Cynllun Lle Y Drenewydd a Llanllwchaearn
The Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan was developed with the local community, between 2019-2021. It sets out planning policies and the town’s aspirations on a wide range of topics for the 15 years between 2021-2036.
The Town Council worked with Planning Aid Wales, Place Studio and the Planning Policy team at Powys County Council, to gather and consider over 7,000 comments made by local residents. Each policy and project in the plan is based on the ideas and views of the community.
The Place Plan was approved and adopted by the Town Council on 26th July 2021. On 13th July 2021, Powys County Council also adopted the Place Plan as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Local Development Plan. This means that the policies put forward by the community, will now need to be considered for all local planning applications.
You can access the Place Plan documents below.
- View the Place Plan
- View the Appendices
- View the “Supporting Evidence” Documents (English language only)
WHAT’S A PLACE PLAN?
Place Plans were recently introduced by the Welsh Government, as a way of encouraging greater community engagement in local town planning decision making.
The Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan presents an opportunity for local people, working together with the Town Council, to:
- Influence local town planning decisions
- Tell us your needs and aspirations for the town
- Identify solutions to issues, to help attract investment
The Place Plan for the next 15 years will give us a layer of planning information that adds real local detail – Newtown detail – to what is in the overall Powys Local Development Plan.
HOW THE COMMUNITY HELPED TO DEVELOP THE PLAN
Stakeholder event 30th Jan 2019
At this lively event in January a remarkably wide range of people who play a role in Newtown came together to explore issues and topics that could be included in the Place Plan. The event also highlighted the significant number of local initiatives already underway in the areas of business, heritage and the environment.
- 80+ community groups and public sector organisations invited to get involved in developing the Place Plan
- 47 signed up to attend the event
- 36 attended on the day
Positive input & views recorded on:
i) character areas in the town
ii) land use / non land use issues that need addressing
8 Organisations signed up at the event to help with evidence collection & several others expressing an interest.
8 Organisations signed up at the event to help with evidence collection & several others expressing an interest.
You can read the report on the event here
School Councils Event 13th Feb 2019
We met with students from the school councils of 9 local schools:
- Newtown High School
- Treowen Community Primary School
- Penygloddfa County Primary School
- Maesyrhandir Community Primary
- Maesyrhandir Community Primary
- St Michael’s Community Primary School, Kerry
- Abermule Community Primary, Abermule
Total number attending was 43 (34 pupils, 9 staff).
You can read the report on the event here
Later in the year, we worked with geography students from the High School to collect vital evidence about footpaths, community facilities and open spaces.
Drop-In Events
120 members of the public joined us at 4 public drop in events:
Mon 18th March ’19 – 4–7pm – All Saints Church, Commercial St.
Mon 8th April ’19 – 5-7pm – Newtown High School
Thu 2nd May ’19 – 4-7pm – Treowen Community Hall
Weds 8th May ’19 – 4-7pm – Waggon & Horses, Canal Rd
You gave us your views on:
- Housing sites
- Community Facilities
- “The Good The Bad & The Ugly” places in the town
- Character areas
- Footpaths, Open Spaces & Play Areas
You can read reports about the drop in events below:
A Summary Report About All Drop -In Events
Report on Drop in No.1 – All Saints Church
Report on Drop in No.2 – Newtown High School
Report on Drop in No.3 – Treowen Community Hall
Report on Drop in No.4 – Waggon & Horses
Evidence Gathering
Between April & September 2019, we were delighted to work with dozens of local volunteers to collect specific data on topics such as footpaths and cycleways, playgrounds and open spaces, signage, accessibility, character areas and community facilities. The results of this work will be published with the final plan.
Public Survey
Drawing on all of the previous feedback, a community survey was drafted and open to the public from June to September 2019. The responses helped us gather more evidence for existing topics plus additional subjects such as wildlife, climate, health provision, safety. It also gave local people an opportunity to put forward community projects.
You can see a summary of the public survey results here
October & November Stakeholder Events – Assessing The Evidence
At stakeholder workshops in October & November 2019, we bought together all the evidence and feedback given on the topics below. We worked with those that attended to draw out key points and start work on a draft of the plan.
Open Spaces
Play areas
Allotments
Footpaths
Cycle Ways
Tourism
Business Premises
Energy and Climate
Character Areas
Housing Sites
Town Centre
Community Facilities
Notes from the two stakeholder events to assess the evidence can be found here:
Drafting The Place Plan Document
Writing of the plan began in October 2019. In February 2020, a first draft was shared with over 130 stakeholders from local organisations. 154 comments were returned. These were considered in detail with the consultants and Powys C Planning Policy team and incorporated where possible (ie. they did not go against policy in the Local Development Plan).
Work was paused in the spring of 2020, while officers supported the community response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the work of Newtown Network.
A second draft of the Place Plan went out to public consultation between January and March 2021. 81 comments were returned. Again, responses were considered in detail with Powys CC Planning Policy team and incorporated where possible.
PLACE PLAN – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WILL THIS PLAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
YES!
The Newtown Community Action Plan consultation in 2015, resulted in investment of over £1.1 million to enhance the open spaces in the town. This new Place Plan consultation has the potential to attract the same levels of funding into the town.
YES!
The Place Plan is expected to be adopted by Powys County Council to be used when assessing planning applications.
ISN’T THERE ANOTHER TOWN PLAN?
There are other plans in the town such as:
Newtown Community Action Plan (NCAP)
NCAP asked people their views on how they wanted the town to develop. This kind of evidence is vital when applying for grant funding and helped to win the successful Big Lottery investment of £1.1 million for the Green Spaces / Open Newtown project. However NCAP ends in 2020. The Place Plan provides an opportunity to go back to the people of the town to ask them for more up to date views, to help attract even more investment into the town.
NLTC’s 5 Year Strategy – this sets out what the Town Council will deliver within its legal powers.
The Place Plan is different because:
a) it has a particular focus on land use and is intended to be adopted by Powys County Council as part of its Local Development Plan
b) it will highlight issues and solutions that cannot solely be addressed by the Town Council and will require partnership working to deliver.
HOW WILL THE PLACE PLAN BENEFIT THE TOWN?
The Place Plan will:
- Enable positive and proactive input into the local planning system, offering the community more influence over planning decisions for the town
- Help identify solutions to some of the issues the town faces
- Help attract investment into the town
- Create opportunities through partnership working
