Place plan held as model for others to follow
A plan to help a mid Wales town look forward to the future has received national recognition.
Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council says it is delighted that its Place Plan has been recognised far and wide as a good example.
Based on the communities’ views and suggestions, it has, councillors say, already helped to draw investment into the town to help post-covid recovery. All projects and policies within the plan were based upon the response from the thousands of comments received and the 48 local organisations who have been actively involved in the project.
Place Plans were recently introduced by Welsh Government, as a way of encouraging greater community engagement in local planning decision making. The Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan will be the first one of its kind in the Powys planning authority area.
Work on the Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan started in early 2019 and 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 through public survey while 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.
Requests to Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council has seen our Place Plan be showcased at a National Level. Councillor Richard Edwards and Officer Sorelle White have presented on Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn’s Place Plan at an Audit Wales Town Centre Regeneration Conference and a jointconference of Planning Aid Wales and One Voice Wales on post-Covid regeneration.
Audit Wales approached the Town Council as the Place Plan is seen as a model of good practise, and recognised that in developing a Place Plan, we are a town which is taking control of its development.
The joint conference with Planning Aid Wales and One Voice Wales on post- Covid regeneration was attended by over 90 other town and community councils. A networking event with a focus on “Regenerating Welsh Towns and Communities Post Covid-19”. The Place Plan will also be featuring in the forthcoming edition of the National Architecture Journal – Touchstone.
Councillor Richard Edwards, lead councillor on the project, said he believed it would make a difference.
"We have built up policies, projects and evidence base that can be used by local government, private business, organisations, and individuals to plan projects and seek inward investment for Newtown. Even before the Plan has been officially adopted and published, the evidence collected has already helped to bring funding into the town. Of course, it will not solve every problem, but it does suggest a way forward. Helping us to create a town where people want to live, work and visit."
