Local development plans: Torfaen

The overall plan

• The plan's vision is that by 2021 the development strategy will deliver planned, sustainable growth that reflects the specific role and function of each settlement. Page 33
• The plan aims to regenerate town centres so they remain the focus for shopping, business and community life. Page 33
• One of the plan's objectives is to protect greenfield land by making the most efficient use of suitable brownfield sites for redevelopment across Torfaen. Page 36
• The plan sets out the development strategy and policies for future development and land use in Torfaen up to 2021. Page 13

Homes

• The plan provides for about 4,700 new homes in Torfaen between 2006 and 2021, identified through sites for approximately 5,740 dwellings to allow flexibility. Policy S5, page 67
• The plan splits the new homes between areas: about 550 in North Torfaen, 1,875 in Pontypool and 2,275 in Cwmbran. Policy S5, page 67

Jobs and the economy

• The plan protects existing employment land and premises. Changing them to other uses, such as shops or housing, is only allowed in limited cases, for example where the site is shown to be genuinely redundant and has been marketed at market value. Policy EET5, page 114
• The plan supports appropriate tourism proposals, such as walking and cycling provision, tourist accommodation, horse riding and coach parking, and proposals that add to the tourism offer at named sites such as Big Pit National Mining Museum and Blaenavon Ironworks. Policy EET6, page 115

Town centres and shops

• The plan says that major shops, and leisure and culture developments for town centre uses, should be built inside the defined town centre boundary of Cwmbran, which is the area's main sub-regional shopping centre. Policy S9, page 76
• The plan says Cwmbran Town Centre is where new shops and other town centre uses should go first, to meet the area's future retail needs. A specific site on the eastern side of the centre is identified for redevelopment. Policy RLT2, page 118
• The plan says that new shops larger than 235 square metres gross, built on the edge of a centre or outside any town, district or local centre, must pass tests. The developer must show a need, use a sequential approach that looks at town centre sites first, and avoid harming existing centres. Policy RLT3, page 120
• The plan says that in the main shopping streets (primary frontages) of Cwmbran and Pontypool, shops cannot be changed to non-shop uses if that would make more than one third of the frontage at ground floor level non-shop uses. Policy RLT5, page 122

Countryside, nature and heritage

• The plan keeps Green Wedges, open areas between settlements such as Cwmbran and Newport, to stop towns and villages joining up. Development there is allowed only if it keeps or improves their open character and minimises visual intrusion into the landscape. Policy C1, page 147
• The plan protects Special Landscape Areas from any development that would harm their individual and distinctive features. Applicants must show that their proposal will not have an adverse impact on the unique characteristics of the area. Policy C2, page 148
• The plan says that developers must first try to avoid losing wildlife habitats and biodiversity resources. They should also contribute to conserving or improving them. Page 81
• The plan commits to protecting and enhancing the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site over the plan period. This historic industrial landscape is one of the most important heritage areas in the county. Page 30

Climate, energy and flooding

• The plan says proposals should use sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) to reduce surface water run-off and flood risk, unless this is shown to be uneconomic or impractical. Policy S3, page 63
• The plan says developers must meet minimum energy efficiency standards for buildings, and non-residential development must meet the BREEAM 'Very Good' standard. Page 64
• The plan says residential dwellings will be expected to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 or subsequent national standards. Page 64

Transport

• The plan safeguards land for several major road and public transport schemes, including North Torfaen highway and public transport improvements and a Pontypool and New Inn Park and Ride facility. Development that would be likely to stop these schemes going ahead will not be allowed. Policy T1, page 129
• The plan says that parking in new developments should be provided to the council's standards where appropriate. Page 61
• The plan safeguards land to allow improvements to the cycle route network, so that cycle routes can be built or upgraded. Policy T3, page 132
• The plan says new development should be close to frequent public transport stops, ideally within 400 metres and within 800 metres at most. Page 61

The Welsh language

• The plan says Torfaen has a lower share of Welsh speakers than most of Wales, so the Welsh language is not used intensively enough to need a specific planning policy on it. Page 28
• The plan does not set a specific Welsh language policy. Instead, national planning policy on the Welsh language would be taken into account when deciding any future planning applications where appropriate. Page 28
• The plan says the Council wants to protect and improve Torfaen's cultural heritage, which the plan will promote. Page 28

Where it stands

Setting a timetable Reached in July 2026.

The authority is setting a timetable for writing a new plan, which the Welsh Government has to agree. This is called the delivery agreement, and it says when each consultation will be.

What happens next

Asking for candidate sites, expected 2027

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