Wales consultation on sustainable development goals welcome

A public consultation issued by the Welsh Government will have wide ranging effects on future planning applications, says planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates.

The consultation document – ‘Planning for Sustainability: the presumption in favour of sustainable development’ – seeks views on changes to national planning policy to strengthen and clarify the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Gareth Barton, Associate Director in the Cardiff office of Turley Associates said: “The Welsh Government is continuing to move towards providing much greater clarity in applying the presumption in favour, and that is welcomed.

“If adopted, the consultation’s main points will present significant opportunities for developers, with national planning policy overriding outdated local authority development plans.

“An example is the emerging Cardiff LDP, which has not yet progressed beyond Preferred Strategy stage. Cardiff decisions are currently based on an outdated adopted Structure and Local Plan and an un-adopted Unitary Development Plan. If the main points of the consultation are implemented, decisions in Cardiff could be based on national planning guidance and the presumption in favour when making decisions on planning applications.”

The consultation looks to provide a clear definition of ‘sustainable development’ – something the emerging National Planning Policy Framework in England has not tried to attempt in the draft.

The consultation was launched on 2 March and closes on 25 May 2012.

Gareth concluded: “At first glance it would appear that the Welsh Government is providing much greater clarity to prospective developers. Of course, we are at consultation stage and we will need to monitor the evolution of this policy to ensure that we not only get development, but that Wales secures the good development that it deserves.”