Preparation has now commenced on the 3rd replacement Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Local Development Plan (LDP). Upon adopted. LDP 3 will supersede and replace the adopted Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority LDP2 which has an end date of 2031. The LDP constitutes the development plan for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and will be the basis for decisions on land-use planning in the area. LDP 3 will set out key policies and land use allocations that will shape the future of the National Park and guide development up to 2039. The replacement LDP 3 covers a period of fifteen years and should reflect national planning policy in Wales.
Stage 1: Review
LDPs must undergo a statutory full review at least every four years following adoption to ensure they remain current and effective.
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority adopted LDP 2 in September 2020. The Review Report (March 2025) sets out where changes are required, what needs to change and why, based on evidence.
In September 2024, the Authority conducted a review of its LDP, culminating in the publication of the LDP Review Report in March 2025. Appendix 1 provides a summary of each policy’s performance. Based on the evidence contained in the Review Report, it was concluded that LDP 2 should be revised and that this should take the form of a full revision procedure. The report recommended a Replacement LDP be prepared for the period 2025 to 2039.
The Report of Consultation on the Review Report also highlighted key issues raised from the consultation responses. The responses received from the consultation were considered and incorporated into the final Review Report as appropriate.
Stage 2: Delivery Agreement
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has produced a Delivery Agreement (DA) for the preparation of LDP 3.
The DA sets out the timetable for producing LDP 3, and a Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) detailing when and how the Authority will engage with and consult stakeholders and the community in the plan making process. The document provides details of:
- the various stages involved in the process
- the time these processes are likely to take, and;
- the resources that the Authority will commit to preparing the plan
The delivery agreement is still in draft form and was approved by National Park Authority members for public consultation on May 7 2025. A summary of the key issues raised from the consultation responses will be available here after the consultation period has ended.
Documents:
Welsh Government Agreement Letter
Stage 3: Evidence Gathering
Candidate Sites:
Following the publication of the Delivery Agreement, the Call for Candidate Sites marks the first formal stage in preparing LDP 3.
Interested parties are invited to submit potential development sites, referred to as Candidate Sites, to the National Park Authority for consideration in the Replacement LDP’s land allocation process.
The purpose of this call is to ensure that, should land be allocated for development in the Replacement LDP, only deliverable sites are included within the Plan period (extending to 2039). It is important to note that Candidate Site submissions represent proposals for potential development and are subject to rigorous assessment. Submission of a site does not guarantee its allocation in LDP 3.
A Candidate Sites Assessment Methodology will be prepared by the Authority and will make clear the criteria by which the Authority will assess sites to determine their suitability for inclusion within the LDP 3.
Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment:
As part of the evidence gathering phase, the Authority will prepare an initial Sustainability Appraisal (SA) which covers the effects of social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the emerging Plan.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will also be incorporated into the SA and is limited to the environmental impacts of the Replacement Plan.
Under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended by the 2019 EU Exit Regulations), the Authority must conduct a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) for LDP 3. This includes an Appropriate Assessment (AA) if required.
The HRA determines whether LDP 3 could have significant adverse effects on internationally protected sites within the UK National Site Network, including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), and (as per government policy) Ramsar sites. It assesses impacts both individually and in combination with other plans or projects, recommending mitigation measures where necessary.
An Initial Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and a Habitats Regulations Assessment Information Report will be published alongside the Preferred Strategy.
Documents:
Candidate Site Register
Candidate Site Methodology & Viability Assessment Guidance
Stage 4: Preferred Strategy (Pre-Deposit Replacement LDP)
The Authority will prepare a Draft Preferred Strategy document for the National Park’s LDP 3.
The Draft Preferred Strategy will outline the Plan’s vision, key issues, and strategic objectives, as well as outline the preferred level of growth and spatial strategy.
The Preferred Strategy establishes the strategic framework that will guide subsequent policies, proposals, and development allocations. The document will undergo a public consultation, allowing residents, businesses, and statutory consultees to provide feedback.
The Authority will then review these responses and may refine the strategy before progressing to the Deposit Plan stage.
Stage 5: Deposit Plan
At the Deposit Plan stage, the Authority will release a full draft of the LDP 3, including detailed policies, site allocations, and proposals maps.
This masterplan will be subject to another public consultation and will be used to determine what kinds of development can take place throughout the National Park up until 2039.
Representations at this stage will play a crucial role in shaping the final version of the Replacement LDP and will later be examined by an independent inspector.
Stage 6: Submission and Examination
After the consultation closes, the Authority submits the Deposit LDP 3, along with all representations and supporting documents (including the SA and HRA), to the Welsh Government.
The government then appoints an Independent Planning Inspector to conduct an Examination in Public. The inspector’s role is to assess whether the plan is sound, meaning it must be justified, effective, and consistent with national planning policy.
A critical part of the examination process is the hearing sessions. These sessions allow the inspector to question the Authority, statutory bodies, developers, and objectors on key issues. These discussions ensure all perspectives are heard before the inspector issues their final recommendations.
Stage 7: Adoption
Following the hearing sessions, the inspector produces a report outlining any necessary modifications to ensure the plan’s soundness.
The Authority must then decide whether to accept these changes before moving to the final Adoption stage, where LDP 3 becomes the statutory development framework for the National Park.
