Cardiff Civic Society invited to replacement local development plan hearings

Cardiff Civic Society (CCS) was invited to attend and contribute to a number of the replacement local development plan (RDLP) examination hearings, namely: 

• Affordable Housing

• Gypsy/Travellers

• Natural Environment 

• Heritage

• Transport

• Design

That CCS’s contributions were invited is a tremendously positive reflection on the work the society carried out in its submissions to the RLDP, which will shape the face of Cardiff for the foreseeable future.

We were also delighted to note that a significant number of CCS members attended the hearings online.  

We were pleased to note that the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales Inspector for Hearing 8 - Natural Environment - required significant changes to the RLDP to reflect and accord with Planning Policy Wales on the Natural Environment. We hope this will help protect the natural world with properly enforceable rules.

It was also clear at Hearing 4 that a great deal of work has had to be done on Gypsy Traveller provision. Also, we understand that RLDP changes are required arising from other hearings, for example removing development allocations on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

We’d like to thank all our members (and others) who attended CCS’s RLDP meeting at the Holiday Inn in March 2025.  This hugely successful and well-attended meeting, and the contributions you all made, ensured that our voices were heard.  The RLDP is by no means perfect, but it has called the council to account with unheard of stringency.