Evidence base

The Council is currently consulting on its Pre-Deposit (Preferred Strategy) for the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) for the period 2023-2038.

The following evidence has been prepared as part of this consultation:

• Candidate Sites Register - Register of candidate sites submitted to the Council by developers, landowners and interested parties for consideration of future development or protection during the two calls for sites and one urban capacity call.
• Integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA) - The appraisal considers the likely social, economic, environmental and cultural effects of the RLDP. The ISA incorporates a Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Equalities Impact Assessment, Health Impact Assessment and Welsh Language Impact Assessment.
• ISA Non-Technical Summary - Non-technical summary of the ISA.
• Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) - This assessment tests whether the RLDP would be likely to have significant effects on any sites that are of European importance.
• Economic and Housing Growth Assessment - An assessment of the strategic and functional housing and economic relationships in Neath Port Talbot. Considered the potential future economic growth, the amount and make up of employment land and future household growth.
• Local Housing Market Assessment - An assessment to review the existing housing market, consider the nature of future need for market and affordable housing and specialist housing provision to inform policy development.
• Strategic Flood Consequences Assessment (Stage 1) - This Stage 1 assessment was commissioned jointly with other authorities within the region. The stage 1 is a desk-based study to assess the potential flood risks across the study area from all sources of flooding.
• Employment Land Review (Part 1, Part 2, Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3, Appendix 4) - An assessment of the supply and demand for employment land in Neath Port Talbot, looking at the quality, distribution and quantity of available employment sites and premises and the suitability of sites to meet future demand.
• Green Infrastructure Assessment - Provides a strategic overview of Neath Port Talbot’s Green Infrastructure and nature network, identifying the existing network, the resilience of the network and identified the key issues and opportunities for Green Infrastructure.
• Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Assessment - An assessment of renewable and low carbon energy, considering existing and potential energy demand, energy generation, potential renewable and low carbon energy opportunities and potential targets and policies for the RLDP.
• Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment - Under Part 3 of the Housing (Wales) Act, a study to assess the future accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller Community.
• High Level Viability Study - A high-level, plan-wide viability assessment undertaken by the Council to assess development viability across the Housing Market Areas within Neath Port Talbot.
• Green Wedge Assessment - An assessment to review existing Green Wedge designations in the adopted LDP (2011-2026) and consider whether there is a need to designate Green Wedges in the RLDP.
• Key Issues, Vision and Objectives Background Paper - This Paper identifies the Key Issues, Vision and Objectives for the RLDP. The issues and priorities identified will be taken forward in the RLDP and inform the approaches to be taken within the Plan.
• Strategic Highway Assessment (Part 1, Part 2)- An assessment of the potential impact of the scale and location of development proposed in the Preferred Strategy using the Welsh Government South West and Mid Wales Transport Model.
• Best and Most Versatile Land Background Paper - A report to consider the location and quality of agricultural land, setting out how the Council, through its assessment of Candidate Sites and Urban Capacity Sites, will consider the need to minimise the loss of Best and Most Versatile Land (BMV).
• Growth and Spatial Options Background Paper - A paper considering the potential and realistic growth and spatial options for the RLDP, having regard to legislation, characteristics and constraints within Neath Port Talbot, key issues, Welsh Government projections and economic forecasts.
• Urban Capacity Study - A study considering potential development opportunities to inform the identification of site allocations, assist to demonstrate delivery of the windfall allowance and form a register of suitable sites which fall below the threshold for allocation within the RLDP.
• Infrastructure Delivery Plan - An assessment of the infrastructure requirements needed to support future development, including provision for new roads and education facilities.
• Settlement Assessment (Part 1, Part 2) - An assessment of the role, function and sustainability of settlements within Neath Port Talbot. The aims of the assessment are to identify a settlement hierarchy to identify the most sustainable settlements and those that have capacity for future growth.
• Population and Housing Topic Paper - A background paper to look at the emerging evidence and approach taken in the Preferred Strategy relating to Population and Housing, including Affordable Housing and Gypsies and Travellers.
• Welsh Language Topic Paper - A background paper to look at the emerging evidence and approach taken in the Preferred Strategy relating to the protection and promotion of the Welsh Language.
• Employment Topic Paper - A background paper to look at the emerging evidence and approach taken in the Preferred Strategy relating to the Economy and Employment.
• Education Topic Paper - A background paper to look at the emerging evidence and approach taken in the Preferred Strategy to education provision.
• Transport Topic Paper - A background paper to look at the emerging evidence and approach taken in the Preferred Strategy relating to the Transport Network.
• Special Landscape Area (SLA) - Sets out the methodology that will be used to assess landscape quality across the County Borough, including re-assessing existing SLA designations in the adopted LDP (2011-2026) and an assessment of proposals for developments within SLAs.
• Key Sites Paper - A background paper providing further detail on the Key Sites identified in Chapter 9 of the Preferred Strategy.
• Tests of Soundness Self-Assessment / Collaboration Paper - A self-assessment against the tests of soundness and an overview of the regional collaboration undertaken in preparation of the Preferred Strategy.

For more information

For more information in regard to any aspect of the preparation of the LDP, you can contact the LDP Team direct: