The Welsh government has published a Planning Bill aimed to “strengthen and modernise” the planning process in Wales. Some of the proposals are outlined below.
- Allowing Welsh ministers to decide planning applications if a local planning authority (LPA) is performing below expectations, and to direct LPSs to work together.
- Submitting planning applications to the Welsh Ministers for determination in the first instance.
- A national developing framework, which will lay out the Welsh government’s land-use priorities.
- Improving engagement with local communities by inrtroducing a statutory pre-application consultation process for significant planning applications.