Council to lobby Welsh Government over empty sites

Lewis Smith Local Democracy Reporter

A council is set to lobby Welsh Government over issues with vacant and deteriorating land.

The discussion came at a full council meeting held in October 2026, where councillor Martin Hughes of Maesteg East asked how many sites were in the borough where planning permission for housing had been given though no work had progressed.

Bridgend County Borough Councillor Hughes referenced his own ward in Maesteg where the former Libanus Chapel site on Bridgend Road sat empty, despite being given permission for the development of four houses in both 2018 and 2024.

In part of his question he said: “At a time of pressing and unprecedented housing need in our communities, it is concerning that there are plots of land with planning permission for residential development which are left dormant for excessive periods of time.”

During discussions he revealed that there were currently around 60 sites in Bridgend county that were in a similar situation, asking that the cabinet member for regeneration and housing refer proposals to Welsh Government that could speed up development.

He said these could include the introduction of financial penalties as well as the streamlining of compulsory purchase order procedures.

In response councillor Colin Davies said he shared frustrations over undeveloped sites which in many cases had a lot of work done on them by planning officers and development control, adding that it would be worth while for him to write to the relevant Welsh Government minister.

Officers in the meeting said it was a difficult situation, with limits on what they could do under statutory planning law- in this case implementing time frames of three to five years for development to begin.

When it came to compulsory purchase orders, they said while they do use them they were very difficult legal processes that could only be used as a last resort with the authority preferring to use “carrot rather than stick”.

They added that if there was detriment to the amenity of an area they could take enforcement action, though it was not in their power to push planning forward.

However, they also noted with planning devolved to Welsh Government they would be happy to work with the newly elected administration, as well as the Cardiff Capitol Region to see if more could be done.