Draft Preferred Strategy and

Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report

The production of a Draft Preferred Strategy is one of the first stages in the production of the LDP. The strategy will not allocate sites for development but will establish key strategic objectives for the Plan. In addition a suite of overarching or strategic policies will inform the more detailed site-specific policies and allocations that will be the subject of further consultation at the deposit draft stage.

The Council held a workshop for relevant stakeholders on 24 May 2007 to discuss a range of potential strategy options for the LDP. Six options were initially assessed and stakeholders suggested and considered a further 3 options at the workshop. A further workshop was held on the 25 July 2007 at which officers from a range of service areas of the Council gave their views on each of the strategy options. The findings of both workshops were used as a foundation for the Council's LDP draft preferred strategy.

• Stakeholder Consultation Report.
• Officers Consultation Report

The six week consultation took place between 16 January 2008 and 27 February 2008. The Council received 210 representations to the Draft Preferred Strategy and 31 representations to the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report. A report on the results of the consultation was presented to Cabinet on 3 December 2008 but was subsequently withdrawn. The report was again reported to Cabinet on 11 March 2009 and was deferred. The matter was considered by Cabinet on 25 March 2009, Planning Committee on 2 April 2009 and Scrutiny Committee (Economy and Environment) on 21 April 2009 and it was resolved to endorse the draft preferred strategy as a basis for the preparation of the deposit draft plan and the responses to the representations.

Judicial Review

On 23 June 2009, Persimmon Homes Ltd and BDW Trading Ltd (Barratt Homes) made an application for judicial review to the High Court which sought to quash Cabinet’s decision on 25 March 2009. The Honourable Judge Curran QC ordered that permission be considered at an oral hearing and Silber J granted permission on 6 October 2009.

The application was heard at the High Court in Cardiff on 2 and 3 March 2010 before the Honourable Mr. Justice Beatson. Having considered the evidence and oral submissions, the Honourable Mr. Justice Beatson dismissed the application. However, it should be noted that it is open to either party to seek leave from the Court to appeal the decision made by the Honourable Mr. Justice Beatson.

In addition and in the light of the grant of permission by Silber J, a further report on the LDP preferred strategy was considered by Cabinet on 3 February 2010. The report made clear that Cabinet were being asked to reconsider the LDP preferred strategy afresh and that they were not bound in any way by their earlier decision on 25 March 2009 or by the views of officers. The Draft Preferred Strategy was endorsed by Cabinet on 3 February 2010.

The consultation documents, key background documents, Cabinet reports and High Court Judgement can be viewed below:

Consultation Documents

• Draft Preferred Strategy (Dec 2007)
• Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report (Dec 2007)
• Statutory Notice

Key Background Documents (Information only)

• Population & Housing Projections Topic Paper (Dec 2007)
• Employment Land Study (Oct 2007)
• Sustainable Settlements Appraisal (Dec 2007)
• Spatial Options Background Paper (Dec 2007)
• Options Appraisal Report (Nov 2007)
• Appropriate Assessment Screening Report      (Dec 2007)
• Vale of Glamorgan Council Revised Options Appraisal Report (Mar 2009)
• Burial Land Study (Nov 2008)
• Coastal Study (June 2008)
• Designation of Landscape Character Areas (Aug 2008)
• Retail Planning Study (Sep 2008)
• Retail Planning Study (May 2009)
• Town and District Retail Centre Appraisal (2009)
• Designation of Special Landscape Areas (Mar 2008)
• Renewable Energy Study (Nov 2007) 

High Court Decision - 15 March 2010 (Application dismissed)

• Judgement
• Order

Cabinet Report and associated documents - 3 February 2010 (Approved)

• Cabinet Report - 3 February 2010 - (Approved)

Cabinet Report and associated documents - 25 March 2009 (Approved)

• Cabinet Report - 25 March 2009 - (Approved)
• Appendix A - Detailed breakdown of the Draft Preferred Strategy Responses
• Responses to the Draft Preferred Strategy Representations
• Responses to the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report Representations

Llandow Newydd

• Land at Llandow Appraisal of Agricultural Issues - Reading Agricultural Consultants
• Llandow New Settlement Agricultural Assessment - Kernon Countryside Consultants

Cabinet Report and associated documents - 11 March 2009 (Deferred)

• Cabinet Report - 11 March 2009 - (Deferred)
• Appendix A - Detailed breakdown of the Draft Preferred Strategy Responses (Deferred)
• Responses to the Draft Preferred Strategy Representations (Deferred)
• Responses to the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report Representations (Deferred)

Cabinet Report and associated documents - 3 December 2008 (Withdrawn)

• Cabinet Report - 3 December 2008 - (Withdrawn)
• Appendix A - Detailed breakdown of the Draft Preferred Strategy responses (Withdrawn)
• Responses to the Draft Preferred Strategy representations (Withdrawn)
• Responses to the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report representations (Withdrawn)