A new masterplan which will be used to determine which developments take place in Bridgend County Borough between now and 2033 has moved a step closer this week, after a meeting of councillors took place on July 20. Council bosses agreed that they would now refer the plans to a future meeting of full council along with a recommendation that it be submitted to Welsh Government for an independent examination in the coming months.
The replacement local development plan also known as the LDP, incorporates a number of potential development sites at Porthcawl, Pyle, and Pencoed. It also includes locations at Island Farm and land to the west of Bridgend. It features all of the policies that the authority would use when determining future planning applications in the borough, and sets out how land throughout the county can be used.
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The plan also proposes making enough land available to support projected increases in population, along with the development of 7,500 new jobs, the construction of 7,575 homes, and providing five new primary schools. Councillor John Spanswick, cabinet member for communities, said: "The replacement Local Development Plan has been three years in the making and is the result of a huge amount of research and analysis, and I think our planning team have done a fantastic and meticulous job in preparing it for the county borough.
"It lays out a carefully-planned balance of residential, commercial and leisure development that will ensure Bridgend County Borough can meet future demand between now and 2033, while also encouraging fresh investment and employment. From the feedback received through public consultation, it is clear that some residents are concerned about the potential impact additional development could have upon existing healthcare facilities, traffic levels, schools, utilities and green space.
"I want to reassure them that under the terms of the LDP, no new development can take place unless it can also deliver whatever additional infrastructure improvements may be necessary, and that this includes things like roads, schools, GP surgeries, leisure, open space facilities and more."
Other key developments discussed in the plans include transportation developments such as the proposed Brackla railway station, new half-hour rail services to Maesteg, and bus corridor improvements in the Llynfi, Ogmore and Garw valleys, between Porthcawl and Cornelly and between Pyle, Aberkenfig and Pencoed.
Council Leader Huw David added: "We are in the middle of a national housing crisis and are already supporting around 200 homeless families and individuals. Latest census data has also confirmed that Bridgend County Borough is now one of the fastest growing areas in Wales, and that we are keeping pace with much larger areas such as Cardiff.
"People are living for longer, and the situation is only going to get worse unless we plan ahead now and ensure that more homes can be provided to meet this rising demand. At the same time, we have to carefully balance residential needs against developments that support new employment and investment, and the LDP enables us to do this while taking a huge range of additional guidance and legislation into account.
"The next step now is to discuss the LDP at council, and to then submit it to Welsh Government where it will be independently assessed as part of an inquiry presided over by a planning inspector. Once that process has been concluded, the draft LDP will go before a meeting of full Council for a final decision, and if approved at that point, it will serve as the new LDP for the next 15 years." You can read more of our stories from Bridgend here.
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