Agenda item

The Committee were updated on the development of the Strategic Development Plan (SDP).

Officers explained that Welsh Government have mandated the requirement to prepare and adopt an SDP within each of the four Corporate Joint Committee regions in Wales. It was added that within the South West Wales region there were six local planning authorities, including the four Local Authorities and two National Park Authorities, who were collectively responsibly for preparing the SDP.

Reference was made to the letter that was sent to Welsh Government, indicating Officers concerns regarding the requirements to deliver the SDP in the absence of appropriate financial resources. Members were informed that the response from Welsh Government at that time stated that there was no additional funding available; however, any spare funding left over from the development of the Regional Transport Plan (RTP) could be utilised for the Strategic Planning workstream. Officers explained that there weren’t any resources available from the RTP budget to assist in developing the SDP.

It was highlighted that Officers were in the process of collectively securing agreement in Wales to write to the new Minister responsible for Planning in Welsh Government, to reiterate the regions position and request for funding. However, it appeared that the position across Wales had changed; Cardiff Capital region had prepared their delivery agreement and submitted to Welsh Government for approval, and North Wales were in process of preparing their delivery agreement.

Following on from this realisation, it was determined that there was a need to provide options to the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) in terms of moving forward with this workstream. The circulated report provided two options for consideration. It was noted that the first option was to make progress and prepare a delivery agreement for submission to Welsh Government; clearly indicating that the region would not be prepared to progress further until sufficient funding and resources had been made available. Officers highlighted that the second option was to hold the current position and confirm that the region wasn’t prepared to progress further until sufficient funding and resources had been made available.

Members were informed that the SDP Manual, which Welsh Government had been in the process of preparing for Corporate Joint Committees, had still not been made available to the local planning authorities.

Officers confirmed that the two options, detailed within the circulated report, were presented to the Strategic Planning Sub Committee on 19 May 2025; Members of the Sub Committee had endorsed Option One, which was to progress with the preparation of the delivery agreement.  

Members emphasised the importance of understanding Welsh Government’s plans in terms of future funding and the need for continuous lobbying. It was acknowledged that there was also a need to remind Welsh Government that Corporate Joint Committees should be fully funded and should not be an additional burden on Local Authorities. The Chairperson explained that there had been some recent success with the Ministers in terms of obtaining additional funding; and that the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) had recently signed up to a partnership agreement which emphasised the principles of no new powers or responsibilities, without the relevant funding.

The Committee was informed that there were sufficient funds in place within the SWWCJC, to prepare the delivery agreement; however, there weren’t sufficient funds currently to deliver the SDP. This was significant, as it was explained that Corporate Joint Committees had a legal requirement to prepare an SDP. The rational as to why the region hadn’t progressed with the preparation of the SDP was noted to be due to the lack of funding and not yet being in receipt of the SDP Manual from Welsh Government; however, due to the mandate placed upon Corporate Joint Committees, the region would be legally exposed to challenge if it did not prepare an SDP.

It was acknowledged that the delivery agreement would involve setting timescales and targets for delivering the SDP; Members asked for information regarding the repercussions if the region wasn’t able to meet the targets within the delivery agreement due to the lack of funding. It was explained that the delivery agreement will identify the milestones that will need to be progressed in order to be in a position to adopt an SDP; this would include the process for achieving each milestone, as well as the funding and resources required. Officers stated that within Cardiff Capital regions delivery agreement, the steps were commensurate with funding being available; the South West Wales region would follow suit in terms of approach, and make it clear it that the progress would relate back to funding being made available.

Following the discussion, all Members expressed preference for option one to be approved.

RESOLVED:

That Option One, as detailed within the circulated report, be determined as the preferred option and agreed as the way forward in respect of the commencement of work to deliver a Strategic Development Plan pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Strategic Development Plan) (Wales) Regulations 2021.