Neath Port Talbot residents are set to help to shape the area's future by commenting on a document that will guide the development of the county borough for the next 15 years.
The Replacement Local Development Plan Preferred Strategy has been approved by Neath Port Talbot Council and will be open for public consultation from midday on December 12 until midday on February 6.
The strategy, titled Aiding Economic Recovery and Valuing Our Unique Opportunities in Neath Port Talbot, outlines a preferred growth level considering the ongoing economic transition, particularly the changes at Tata Steel in Port Talbot and the shift towards decarbonisation and green jobs.
The plan anticipates an optimistic level of new investment, recognising the potential of the Celtic Freeport designation and Neath Port Talbot’s role in the National Growth Area outlined in Future Wales: The National Plan 2040.
The overarching strategy will be supported by two strategy areas - the Valleys Opportunity Area, which includes the Afan, Neath, Dulais, Swansea, Amman, and Pontardawe valleys, and the Coastal Corridor and National Growth Area, comprising Neath and Port Talbot.
Over the plan period, the strategy is to make provision for 4,176 new homes, supporting the creation of 3,555 jobs, and designating 57 hectares of land for employment.
The Preferred Strategy is being consulted alongside three other documents - the Candidate Sites Register/Assessment, detailing 470 proposed future development or protection sites, the Interim Integrated Sustainability Appraisal, and the Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Report.
Councillor Wyndham Griffiths, Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet member for strategic planning, transport, and connectivity, urged as many residents as possible to engage with the consultation.
Residents can submit their comments through Neath Port Talbot Council's website or by email or post.
Consultation documents will also be available to view in person at Neath Civic Centre, Port Talbot Civic Centre, and The Quays, Briton Ferry.
There will also be drop-in sessions at Pontardawe Library and Neath Civic Centre on January 22, and at Port Talbot Library and Glynneath Library on January 23.
An online engagement session will be held on January 21, and those wishing to attend must email ldp@npt.gov.uk by January 15.
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