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ID sylw: 107967

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Rainier Developments Ltd

Asiant : Pegasus Group

Rainier Developments support high quality design. The overarching strategic design principles align with national policy.

The policy direction refers to 20-minute neighbourhoods, which the SA notes would result in positive impacts for many SA Objectives. The policy should clearly define the principles of such neighbourhoods. This may be based on the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA)’s 20-minute Neighbourhoods guidance (March 2021). It will be necessary to clarify that meeting these principles may not be possible for all developments, particularly in more rural locations. 20-minute neighbourhoods are typically associated with urban areas - existing towns, urban extensions, and new settlements. It is easier to deliver facilities and services in denser areas. Higher densities may not be appropriate for all sites, particularly in rural settlements, as recognised in Paragraph 130 of the NPPF.

The TCPA’s guidance acknowledges the challenges of implementing 20-minute neighbourhoods in rural areas, noting two approaches:

• Focus on achieving a complete and compact 20-minute neighbourhood nearby such as a local market town, which residents in comparatively smaller settlements can travel to.
• Create a network of villages that collectively provide what most people need for their daily lives. This aligns with NPPF Paragraph 83, which states development in one village may support services in a village nearby.

NPPF Paragraph 82 states thousing developments in rural areas should meet local needs and Paragraph 83 that this should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of communities. It will be important for the Councils to justify inclusion and promotion of 20-minute neighbourhoods in the next stage of the plan if this is to become a central part of this policy.