Sustainability Committee
Inquiry into Planning in Wales
The Assembly’s Sustainability Committee is conducting an inquiry into Planning in Wales.
Terms of Reference
To look at how successful national and local land use planning policies are in delivering key Welsh Government policy objectives e.g. Climate Change, affordable housing, regeneration/economic development
The inquiry will focus on the following topic areas:
The use of UK and Welsh government policies and guidance in the development of Local Development Plans (LDP) – this would include the UK Government and the Infrastructure Planning Commission e.g.
how easy/difficult the high level policies and guidance are to interpret into policies at the local level;
how reactive the LDP production process is to new policies and guidance
what guidance policy/guidance gives on reconciling competing land uses such as renewable energy and landscape quality, affordable housing and design criteria/social concerns, climate change and economic growth;
The use of UK, Welsh government and LDP policies in determining planning applications e.g.
what weighting (if any) should be given to competing policies when planning applications are decided;
what weighting should be given to public opinion if it is in opposition to national and local policies;
How planning officials advise planning committees
