Local development plans: Rhondda Cynon Taf

The overall plan

• The plan's vision is for Rhondda Cynon Taf to be a County Borough of Opportunity, where individuals and communities can reach their full potential in work and social life. Page 21
• The plan says it will build sustainable communities by focusing new growth in principal towns and key settlements. Page 22
• The plan sets out to provide for the county's housing needs, while meeting the overall housing requirement of 14,385 homes up to 2021, by making provision for between 14,936 and 15,386 new dwellings. Policy AW 1, page 45
• The plan says development on sites that are not allocated must be in sustainable locations, meaning inside defined settlement boundaries or in the Northern Strategy Area, with good access to transport and key services. Policy AW 2, page 47

Homes

• The plan says at least 10% of homes on sites of 10 or more units in the Northern Strategy Area must be affordable. Policy NSA 11, page 83
• The plan says at least 20% of homes on sites of 5 units or more in the Southern Strategy Area must be affordable. Policy SSA 12, page 111

Jobs and the economy

• The plan allocates 51 hectares of land on two Strategic Sites for large-scale inward investment, and 47 hectares on smaller sites to meet local jobs needs. Page 36
• The plan sets out that existing employment sites can be changed to other uses only if the site has been marketed for at least 12 months without success, or if the redevelopment would bring significant regeneration benefits. Policy AW 11, page 60

Town centres and shops

• The plan says that vital retail centres should be protected, improved, and that new shops in appropriate locations should be supported. Page 61
• Under the policy, a shop in a primary retail frontage can change to another use only if it has been marketed for at least 12 months without success, or if the change brings significant regeneration benefits. Policy AW 11, page 60
• In Aberdare, the plan says that other non-retail uses such as financial and professional services and cafés or takeaways may make up no more than 25% of the length of the primary shopping frontage. Policy NSA 19, page 90

Countryside, nature and heritage

• The plan protects Special Landscape Areas, which are places of fine landscape quality. Development within them must meet the highest standards of design, siting, layout and materials. Policy NSA 25, page 94
• The plan keeps land between towns and villages open through Green Wedges. Development that prejudices the open nature of this land will not be permitted, to prevent settlements merging together. Policy NSA 24, page 93
• The plan protects the built heritage. Development affecting listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled sites and other places of historic or archaeological merit will only be permitted if it preserves or enhances their character and appearance. Policy AW 7, page 55

Climate, energy and flooding

• The plan aims to manage climate change by focusing development away from areas in the north and south that are vulnerable to flooding. Page 23
• The plan says renewable and other energy schemes, such as biomass, hydro and small or medium wind turbines, will be allowed where there is no unacceptable effect on soil, farming, wildlife, heritage, landscape, health or nearby homes. Policy AW 12, page 62
• The plan says that when considering hydro-electric schemes, flooding will be an important consideration. Policy AW 12, page 62
• The plan says development will not be allowed where it would cause an unacceptable risk to health or local amenity, and flooding is one of the risks listed, unless the harm can be overcome. Policy AW 10, page 59

Transport

• The plan says developments on sites that could take five dwellings or more, or 1,000 m2 or more of commercial floor space, in the three named corridors must contribute to road junctions, bus improvements, park and ride and walking and cycling routes. Policy CS 8, page 39
• The plan says car parking provision for new development will be reduced as public transport improves, and busy uses such as offices, shops and leisure will be directed to places well served by buses and trains. Page 51
• The plan safeguards land for rail improvements along the former freight line between Aberdare and the former Tower Colliery at Hirwaun, which could be reused for passenger trains. Policy NSA 22, page 92

The Welsh language

• The plan does not include a specific policy on the Welsh language. The council considers that its aims to protect and enhance Welsh culture and heritage can be met through design and placemaking and other policies in the plan. Page 55
• For the 8 Strategic Sites, developers must show how Welsh culture, and where appropriate the Welsh language, has been built into their schemes. Page 55
• The council wants the planning system to protect and enhance Welsh culture and language where possible, although the area does not have a large Welsh speaking population. Page 55

Where it stands

Preferred strategy Reached in February 2024.

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