Place plan for Newtown one of the first in Powys

Place Plans were recently introduced by Welsh Government, as a way of encouraging greater community engagement in local planning decision making. The Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan will be the first one of its kind in the Powys planning authority area.

A spokesman for the town council said that after recent public consultation, the final draft of the Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan will be submitted to Powys County Council Cabinet for adoption on June 22.

Work on the place plan started in early 2019. It features detailed plans for the town covering the next 15 years. Over 7,000 comments were received at various events in the town and a public survey with 48 local organisations including local groups, schools and pupils, were involved in collecting evidence.

"People of the town gave their views on topics including community facilities, vacant buildings, health and well-being, housing and climate change. There had been a small pause in the work on the place plan last year while officers supported the Covid-19 response," Councillor Richard Edwards said.

The place plan will be taken into account when planning applications are assessed.

During the consultation a large number of project were identified that the town hopes will be delivered over the next 15 years.

The plan also 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," Councillor Edwards said.

"We received over 70 comments. As the Place Plan is very much a community-based plan, we worked with County Council officers to find ways of accommodating in this final draft, the amendments that people had requested. We look forward to officially launching the plan in the summer."

The latest draft of the Place Plan and Supporting Evidence Library, can be accessed at newtown.org.uk/consultations/placeplan.