Land at Heol Y Cefn

14 June 2022

Dear

ATISN 16342

Thank you for your request which I received on 17 May 2022.  I have set out my response to each of the questions you submitted, as follows: 

1. Define any discussions and the contents of the discussions between the Ministers, Office of the Planning and Environment Division and the Inspector prior to their visit at the above site.

Prior to the Inspectors site visit, no discussions took place between Welsh Ministers and PEDW/the Inspector.  The Welsh Ministers accept the relevant officers of PEDW should have the capacity to make land use decisions pertinent to their functions, without prejudicial pressure or improper constraint. As a consequence, bodies such as PEDW are not subordinate elements of or integral to Welsh Government policy and operational departments which are most closely concerned with the services upon which planning decisions may be required.  PEDW is under no obligation to discuss with Ministers its day-to-day operational practices.

2. Define the areas the Inspector looked at on the site dated 17/5/22 and the time spent on site and what he considered for example the road structure, access, settlement boundary, location of school, location of GP surgeries, traffic going through residential areas like Greenwood, Bedwellty, Cefn Road, Sunnybank Road and what is known as Harry's Hill.

The Inspector approached the area along Pengam Road before turning right at the unnamed road leading to Heol-Y-Cefn.  The Inspector parked on Beaumaris Way and walked through the site along the public footpath to Heol-Y-Cefn and then along Heol Pit-Y- Ceiliogod.  Noting as he did so the characteristics of the site and its surroundings.

The walk around the site took around 15 to 25 minutes and the Inspector is satisfied he saw all he needed of the physical attributes of the site and the immediate road network.   

3. All the notes made by the Inspector prior to, during and after he attended the site meeting.

The Inspectors notes are exempt by virtue of Reg 12(3)(e):

(e) the request involves the disclosure of internal communications. 

We have applied the public interest test and had regard to ICO guidance.  We have concluded it is not in the public interest to release what is classed as an internal document and consider withholding the notes at this stage protects the Inspectors private thinking space.  The Inspectors notes will be available for release once the Welsh Ministers decision (along with the Inspectors report) have been issued.

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit 
Welsh Government
Cathays Park 
Cardiff 
CF10 3NQ 

or e-mail: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.   

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: 

Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk  

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely