Local development plans: Denbighshire

The overall plan

• The plan aims to meet the needs of local communities, but only within what the county's environment can take. Page 14
• The plan provides for 7,500 new homes over the plan period, an average of around 500 a year. Page 14
• The plan allocates sites for approximately 3,300 new homes, mainly in Bodelwyddan and other settlements north of the A55, with sites also in Denbigh, St Asaph, Ruthin and Corwen. Page 14
• The plan focuses most development into a small number of large sites in the north of the county, while smaller developments are supported in other towns and villages. Page 15

Homes

• The plan makes provision for approximately 7,500 new homes to 2021, and developers must provide a range of house sizes, types and tenure to reflect local need. Policy BSC 1, page 25
• The plan sets a minimum of 10% affordable housing on developments of 3 or more homes, provided on site where there are 10 or more homes, or by a financial contribution on smaller schemes. Policy BSC 4, page 32
• If sale prices rise 10% above the 2009 level, developments of 3 or more homes must provide a minimum of 30% affordable housing on site. Policy BSC 4, page 32

Jobs and the economy

• The plan says the majority of new employment land will be located within the Key Strategic Site at Bodelwyddan, and at the St Asaph Business Park. Page 46

Town centres and shops

• The plan says new shops should be directed to the town centres first, as long as they suit the size and character of the centre. Policy PSE 6, page 52
• The plan allows small shops outside town centres, but only within development boundaries and if they are less than 500 square metres and serve the local area. Policy PSE 9, page 55
• The plan says any new supermarkets should be built within or on the edge of existing town centres, not out of town. Policy PSE 9, page 56
• The plan says that in Rhyl's main shopping street, shops on the ground floor cannot be changed to other uses without strong resistance from the Council. Policy PSE 8, page 54

Countryside, nature and heritage

• The plan protects the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site. Development that would harm the features that justify its World Heritage status will not be permitted. Policy VOE 3, page 70
• The plan requires proposals that may affect protected species or designated nature sites to be supported by a biodiversity statement. Planning permission will not be granted for development likely to cause significant harm to internationally and nationally designated nature sites, priority habitats or species, or species under threat. Page 73
• The plan protects key areas including statutory nature sites, locally designated landscapes, sites of built heritage, and historic landscapes, parks and gardens from development that would adversely affect them. Policy VOE 1, page 68

Climate, energy and flooding

• The plan says all developments must reduce surface water run-off from the site where practicable, so that run-off rates maintain or reduce pre-development rates. Page 75

The Welsh language

• The plan says the needs and interests of the Welsh language will be taken into account in all planning applications. Development could be refused if its size, scale or location would cause significant harm to the character and language balance of a community. Policy RD 5, page 23
• The plan expects applicants for larger developments to submit a more detailed Community and Linguistic Impact Assessment. This applies to schemes of 20 or more homes, or commercial, industrial or leisure and tourism buildings of 3000m² or more. Policy RD 5, page 23

Where it stands

Preferred strategy Reached in May 2023.

The authority has published how much growth the new plan should allow and roughly where, and consulted on it.

What happens next

Consulting on the draft plan

The stages of a new plan

1. 1. Reviewing the current plan
2. 2. Setting a timetable
3. 3. Sites put forward
4. 4. Preferred strategy
5. 5. Draft plan published
6. 6. Sent for examination
7. 7. Being examined
8. 8. Adopted