Planning Matters

This section provides summaries of the Society’s most recent responses to consultations on town planning policy and important planning applications. When time allows, we consult the full membership of the Society on the most important matters.

Replacement Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033

The main points of the Society’s response to the Deposit Plan in January 2025 are as follows:

  • Broad support for the vision and objectives of the plan.
  • Acceptance of 6,210 extra homes in the county (600 on new sites at Abergavenny/Llanfoist) 2018-33, a compromise endorsed by the Welsh Government, apart from the 15% flexibility allowance and doubts whether this target can be reached by 2033. The high expectation of affordable housing and the scope for rail commuting were also relevant factors.
  • Doubts about the achievability of the local employment targets in the plan, and the consequent increase in commuting to work.
  • A welcome for the Green Wedge between the built-up area and the National Park boundary, but an objection to a housing site for 100 homes (Penlanlas) that would conflict with the Wedge as proposed by the Society.
  • An objection to the East Abergavenny mixed use site (500 homes) unless we are satisfied that there will be early provision integrating the development with the rest of the town by satisfactory means of crossing the A465 and the railway for pedestrians, cyclists and the disabled.
  • Support for policies on many other matters including zero carbon housing, but with suggestions for improvement.

The Plan is now with independent Inspectors for Examination in 2026

Town Centre Placemaking Plan

This ambitious plan was adopted by both the Town and County Councils at the end of 2025. It was prepared by consultants under the direction of a steering group of councillors and community representatives including the Civic Society. The consultants engaged closely with many in the community and local opinion guided the priorities of the plan. The Society is generally pleased with the plan, which reflects most of the suggestions that we put forward while it was being prepared. We believe that the cost of proposed capital projects is unlikely to be met in the next 10-15 years, but the plan is an otherwise sound basis for action, to which we hope to contribute. We hope that early discussions will take place with the Welsh Government on proposals relating to the A40 trunk road, and for decisions on the future of the Post Office/Royal Mail building. We also feel that the environmental and tourism potential of the town’s built heritage deserves more attention.

Our Conservation Areas

Like many civic societies, the preservation and enhancement of the town’s conservation areas is one of our core interests.  This leads us to respond to otherwise minor proposals, such as shopfront changes or the loss of stone walls that contribute to local character, and to engaging closely with public realm schemes.  The condition of No 1 High Street and adjoining Market Street buildings has concerned the Society for most of its existence, while the restoration of Plas Gunter has recently been a cause to support.  We await proposals for the site on Frogmore Street that has been cleared following a fire.  

Planning Applications

We normally restrict our comments to applications for major developments and proposals that have a significant impact on the street scene, especially in conservation areas, on listed buildings or on protected elements of the landscape. Society representations can be seen on the County Council’s website pages for each application.

Recent years have given rise to few especially controversial planning applications.  The long dispute that resulted in the replacement of the town’s livestock market with a supermarket in about 2018 was the most debatable – Society members had mixed opinions on the loss of the market but unsuccessfully objected to the layout of the site, the loss of historic buildings and the design of the building.  More recently expressed objections or reservations have included an objection to the design and lack of landscaping of the new tyre depot on Monmouth Road, comments on the new King Henry VIII School and opposition to a large care home on Pen y Pound.

Related Matters

When necessary, we respond to Welsh Government, Monmouthshire CC and National Park consultations on supplementary planning guidance, transport policy, active travel, public realm improvements. economic development, green infrastructure and biodiversity, etc.

Design Statement

In the absence of local planning authority guidance, in 2018 the Society prepared a Design Statement (HERE) intended to encourage developers in the town to pay regard to the distinctive characteristics of the town and to provide the Society with a framework for responses to planning applications.

The statement aims to improve the quality of design. It recognises that new buildings and spaces may succeed by blending unobtrusively with those of the past or by introducing something modern and quite different. The architecture of the town has evolved in the past and can continue to do so.

The town has had little development since 2018 and the statement is likely to be reviewed after the new Local Development Plan has been adopted.

Monmouthshire Local Planning Authority

This section of the county council’s website (HERE) provides information on planning policy, planning applications, and supplementary information such as conservation area appraisals.