DEVELOPERS will be told to use land that has made it into the Local Development Plan (LDP) or lose it, if no building takes place.

At Tuesday's Extraordinary Full Council meeting, Powys Councillors rubber stamped the LDP which will for the basis of building projects across the county for the next eight.

Despite being unanimously passed the plan was given a mixed reception as Councillors aired worries that development in villages and towns might not happen if candidate sites or planing applications that are already approved are not built.

The LDP wmakes provision for 4,500 new houses to be built by 2026 including 952 affordable homes.

It also provides 45 hectares of land for employment purposes and includes policies to meet the needs of the economy.

Chairman of the planning committee, David Price, was happy to see the LDP finally being discussed, he said: "As a planning committee we have been frustrated as there have been so many departure applications (ones not conforming to policy) coming in front of us."

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan was concerned that Welsh language provision in the document was not strong enough and felt that the LDP should have taken more consideration of the economy.

Cllr Vaughan said: "Sites get ear-marked for development but nothing happens.

"We need to be ruthless and in four years time when the we look at the plan again, make sure we root these sites out.

"We need to be implementing the language standards and legislation not just in the strongholds of the language in the county, but throughout Powys.

Peter Morris the Council's professional lead on planning, said: "We will have to revue the situation.

"We can't continue with sites that are put forward for the plan and then not built on, we will have to get the message across that it's use it or lose it.

"I would welcome a talk with you (Cllr Vaughan) on the Welsh language there's nothing stopping us putting in more guidance."

Cllr Lucy Roberts added: "In my ward (Llandrinio) most of the sites that have had planning approval in the last few years are on the market, nothing will happen until they are bought."

Mr Morris added "There are all manner of reasons why developments don't go ahead, we will talk and persuade developers

"We are keeping an eye on (Welsh Government) Land Tax Proposals no position has been reached on this.

"It may be positive to bring forward sites for development but it could also be a double edged sword and could also act as a deterrent."

Mr Morris replied that with local authorities being urged to start building council houses again this could stimulate the building industry and he thought it had still not recovered from the recession in 2008.

Following the meeting Cllr Martin Weale, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning, said: “The Plan sets out a clear and strong strategy for meeting the future needs of the county’s communities over the next decade.

"By focussing development on our market towns and largest villages, it provides the direction and certainty to support investment and enable economic opportunities to be seized, to grow and support viable service centres and for housing development to accommodate our growing and changing household needs."

The adopted LDP is available on the Council’s website at the LDP pages together with all details of its supporting evidence, the public examination, the Inspector’s Report and all Assessment documentation.

It can also be viewed at County Hall, Neuadd Maldwyn, Neuadd Brycheiniog and The Gwalia in addition to all Powys public libraries.