Deposit Draft Local Development Plan - Rhondda Cynon Taf

Key Environmental Trends• 45% of Rhondda Cynon Taf passes the Fields in Trust standard of 1kilometre to the nearest sports area of over 1,000 m² (OpenspaceAssessment, 2007).• The highest levels of ‘physical environment’ deprivation (for poor airquality, flood risk and waste disposal sites) occur in the central andnorthern valleys (Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2008).• Municipal waste arisings in Rhondda Cynon Taf for 2004/05 stood at131,777 tonnes. There was an average annual growth in arisings of2.18% over the previous 6 year period compared with the SE Walesaverage of 2.92% (Regional Waste Plan Annual Monitoring Report2006).• Average household waste arisings per household for 2004 / 05 stoodat 1.332 kilogrammes compared with the SE Wales average of1.284kg (Regional Waste Plan Annual Monitoring Report 2006).• Only 15.6% of municipal waste was recycled and composted inRhondda Cynon Taf in 2004 / 05 compared with 20.7% in SE Wales asa whole (Regional Waste Plan Annual Monitoring Report 2006).• Rhondda Cynon Taf is important for nature conservation withsignificant areas of semi natural habitat and high levels of habitatdiversity. There are 2 special areas of nature conservation (SAC) atBlaencynon (part) and Cardiff Beechwoods (small part) and 12designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest.• Rhondda Cynon Taf has 16 conservation areas and 366 listedbuildings.2.8. The trends identified in this section provide a clear indication of the deepseatedsocial, economic and environmental factors that need to beaddressed, in order to achieve balanced development across the CountyBorough. The factors identified provide a clear picture of the two parts ofRhondda Cynon Taf. The central and northern valleys of the CountyBorough is experiencing high levels of deprivation, derelictioncompounded by a declining population, low levels of house building andbelow average levels of economic activity. The south of the CountyBorough in contrast, has experienced a significant growth in populationsupported by high levels of house building and above average economicactivity. When these factors are considered across the County Borough asa whole they reveal the difficulties in managing the relationship betweenthe two areas, in particular the problems experienced with internalmigration patterns, provision of services and the dependence on the widerregion for employment and road congestion.2.9. If the trends portrayed are allowed to continue, those areas of RhonddaCynon Taf with the least signs of socio economic deprivation are likely toprosper. Whilst those areas of the County Borough showing signs of themost significant socio economic deprivation are likely to decline further.The LDP strategy will seek to halt the process of decline in the central andnorthern valleys by stimulating growth in the housing and employmentmarkets, removing dereliction and supporting services in important urbancentres. In the south, the strategy will seek to manage growth by balancinghousing and commercial development with social and environmentalconsiderations.• There are eight sites in Rhondda Cynon Taf which have potentialsand and gravel resources.20Preserving Our Heritage, Building Our Future