What is a Unitary Development Plan

Government legislation requires that each Unitary Authority in Wales should prepare a Unitary Development Plan (UDP) which will replace any existing development plans covering their area.

The plan is called a Unitary Development Plan because it contains both strategic and local planning policies for the area. Previously these were covered separately in different plans, and prior to local government re-organisation in 1996, these were generally prepared by different authorities.

The UDP contains policies and proposals for the development and use of land in the County Borough, and in particular covers

• Strategic transport and highway facilities and other infrastructure requirements;
• Housing;
• Conservation of the natural and built environment;
• Economic development;
• Tourism, sport and recreation;
• Energy generation, including renewable energy;
• Mineral working and protection of mineral reserves;
• Waste treatment and disposal, land reclamation, re-use and hazards.

The UDP will guide development in the period upto 2016.