Agenda item

To discuss comments received as part of the public consultation together with the Services response to the comments along with an updated Review Report.

i)               Accept the proposed changes to the Review Report as shown in Appendix 2.

ii)              Approve the Review Report as the final report which will be published and submitted to the Welsh Government subject to the approval of The Full Council of Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

Rebeca Jones submitted a presentation outlining the now concluded public consultation period that was linked to the Review Report and the officers' response to the observations received. 

It was highlighted that it was possible to view all the observations and the responses to them in appendix 1 of the papers.

It was noted that the Review Report had been subject to a public consultation and that 329 representations had been received from 48 individuals.

It was noted that a number of the observations received were irrelevant to the Review Report, but matters that needed consideration when preparing the Amended Plan had been highlighted.

After receiving and considering all the observations received there was a need to carry out relevant amendments to the Plan. The Panel's attention was drawn to the need to carry out the following amendments to the Review Report: -

•         Include a reference in section 2 of the report to:

a. Active Travel Act Guidance (July 2021) (Welsh Government publication) b. Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the Visitor Economy 2020-2025 (Welsh Government publication)

c. Marine Area Statement (Natural Resources Wales publication)

ch. Wales National Marine Plan

•         Include text that provided an update on the delay in publishing the amended Technical Advice Note 15 in Section 2

•         Include a reference to the research associated with second homes which had been undertaken and the pilot intended for the Dwyfor area.

•         Minor amendments to the text for accuracy.

All the changes undertaken to the Review Report following the public consultation were outlined as noted in Appendix 1.

It was confirmed that the Review Report reached a conclusion regarding the need to hold a Full Review of the Plan and that the observations received agreed with this. Furthermore, the timetable and reporting procedure in relation to receiving approval of the Review Report were highlighted.

The process of reporting on the Review Report to the Isle of Anglesey County Council Full Council meeting and Gwynedd Council Full Council meeting and then published and submitted to the Government was outlined.

Matters Raised

·           It was noted that there was a need to be ready for the discussion regarding the Review Report in the Full Council and the Officers' response to the observations which had been received during the public consultation period.

·         A question was asked regarding the Dwyfor Pilot Scheme and when more details would be issued. The matter of second homes and short-term holiday lets was an extremely important matter for Gwynedd and Anglesey. It appeared that there was considerable discussion about the topic but no action taken.

·         Concern was expressed regarding the threat of local farms being bought by large companies in order to plant trees in an attempt to counterbalance their carbon footprint. Though it was acknowledged that climate change was an enormous threat, attempting to overturn the carbon emission contribution of large companies by buying up small farms was a threat to Welsh rural communities.  

Response

·           Note the observation

·           It was noted that the Pilot Scheme was a Government scheme and that any details regarding how and what was intended were few and far between. However, it was noted that the Government had expressed its intention to assist with getting empty homes back into use, the help to buy scheme and trialling a voluntary registration system as part of the Pilot Scheme.

The Committee's attention was drawn to the consultation currently going ahead involving amendments to planning legislation and policy and it was noted that the Councils were in the process of preparing a response to that consultation. The consultation was a part of a package of interventions by the Government.

·           It was noted that this was a matter that was beyond the control of the JLDP. It was suggested that it was a matter that should be raised by the Council, and then contact the Government if it was considered appropriate to do so. 

Decision                                  

The Committee resolved-

i)                    To accept the proposed changes to the Review Report proposed in Appendix 2 of the papers.

ii)                   To approve the Review Report (seen in Appendix 2) as the final Report published and submitted to the Government subject to the approval of the Full Council of Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey County Council.