2. VISION AND OBJECTIVES
A Vision for Conwy
The following vision sets out where we want to be in 2022. The objectives that follow address the issues that have been identified in Section 1 and the supporting Background Papers.
Conwy Community Strategy
The LDP vision is set firmly in the Conwy Community Strategy (CS). The Community Strategy for Conwy 2004 – 2014 is the product of a partnership effort between the Council and members of the community, public bodies, businesses and the voluntary sector. Unitary authorities have a duty under the Local Government Act 2000 to prepare community strategies to act as the overarching strategic framework for all other related plans and strategies. The three key overarching objectives set out in the CS are:
- A County of outstanding natural beauty, which will respect, protect and enhance its environment and heritage.
- A community which supports those in need and offers a warm welcome to its many visitors.
- People who celebrate diversity, and who are intent on supporting a vibrant and thriving future for all.
The Community Strategy follows five themes. They are:
- A Healthy Place
- A Prosperous Conwy
- Strong and Safe Communities
- Encouraging Learning and Creativity
- A Quality Environment
The Conwy County Council Corporate Plan 2008 - 2012
The Conwy County Council Corporate Plan also concentrates on what is important to the communities in Conwy. It sets out what the Council are going to do and will be supported by the LDP in its Vision, Objectives, Policies and Monitoring.
The main aim is to revitalise our communities so that they can be proud of where they live. The Corporate Plan focuses its commitments on:
- People – you, our customers
- Places – the communities where you live.
- Partnerships – when we can’t provide the service on our own and need to work with others.
The Corporate Plan identifies 12 commitments to the communities of Conwy. The land-elements of such are identified below:
- If you are older, we will support you to maintain your independence and place in your community by developing extra care housing schemes in Llanfairfechan, Llanrwst, Llandudno and Abergele.
- We will make sure our children get the best educational and social start by developing and putting in place a primary school modernisation programme that looks at education standards, whether our buildings and equipment are fit for purpose, unfilled places and access to resources.
- The quality of our environment and the street scene of our communities will be reviewed and protected.
- We will increase the number of allotments available in communities.
- Working with housing associations and housing developers we will develop affordable housing solutions for local people.
- As a Council we will work with local businesses to identify skills gaps. We will then support people to increase their skills and get into work so that they are less dependent on out of work benefits, have improved mental and physical wellbeing and increased disposable income.
- We will lead the way in making sure we contribute towards a sustainable future.
- Leisure and cultural provision will be reviewed in each locality and we will proactively support clubs, groups and projects which promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
- We will modernise the way we work and make our services more accessible.
- We will work with businesses to set up a business forum and then develop a package of measures to support businesses in areas in need of regeneration.
- We will talk to communities about the likelihood and possible consequences of flooding and coastal erosion, working to understand and manage their expectations of us and supporting them to be prepared for flooding, to minimise the consequences of incidents and to be able to revert to normality as quickly as is possible after flooding.
- We will make sure that the safety and efficiency of all forms of transport is improved and social exclusion is tackled by making employment, education, health and services for all communities more accessible.
The Vision - Conwy in 2022
‘By 2022, the communities of Conwy will be more sustainable and offer a higher quality of life. It will have provided in the region of 6,300 new homes, 58 hectares of higher value employment opportunities, a minimum of 1900 new affordable homes, new allotments and open space and additional waste management facilities to contribute to meeting the needs of the Plan Area. Guided by Development Principles Policy DP/1 'Sustainable Development’' and DP/2 'Overarching Strategic Approach', the urban coastal belt areas within the Urban Development Strategy Area will be the economic, social and cultural focus of the Plan Area. This will reflect the spatial priorities to protect the natural and built environment and create accessible and sustainable locations.
Affordable housing for local need and greater emphasis on energy generation and efficiency, and delivery of higher quality and well designed buildings will have resulted. Land for new housing, affordable housing for local need, culture, leisure, employment, open space, community facilities and mixed use developments will be allocated and delivered primarily through the development of accessible and sustainable sites within the larger towns and villages within the Urban and Rural Development Strategy Areas.
An improved public transport, walking and cycling network and interchange facility at Llandudno will have lessened congestion problems, provided essential links to key facilities and services and contributed to the delivery of housing and employment need.
Through the implementation of a Rural Development Strategy Area, the Main Villages will have reflected their functional ties with the urban areas and Snowdonia National Park, but also their supporting role to the Minor Villages and Hamlets. Reflecting their character, limited sustainable growth will have contributed to the delivery of a combination of market and affordable housing for local needs. They will have contributed to the provision of essential services and facilities to the Minor Villages and Hamlets by providing local residents with easy access to shopping, employment and services. Limited sustainable growth in the Minor Villages and Hamlets will reflect their character, contribute to meeting the needs of the community, including affordable housing for local needs, open space and key services. Regard will have been given to safeguarding the Welsh language.
The natural environment, countryside and coastline will have been protected and their enhancement promoted. Green spaces will have been secured to contribute to the recreational, health and economic needs of Conwy. New ‘Green Wedges’ will have been created to protect and enhance the natural environment and the identity of existing settlements. Development will have contributed to the protecting the biodiversity and amenity value of the countryside and coast, and will have minimised the use of natural resources through promotion of sustainable energy sources’.
Spatial Objectives
A number of LDP objectives have been formulated as a means of realising the vision and tackling the priority issues within the Plan Area. The origin of the objectives is detailed in BP/1 ‘Related Plans and Strategies’. The Spatial Objectives are:
- SO1. To promote development levels that contribute to protecting the natural and built environment and meets the needs of the community by locating development where practicable on previously used land, primarily in the urban coastal locations, along existing and proposed infrastructure networks, and by ensuring an efficient density of development compatible with local amenity.
- SO2 To promote the comprehensive regeneration of Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Towyn and Kinmel Bay to broaden economic activity, address social exclusion and reduce deprivation through the Strategic Regeneration Area Initiative
- SO3. To provide land to enable an adequate and diverse supply of housing to contribute to needs, including affordable housing for local need and to meet the need for Gypsies and Travellers, at a scale that is consistent with the ability of different areas and communities to grow.
- SO4. Identify and safeguard land to contribute to meeting the B1 (Business) B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage and Distribution) employment uses, focusing in particular on higher value employment opportunities around the strategic hub of Conwy, Llandudno, Llandudno Junction and Colwyn Bay, the strategic hub of Rhyl, St Asaph, Bodelwyddan and Prestatyn, including Kinmel Bay.
- SO5. Encourage the strengthening and diversification of the rural economy that is compatible with the local economy, community and environment.
- SO6. Develop vibrant town centre destinations for shopping, business and commerce, culture, entertainment and leisure through the enhancement of the vitality, viability and attractiveness of Llandudno as the strategic sub regional retail centre, and regeneration of Colwyn Bay town centre.
- SO7. Concentrate development along existing and proposed infrastructure networks, and in particular at locations that are convenient for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.
- SO8. Assist tourism through the protection and enhancement of coastal and rural based tourism attractions and accommodation
- SO9. To encourage efficient patterns of movement and to recognise the strategic role that the A55, the rail corridors will play in meeting the Boroughs development needs, and to give particular attention to development locations that are convenient for pedestrians, walking and cycling in Conwy to aid the reduction of transport CO2 emissions.
- SO10. Improve the design of buildings, including designing out opportunities for crime to develop strong and safe communities.
- SO11. Reduce energy consumption through the careful siting and design of buildings and the promotion of renewable energy developments where they have prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally and socially acceptable.
- SO12. Safeguard and enhance the character and appearance of the undeveloped coast and countryside, sites of landscape/conservation importance and features of historic or architectural interest whilst ensuring the conservation of biodiversity and protected species.
- SO13. To improve accessibility to essential services and facilities, including open space, health, education and leisure.
- SO14. To promote the prudent use of resources through the minimisation of waste and assist in providing an integrated network of waste management facilities consistent with the needs of the area and the waste hierarchy.
- SO15. Contribute to regional and local mineral needs in a sustainable manner.
- SO16. Ensure that development in Welsh-speaking communities is compatible with the long-term viability of the Welsh language.
BP/1 on Related Plans and Strategies shows how these objectives relate to the five themes of the Community Strategy, the five themes of the Wales Spatial Plan and the four sustainability principles listed in Planning Policy Wales.
Table 2 & 3 below list the LDP Spatial Objectives and sets out how they relate to the objectives of the Community Strategy and the Corporate Plan. Most of the LDP Objectives and policies contribute to the achievement of more than one of the Community Strategy and Corporate Plan Objectives.
Table 2: Delivering the Community Strategy Objectives in Land Use Terms
| Community Strategy Theme | LDP Spatial Objectives | LDP Policies |
|---|---|---|
A Healthy Place | SO1: SO2: SO7: SO9: SO11: SO12: SO13: | DP1, DP/2, HOU/1 & EMP/1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2, HOU/3, HOU/9, EMP/1 DP/2, HOU/1, EMP/1, STR/1 DP/1, DP/2, STR/1, STR/2, STR/3, STR/4, STR/5 & CCBC Parking Standards SPG (2009) DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, NTE/6, NTE/7, NTE/8 & NTE/9 DP/1, DP/6, CTH/1, CTH/2, CTH/3, CTH/4 & CTH/5, NTE/1, NTE/2, NTE/3, NTE/4 & NTE/5 DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) |
A prosperous Conwy | SO2: SO3: SO5: SO6: SO8: | DP/1, DP/2, HOU/1, HOU/2, HOU/3, HOU/9, EMP/1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2 & HOU/8 DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, EMP1, EMP/2, EMP/3 & EMP/4 DP/1, DP/2, DP/6 CFS1, CFS/2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, & CFS/6, DP/1, DP/2, EMP/1, EMP/6, EMP/7, EMP/8, EMP/9 & EMP/10, |
A Quality Environment | SO1: SO10: SO11: SO12: SO14: SO9: | DP1, DP/2, HOU1 & EMP1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, NTE/7, NTE/8 & NTE/9 DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, NTE/7, NTE/8 & NTE/9 DP/1, DP/6, NTE/5, NTE/3, NTE/4, CTH/1, CTH/2, CTH/3, CTH/4 & CTH/5 DP/1, DP/3, DP/4 & MWS/1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, STR/1, STR/2, STR/3, STR/4 & STR/5 |
Encouraging Learning and Creativity | SO1: SO4: SO13:
SO16: | DP1, DP/2, HOU/1 & EMP/1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, EMP/1, EMP/2, EMP/3, EMP/4, CFS/1 DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) DP/1, DP/6 & CTH/5 |
Strong and Safe Communities | SO2: SO10: SO13:
SO3: | DP/1, DP/2, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2, HOU/3, HOU/9, EMP/1 DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, NTE/7, NTE/8, NTE/9 DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2 & HOU/8 |
Table 3: Delivering the Corporate Plan Commitments in Land Use Terms
| Corporate Plan Commitment | LDP Spatial Objectives | LDP Policies |
|---|---|---|
| SO1 & SO3 | DP1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, HOU/1 HOU/2, HOU/8 & EMP/1 |
| SO13 | DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) |
| SO10 | DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, NTE/6, NTE/7, NTE/8 & NTE/9 |
| SO13 | DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS/9 & CFS/10 |
| SO3 | DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2 & HOU/8 |
| SO4 & SO13 | DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, EMP/1, EMP/3, EMP/3, EMP/4, CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) |
| SO1 – SO16 | DP1, DP/2, HOU/1 & EMP/1, CTH/5 |
| SO13 | DP/1, DP3, DP4, DP/5 CFS/1, CFS.2, CFS/3, CFS/4, CFS/5, CFS/6, CFS/7, CFS/8, CFS/9, CFS/10, CFS/11, CFS/12 & CFS/13 and the Council’s Open Space Standards SPG (2009) |
| SO9 | DP/1, DP/2, STR/1, STR/2, STR/3, STR/4, STR/5, STR/6 & CCBC Parking Standards SPG (2009) |
| SO2, SO4 & SO5 | DP/1, DP/2, DP/4, DP/5, DP/6, DP/7, HOU/1, HOU/2, HOU/3, HOU/8, HOU/9, EMP/1, EMP/2, EMP/3, EMP/4 & EMP/5 |
| SO1 & SO11 | DP/1, DP/2, HOU/1, EMP/1, DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, NTE/6, NTE/7, NTE/8 & NTE/9 |
| SO9 | DP/1, DP/2, DP/3, DP/4, DP/5, STR/1, STR/2, STR/3, STR/4, STR/5 & STR/6 |
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