National Planning Policy

Planning is a devolved matter in Wales – meaning that Wales has its own primary planning legislation (the Planning (Wales) Act 2015), and that local planning authorities in Wales must comply with the plans and policies set by the Welsh Government.

Every planning application, Strategic Development Plan, Local Development Plan and Place Plan must comply with national planning policy. It is therefore essential to be familiar with these policies in order to respond to planning issues effectively.

There are three main parts to Welsh national planning policy:

• Planning Policy Wales (PPW) – PPW sets out the national requirements for land use and planning. Its main aim is to ensure that the planning system contributes to sustainable development in Wales. It covers a wide range of topics, including nature conservation. It sets out the policies that apply to all new development across Wales. The current version is PPW11 (2021)
• Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 - Future Wales is like an LDP for the whole country – it sets out where development should happen and what types of development are needed in Wales as a whole.
• Technical Advice Notes (TANs) – TANs give more detailed guidance on a range of topics. TAN 5 gives guidance and advice on Nature Conservation.

National policy does get reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Welsh Government will carry out a consultation, where you can respond to the changes.