CLA Cymru ensures members' voices are heard on planning and energy infrastructure

The Senedd Local Government, housing and planning committee is currently seeking input into its priorities. CLA Cymru has suggested, firstly, that the planning system must be simplified. Currently it is too expensive to achieve permission for acceptable development, in part due to an overeagerness by planning departments to refer matters to external consultees when this is not needed. This could be improved by training and policy changes.

We have also suggested an expansion of rural permitted development allowing: changes of farm buildings to residential and commercial use, larger new agricultural buildings, new slurry and silage stores where there is an environmental need, and some affordable housing developments (as considered by the previous government). Finally, we suggested that Rural Enterprise Dwellings warrant attention, as planning departments do not always have the rural knowledge to assess these applications well.

We also responded to a scoping exercise by the Future Generations Commissioner on “Project Ynni”. This is a review by the Commissioner on renewable energy in Wales. Our view is that the most important issue is access to justice. Currently there is little that can be done at a low level to challenge poor behaviour, which leads to members going to great expense to stand up for themselves. This can in turn lead to developments delayed for months due to cases in the senior courts, which are frequently members’ only option.

We also believe that community generation is important and should be encouraged, and that any energy strategy should be implemented carefully with proper thought given to its purpose. This exercise was just a first phase, setting the scope of what will be a detailed policy exercise.