The Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has been advised that its replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) — now to be produced jointly with Torfaen council — could take until 2030 to be adopted. The timetable was set out at a council meeting on Wednesday 15 July as members considered a collaboration agreement between the two authorities.
Gap in statutory planning policy
The previous Blaenau Gwent LDP expired on 31 December 2021. Officers and councillors warned that, without an up-to-date plan, the authority may have limited grounds to refuse planning applications on some open spaces and that refusals could be vulnerable to being overturned on appeal.
Council planning officers said Blaenau Gwent had been working on a replacement plan for several years, but the process was delayed during the Covid-19 pandemic. In March, councillors agreed to abandon the single-council replacement and instead prepare a joint LDP with neighbouring Torfaen.
Timescale defended by officers
Speaking at the meeting, the council's planning lead set out why the process will be lengthy and argued the proposed timetable is realistic given statutory steps that must be followed.
"In terms of timescales, four years does seem like a long time, it’s realistic in terms of the steps that we need to go through."
He noted that in England the Government has set a shorter timeframe for plan production — but that many local authorities there are struggling to meet it. He added there may be opportunities to accelerate the process depending on consultation responses.
Opposition concerns and local placemaking work
Opposition councillors expressed alarm at the length of the proposed timeframe and the consequences for local planning control. Independent group leader Cllr Wayne Hodgins said the timeline raised concerns about being challenged on planning policy in the absence of a functioning LDP and pointed to existing placemaking work designed to guide town centre redevelopment.
"It says that it will take us until 2030 to adopt the plan. It seems a long time."
Cllr Hodgins also highlighted that Blaenau Gwent had already put work into placemaking plans that offer a blueprint for town regeneration, suggesting these may help inform decisions while the statutory plan is being prepared.
Practical implications for residents and developers
Until a new LDP is adopted, planning determinations will rely on a mix of remaining saved policies, national planning guidance and any relevant supplementary planning documents such as the county’s placemaking work. That hybrid position can create uncertainty for residents, businesses and developers planning work affecting open spaces, housing allocations and town centre change.
- Expired plan: Blaenau Gwent’s LDP ended 31 December 2021.
- New timetable: Joint LDP with Torfaen could be adopted by 2030.
- Risk: Potentially weaker grounds to refuse applications on some open spaces whilst no up-to-date plan exists.
| Key dates | Detail |
|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2021 | Previous Blaenau Gwent LDP expired |
| March 2026 | Council agreed to progress a joint LDP with Torfaen |
| 2030 | Estimated adoption year for the joint plan |
Officers indicated the councils will begin statutory stages including public consultation, examination and potential modifications, all of which affect the programme length. They also cautioned that consultation responses could either speed up or slow the timetable.
For local residents and community groups wanting to influence future policy on housing, green spaces and town centres, participating in any consultation phases will be the primary route to shape the joint plan. The council has not yet published a full timetable of consultation events; residents should watch the council’s planning pages for updates and details of how to respond when proposals are published.
The development and adoption of an LDP determines where new housing, employment land and infrastructure will go for years to come. The prospect of several more years without a fresh statutory framework has prompted councillors to press officers for clarity about interim policy arrangements and what protections can be maintained while the joint plan is prepared.
