The Regeneration of Porthcawl, Sustainability, and Community Involvement - letter from Sustainable Wales to Bridgend Bouroughs LDP Inspector, Auditor General Wales & Wellbeing of Future generations Commissioner.
Download the full document with additional notes (PDF) here
The main text reads:
Monday, 17 April 2023
FAO
1.Inspector, Nicola Gulley Bridgend Boroughs Revised LDP c/o LDPProgrammeOfficer@bridgend.gov.uk
2. Auditor General. Audit Wales, 1 Capital Quarter, Cardiff, CF104BZ Email info@audit.wales
3c.c. Well-being of Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker
Is this as good as it gets?
The Regeneration of Porthcawl, Sustainability, and Community Involvement
Like many organisations based in Porthcawl, Sustainable Wales (SW) has tried to engage with Bridgend Borough Council Planning Department over many years, as plans emerge for the regeneration of the town’s waterfront. (see below, where we mention some SW contributions.)
The community consultation over the years, offered by BCBC to new planning developments, we feel, has been old style and limiting. This has caused a degree of alienation, definitely more so now with the growth of social media.
Thus, many people feel disengaged from politics, even though many of their ideas are sensible and exciting. There is a lack of trust in the process.
Because of the climate and ecological emergency, generally agreed to exist, we need to move forward. Sustainable development requires informed participation - this we have known for years. Futures will be different and we need to share a vision and start the transition now. The planning process we have is not fit for purpose. It is also imposed upon us.
Requiring urgent discussion is what sort of town might Porthcawl become? How do we plan with consideration of the past, the present and future, in a fair and just way, for people and planet? Residents have had no chance to establish a vision together.
Indeed, there are many participatory techniques available to replicate, which have been tried and tested across the UK and further afield.
The Well Being of Future Generations Act, Planning Policy Wales, and the Local Government Association Gunning Principles all state the need for deeper consultation (see below).
Thus, the question is how do we implement these requirements? Other countries administrations laud the Wales Future Generation’s Act. Yet it does not seem to being implemented in its country of origin!. People believe this is now a pressing issue.
For all our Future Generations Yours sincerely
Margaret Minhinnick Director, Sustainable Wales.