MS, Counsel General and
Minister for Delivery: I am pleased to announce the introduction
of the Planning (Wales) Bill and the Planning (Consequential
Provisions) (Wales) Bill to the Senedd.
The Planning (Wales) Bill marks a historic legislative separation
of Wales from England in terms of planning law. By
consolidating and codifying planning legislation specifically for
Wales, the Bill establishes a distinct legal framework that
reflects the planning system in Wales.
This is a technical consolidation exercise, bringing together
existing provisions into a coherent and accessible form. It
modernises the structure and language of planning law, making it
clearer and more consistent, while preserving its legal effect.
The Bill does not reform the planning system but improves legal
clarity and usability. It provides the most comprehensive and
accessible statement of the legislation governing town planning
anywhere in the UK.
The Bill delivers many of the recommendations of the Law
Commission's report, Planning Law in Wales,
and represents another significant milestone in our programme to
improve the accessibility of Welsh law, delivering a key priority
of ‘The future of Welsh
law: A programme for 2021 to 2026'.
The accompanying Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Bill
makes the necessary amendments and repeals to existing
legislation and includes transitional and savings provisions to
support the implementation of the main Bill.
The introduction of these Bills is a vital step towards a more
accessible, understandable, and user-friendly planning system for
Wales. They will also make any future changes to planning
legislation much easier to achieve. I will be making a
legislative statement in Plenary on 16 September, and I look
forward to working with Members of the Senedd during their
consideration of the Bills over the coming months.
