distance is 100m. In Conwy, it is not always possible to achieve these distances due to the proximity of existing settlement boundaries. The extent of the Buffer Zones around permitted reserves is shown on the Proposals Map.

The North Wales Regional Waste Plan 1st Review (2009) recommends that 17.4 hectares of land should be identified in Conwy for the provision of waste management facilities. A total of 22 hectares of land has been allocated in Conwy (see BP/20 – ‘Waste Management’). The take up of land will be monitored in line with Policy MWS/5 in terms of addressing need for such facilities.

Llanddulas Quarry is centrally located within Conwy and the North Wales Region. The existing landfill site is one of the largest and most strategically located waste management facilities in North Wales, adjacent to the A547, with good access to the principal trunk road (A55). The main quarry already benefits from planning permission for landfill and composting.

The private owners of the current waste management operations at Llanddulas have suggested a number of possible future waste management facilities at this location, including an integrated waste management facility which could include a variety of technology and treatment methods such as composting, materials recycling or waste transfer.

Gofer is the location of a previous landfill site but presently hosts a bulking station, transfer station and civic amenity facility. The area is located directly off the A547, and has good access to the A55. The Natural Resources Wales flood maps indicate that the site is not at risk of flooding (see also BP/17 – ‘Conwy Strategic Flood Consequence Assessment’). The full rationale for the selection of Llanddulas and Gofer as strategic locations for waste management can be found within BP/20.

The list of waste management facilities in Policy MWS/6 should not be taken as a definitive list and proposals for waste management facilities will be subject to detailed assessment to determine their suitability as per Policy MWS/5. Such facilities may also require Environmental Permits issued by Natural Resources Wales.

The Council commissioned consultants to undertake a search for sites that would be suitable for landfill or land-raising (see BP/26 Landfill Feasibility Study). The Plan Area is particularly constrained from highways access, landscape, flood risk and groundwater perspectives and no suitable sites were identified for landfill or land-raising by the study. The Council has therefore not allocated a site for landfill. Any proposals that may come forward for landfill will be assessed on a case by case basis.

The North Wales Regional Waste Plan 1st Review recommends that each Local Planning Authority assesses available industrial land for suitability for waste management operations. Proposals for waste management facilities at such locations will be considered on their individual merits. A need has been established for 14.4 hectares of B2 land requirements over the Plan period of which a high level is committed.

There are other sites in the Plan Area that may be suitable for waste management uses, including land safeguarded for Rail Freight at Llandudno Junction. This site has potential to host waste management facilities such as waste transfer. Policy STR/6 and its supporting text encourage complimentary uses such as road to rail waste transfer.

Not all waste management facilities will be suitable on industrial sites in the Plan Area, whether due to their spatial requirements, the potential impacts on neighbouring uses or technical requirements. For example, landfill, open windrow composting and anaerobic digestion may be more appropriate outside of the settlements, as part of farm diversification. The policy therefore permits, in exceptional circumstances, proposals for waste management facilities outside the settlement boundaries. Such proposals will be rigorously tested to make sure it is necessary to locate them outside development boundaries, having followed the sequential approach outlined in the above policy. It should be demonstrated that there is a need for the proposal in line with Policy MWS/5 and no suitable alternative sites are available. The policy gives flexibility to deal with such schemes on their individual merits.

Natural Resources Wales generally advises that development should be a minimum of 250 metresaway from landfill sites.The greatest danger to development near to landfill sites is that of migrating landfill gas travelling through the underlying rock and entering premises from underground. Problems also do arise from time to time in respect of odour, dust, noise and pests. The landfill buffer zone is a separate designation to the landfill site and it serves two purposes. One is to protect the amenity of residents and other sensitive land users (consequently, no additional landfilling is permitted within the buffer zone); the other is to ensure that the landfill operators can carry out their normal activities without being constrained by the undue presence of sensitive land users. A 250 metre buffer zone around the landfill site has therefore been designated to ensure that appropriate development only is located in this area. All applications for residential (except householder), employment, tourism development and community facilities within the buffer zone should be brought to the attention of the Council’s Environmental Health Officer and Natural Resources Wales. Proposals which would result in significant detriment to amenity or safety, or which would unacceptably restrict the operation of the landfill site will be refused.