Adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes and Consultations

Consultation on ‘Planning for Dark Night Skies: Supplementary Planning Guidance for lighting in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'

What are we doing?

Denbighshire County Council in partnership with Flintshire County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are seeking views on a draft Supplementary Planning Guidance note (SPG) for lighting in the AONB. This will provide advice and guidance for developers and others on good lighting design in the AONB.

Cllr Tony Thomas, Chair of the AONB Joint Committee, said: “The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB is one of Wales’ most cherished landscapes. The area enjoys some of the darkest skies in Wales and provides opportunities to experience the wonders of a dark night sky. The SPG will help to conserve and enhance this special quality by raising awareness of the issue and promoting dark sky friendly lighting design. We want to know what you think, and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation process and to have their say on the draft SPG before the deadline on August 9th.”

Why are we doing it?

The AONB is designated as a landscape of national importance and the primary purpose is to conserve and enhance its natural beauty. One of the recognised special qualities of the AONB is its tranquil nature, which includes the opportunity to experience dark night skies. The AONB has some of the darkest skies in Wales and the draft SPG seeks to conserve and enhance this special quality by providing guidance for developers and others on dark sky friendly lighting design. When approved by each of the Local Planning Authorities the SPG will be a material planning consideration in determining planning applications and appeals.

What do we want to know?

The three Local Planning Authorities and the AONB are keen to hear from a wide range of statutory and non-statutory organisations, town and community councils, voluntary groups and the general public as well as local planning consultants and agents. Comments should be sent to Denbighshire County Council who are coordinating the consultation on behalf of the three Local Planning Authorities. Comments can be submitted via the Denbighshire Consultation Portal, by e-mail to: clwydianrangeaonb@denbighshire.gov.uk or in writing to Huw Rees, Countryside and Heritage Services Manager, Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, PO BOX 62, Ruthin LL15 9AZ.

The closing date for comments is 9th August 2021

The document can be viewed on the AONB website and hard copies are available for inspection at Denbighshire’s public libraries.

https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk

HMO Developer Advice Note Consultation

The Council have produced a new Developer Advice Note on Flats and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) (PDF) that supports the policy context within the UDP. This guidance is for prospective developers of flats/HMOs and includes the key standards, assessments and evidence that the LPA require to properly consider and assess planning applications.

This Advice Note is not a formal Supplementary Planning Guidance note because there is no policy in the adopted UDP which relates directly to Houses in Multiple Occupation. However this note is a material planning consideration as it sets out what supporting information and studies are required when making a planning application for flats and HMOs.

Although the expiry date of the UDP is December 31st 2015, the UDP is still to be used as the most up to date adopted plan for development management purposes and it will be an important material consideration in any planning decisions until superseded by the adopted Local Development Plan. Comments on the note are now welcomed and it is available for public consultation on this Website, flintshire.gov.uk/planning/HMODeveloperAdviceNote from Wednesday 13th February 2019 for a period of 6 weeks until Wednesday March 27th 2019. Any comments received will be considered and any proposed changes will be reported to Planning Strategy Group and the amended note will be taken to Cabinet in order for it to be approved as a Developer Advice Note. The advice note will be further reviewed following adoption of the LDP and, following consultation and Cabinet resolution, be adopted as SPG.

The Council reviewed and updated the majority of the existing Local and Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes to support the continued use of the adopted Flintshire Unitary Development Plan (UDP). The guidance notes were updated following public consultation for 8 weeks (from Dec 18th 2015 to Feb 12th 2016 and from 10th June to 22nd July 2016 for the SPG No 23) and changes have been approved by Members through the Planning Strategy Group. This process has followed the Welsh Government guidelines and the new Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes were formally adopted by Council Cabinet on 17.01.17.

All development proposals will take account of Adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance where relevant, which includes detailed guidance concerning individual sites, development issues, and particular types of development and will be a material consideration in determining planning applications. In terms of material considerations, greater weight can be attached to a guidance note if it has been formally adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance.

The Adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance notes are as follows:-

SPGN No1. Extensions and Alterations to Dwellings

SPGN No 2. Space Around Dwellings

SPGN No 3. Landscaping

SPGN No 4. Trees and Development

SPGN No 5. Conversion of Rural Buildings

SPGN No 6. Listed Buildings

SPGN No 7. Conservation Areas

SPGN No 8. Nature Conservation and Development - SPG 8a - Great Crested Newt Mitigation Requirements

SPGN No 9. Affordable Housing

SPGN No 10. New Housing in the Open Countryside

SPGN No 11. Parking Standards

SPGN No 12. Access For All

SPGN No 18. Telecommunications

SPGN No 20. Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy for Householders and Small Businesses

SPGN No 21.Environmental Impact Assessments

SPGN No 23. Developer Contributions to Education

SPGN No 24. Retention of Local Facilities

SPGN No 25. Development Brief for the Housing at the Compound Site, West of Broughton Retail Park

SPGN No 26. Development Brief for the Housing at Land off Ffordd Eldon, Sychdyn

AN No 27. One Planet Development (this is an informal, Advice Note, rather than a Supplementary Planning Guidance Note as there is no policy in the UDP which refers to One Planet Development)

SPGN No 28. Archaeology

SPGN No 29. Management of Surface Water for New Development
IMPORTANT SPGN No. 29 Management of Surface Water for New Development will be superseded from the 7th January 2019 by the National Standards for sustainable drainage (SuDS). Please refer to this link for further information.

SPGN No 30. Public Art

SPG Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Local Planning Guidance Notes

There are also 5 informal Local Planning Guidance Notes which have been approved for development management purposes and are material considerations but which carry less weight than the Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes. These Local Planning Guidance Notes will be reviewed, updated and be the subject of public consultation and Council resolution in order for them to be adopted as formal Supplementary Planning Guidance.

SPGN No 19. Sustainable Drainage Systems - Under review

PGN No 13. Open Space Requirements - Original

SPGN No 13. Open Space Requirements (renamed - Outdoor Playing Space and New Development) Revised Draft - Under Review

16. Advertisements - Under review.

31. Areas of Search for New Waste Management Facilities - Under Review