Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council are delighted to report that the Place Plan was adopted by Powys County Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance yesterday.
Working on the Place Plan started in early 2019 and features detailed plans for the town covering the next 15 years. Comments were received at various events in the town and public survey. 48 local organisations including local groups, schools& pupils were involved in collecting evidence. People of the town gave their views on topics including:
- Community Facilities
- Vacant Buildings
- Health & Well-Being
- Housing
- Climate Change.
The Place Plan as been formulated based directly on the community’s comments and suggestions. Key sections of the Plan include:
• Planning Policies – Powys County Council (as Supplementary Planning Guidance), will now take the towns wishes into account when planning applications are assessed for the Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn area.
• Projects and Actions – a large number of identified tasks, that several organisations in the town aim to deliver over the next 15 years
• “Supporting Evidence Library” – the plan acknowledges the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the intention is for the collected evidence, to be used by local organisations in their funding applications, to help attract much needed investment into the town. The “Supporting Evidence Library” is publicly available online and has already been used in 2 successful funding bids for significant town centre projects.
Ed Humphreys Town Clerk commented “The Place Plan for Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn is new ground in many ways, and it was a bold decision of the Town Council to start and see it through. It’s a result of the council’s largest community consultation and engagement exercise, a first Place Plan adopted by the planning authority, and puts Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn in the national spotlight as a case study of best practice.
The interest of the community during engagement, and their commitment to deliver particular actions is remarkable; a fine example of good partnership working.
Part of the purpose is to provide evidence for attracting investment into the town to put the community at the centre of Severn Valley economic regeneration, planning & well-being. With the legacy of Covid, Brexit, and By-Pass yet to be fully felt it can but strengthen the response.
The town council is grateful to all who assisted, whether as co-funder, co-producer, contributor, and for commitment to actions in short, medium and long term.”
