We prepared draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to accompany the council’s revised Local Development Plan. The document aims to help deliver sustainable development through the appropriate design, integration, and maintenance of GBI interventions.

GBI can be defined as the network of multifunctional, natural and semi‑natural features that surround and are interwoven into our urban and rural landscapes. Similar to the way our transport network connects people and businesses through pavements, roads, and railways, GBI connects communities and the built environment with the natural world. GBI enriches our surroundings, creating sustainable, resilient spaces for people and nature to thrive.

The draft SPG and accompanying appendices provide guidance for developers to support the delivery of on-site GBI, including a checklist to demonstrate compliance with local and national planning policies. The document outlines the planning submission requirements and standards which developers must meet to evidence the adequate provision of different types of GBI in development proposals.

A landscape-led approach to placemaking is promoted, with the aim of maximising the delivery of GBI within masterplanning. A developer toolkit forms a key output of the work, dividing GBI into a number of distinct GBI design solutions at a range of scales. Each GBI intervention is discussed in relation to their suitability within varying contexts within Carmarthenshire.

The draft SPG provides developers with step-by-step guidance on the development of GBI statements to encourage the integration of multi-functional GBI within development. Supporting narrative to inform the calculation of Greenspace Factor scores is also outlined, with the aim of increasing the amount of green cover within the county.