The land use planning system guides and promotes the development of Wales. It is a very important way of ensuring that development is sustainable and in the best interests of the community as a whole. The Local Development Plan is one of three key strategic documents which will sit beneath the Community Strategy for each Unitary Authority area under the Plan Rationalisation proposals.
Local authorities and national park authorities prepare development plans that indicate how land will be used including which parts of an area should be protected from development. The plan forms the blueprint for the area’s future. Local authorities determine whether individual developments should go ahead, taking into account the development plan and the proposed development’s impact on amenity and the environment. Authorities work together through four regional planning forums to ensure strategic issues are considered. Local authorities work within the policy framework provided by the National Assembly and the relevant legislation.
The Association is working in partnership with the Assembly on its review of planning policy through the National Planning Forum, and contributing to the Assembly’s Design Initiative and various other working groups. Current land use planning policy is contained in the Assembly’s Planning Policy Wales issued in March 2002, which provides the strategic policy framework for the effective preparation of local planning authorities’ development plans.
For more information contact: Craig Mitchell