# Planning (Wales) Act 2015

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# Planning (Wales) Act 2015

# 2015 anaw 4

An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision about national, strategic and local development planning in Wales;                        to make provision for certain applications for planning permission and certain other applications to be made to the Welsh                        Ministers; to make other provision about development management and applications for planning permission; to make provision                        about planning enforcement, appeals and certain other proceedings; to amend the Commons Act 2006; and for connected purposes.                     

{6 July 2015}

**Having been passed by the National Assembly for Wales and having received the assent of Her Majesty, it is enacted as follows:**                        

## **PART 1**E+WINTRODUCTION

### 1Overview of this ActE+W

(1)This Part provides an overview of this Act.                  

(2)Part 2 of this Act makes provision about sustainable development in the exercise of functions relating to development planning                        and applications for planning permission.                  

(3)Part 3 of this Act is about development planning in Wales. It makes provision—                  

(a)for the preparation and revision of a National Development Framework for Wales;                  

(b)for the designation of strategic planning areas, the establishment of strategic planning panels and the preparation of strategic                        development plans;                  

(c)about the status of the National Development Framework for Wales and strategic development plans;                  

(d)about local development plans (including provision about the duration of plans, withdrawal of plans and directions to prepare                        joint plans);                  

(e)for joint planning boards to exercise development planning functions.                  

(4)Part 3 also makes provision about the constitution and financial arrangements of strategic planning panels.                  

(5)Part 4 of this Act makes provision about—                  

(a)consultation to be carried out by a prospective applicant for planning permission;                  

(b)pre-application services that are to be provided by a local planning authority or the Welsh Ministers.                  

(6)Part 5 of this Act is about the making of certain applications to the Welsh Ministers. It makes provision—                  

(a)for applications for planning permission for development of national significance in Wales to be made to the Welsh Ministers                        instead of a local planning authority;                  

(b)for certain other applications to be made to either the Welsh Ministers or a local planning authority.                  

(7)Part 5 also makes provision—                  

(a)for certain functions of the Welsh Ministers, in respect of applications made to them, to be exercised by an appointed person;                  

(b)for further amendments to existing legislation in connection with the making of applications to the Welsh Ministers.                  

(8)Part 6 of this Act is about development management and associated matters. It makes provision about—                  

(a)requirements relating to planning applications, including provision for appeals where a local planning authority give notice                        that an application is not valid;                  

(b)notices of decisions to grant planning permission;                  

(c)notification of beginning development for which permission has been granted;                  

(d)the duration of planning permission;                  

(e)consultation in respect of applications for approval of reserved matters and certain other applications;                  

(f)arrangements to be made by local planning authorities for discharging their functions relating to planning applications.                  

(9)Part 6 also—                  

(a)applies to Wales existing statutory provision about circumstances in which a local planning authority may decline to determine                        a retrospective application;                  

(b)makes provision about the stopping up of public paths;                  

(c)makes provision about the functions of joint planning boards and about the power of the Welsh Ministers to establish joint                        planning boards.                  

(10)Part 7 of this Act is about enforcement, appeals and certain other planning proceedings. It makes provision—                  

(a)enabling local planning authorities to issue enforcement warning notices;                  

(b)about circumstances in which a person who appeals against an enforcement notice is deemed to have applied for planning permission;                  

(c)about circumstances in which a person may not appeal against the refusal of an application for planning permission or against                        an enforcement notice;                  

(d)preventing the variation of certain applications once notice of an appeal has been served;                  

(e)for appeals against notices in respect of land adversely affecting amenity to be made to the Welsh Ministers;                  

(f)about the procedure for certain proceedings and the payment and award of costs.                  

(11)Part 8 is about town and village greens. It makes provision—                  

(a)restricting the circumstances in which applications to register land as a town or village green may be made;                  

(b)about the determination of fees in relation to applications.                  

(12)Part 9 contains provisions that apply generally for the purposes of this Act (including provision about the making of subordinate                        legislation by the Welsh Ministers and about the interpretation and coming into force of the Act).                  

## **PART 2**E+WSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

### 2Sustainable developmentE+W

(1)This section applies to the exercise by the Welsh Ministers, a local planning authority in Wales or any other public body—                  

(a)of a function under Part 6 of PCPA 2004 in relation to the National Development Framework for Wales, a strategic development                        plan or a local development plan;                  

(b)of a function under Part 3 of TCPA 1990 in relation to an application for planning permission made (or proposed to be made)                        to the Welsh Ministers or to a local planning authority in Wales.                  

(2)The function must be exercised, as part of carrying out sustainable development in accordance with the Well-being of Future                        Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 2), for the purpose of ensuring that the development and use of land contribute to improving                        the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales.                  

(3)In complying with subsection (2), a public body must take into account guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers (including relevant                        guidance issued under section 14 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015).                  

(4)In this section, “public body” has the meaning given by section 6 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.                  

(5)Nothing in this section, as it applies in relation to functions under Part 3 of TCPA 1990, alters—                  

(a)whether regard is to be had to any particular consideration under subsection (2) of section 70 of that Act (determination                        of applications for planning permission), or                  

(b)the weight to be given to any consideration to which regard is had under that subsection.                  

(6)In section 39 of PCPA 2004 (sustainable development)—                  

(a)in subsection (1), omit paragraph (c);                  

(b)in subsection (3), omit paragraph (b).                  

## **PART 3**E+WDEVELOPMENT PLANNING

### National Development Framework for WalesE+W

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### Strategic planningE+W

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### Status of National Development Framework and strategic development plansE+W

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#### 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Blighted landE+W

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### Local development plansE+W

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### GeneralE+W

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## **PART 4**E+WPRE-APPLICATION PROCEDURE

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## **PART 5**E+WAPPLICATIONS TO WELSH MINISTERS

### Developments of national significanceE+W

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### Option to make application to Welsh MinistersE+W

#### 23Option to make application to Welsh MinistersE+W

### GeneralE+W

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## **PART 6**E+WDEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT ETC

### Requirements for applications to local planning authoritiesE+W

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### Determination of applications for planning permissionE+W

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#### 32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Decision notices and notification of developmentE+W

#### 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

#### 34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Duration of planning permissionE+W

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#### 36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Consultation etc in respect of certain applications relating to planning permissionE+W

#### 37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Stopping up or diversion of public pathsE+W

#### 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Exercise of functions of local planning authority relating to applicationsE+W

#### 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Joint planning boards and National ParksE+W

#### 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

#### 41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

#### 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## **PART 7**E+WENFORCEMENT, APPEALS ETC

### EnforcementE+W

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#### 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### AppealsE+W

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#### 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### Appeals etc: costs and procedureE+W

#### 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

#### 50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

#### 51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## **PART 8**E+WTOWN AND VILLAGE GREENS

### 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### 53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

### 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                  

## **PART 9**E+WGENERAL PROVISIONS

### 55Regulations and orders made by Welsh MinistersE+W

For amendments relating to regulations and orders made by the Welsh Ministers, see Schedule 7.

### 56InterpretationE+W

In this Act—
          -  “PCPA 2004” means the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5);                         
          -  “TCPA 1990” means the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8).                         

### 57Power to make consequential etc provisionE+W

(1)The Welsh Ministers T may by regulations make consequential, incidental, transitional or saving provision for the purpose                        of giving full effect to, or in consequence of, any provision of this Act.                  

(2)Regulations under this section may amend, revoke or repeal any enactment contained in, or made under, primary legislation.                  

(3)The power to make regulations under this section is exercisable by statutory instrument.                  

(4)A statutory instrument containing (whether alone or with other provision) regulations under this section which amend or repeal                        an enactment contained in primary legislation may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved                        by resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(5)A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section to which subsection (4) does not apply is subject to annulment                        in pursuance of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(6)In this section, “primary legislation” means—                  

(a)an Act of Parliament;                  

(b)an Act or Measure of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

### 58Coming into forceE+W

(1)The following provisions come into force on the day on which this Act receives Royal Assent—                  

(a)Part 1;                  

(b)sections 56 and 57;                  

(c)this section;                  

(d)section 59.                  

(2)The following provisions come into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act receives                        Royal Assent—                  

(a)section 55;                  

(b)Parts 3 to 8, so far as is necessary for enabling the Welsh Ministers to exercise any function of making regulations or orders                        by statutory instrument under any enactment as amended by those Parts.                  

(3)Nothing in subsection (2)(b) affects the operation of section 13 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30) (anticipatory exercise                        of powers) in relation to this Act.                  

(4)The following provisions come into force on such day as the Welsh Ministers appoint by order—                  

(a)Part 2;                  

(b)Parts 3 to 8, so far as they are not brought into force by subsection (2)(b).                  

(5)The power to make an order under subsection (4)—                  

(a)is exercisable by statutory instrument;                  

(b)includes power—                  

(i)to appoint different days for different purposes, and                  

(ii)to make transitional, transitory or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of a provision of this Act.                  

### 59Short titleE+W

The short title of this Act is the Planning (Wales) Act 2015.

 (introduced by section 4(2))

## SCHEDULE 1E+WSTRATEGIC PLANNING PANELS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (introduced by section 16)

## SCHEDULE 2E+WDEVELOPMENT PLANNING: FURTHER AMENDMENTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (introduced by section 26(2))

## SCHEDULE 3E+WDEVELOPMENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND APPLICATIONS MADE TO WELSH MINISTERS: EXERCISE OF FUNCTIONS BY APPOINTED PERSON

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (introduced by section 27)

## SCHEDULE 4E+WAPPLICATIONS TO WELSH MINISTERS: FURTHER AMENDMENTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (introduced by section 51)

## SCHEDULE 5E+WCOSTS AND PROCEDURE ON APPEALS ETC: FURTHER AMENDMENTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 (introduced by section 53(3))

##  SCHEDULE 6E+WTOWN AND VILLAGE GREENS: NEW SCHEDULE 1B TO THE COMMONS ACT 2006

### “SCHEDULE 1BE+WEXCLUSION OF RIGHT UNDER SECTION 15: WALES

#### InterpretationE+W

1In this Schedule—
          -  “operational development” means any development within the meaning of the 1990 Act other than development which consists only of the making of a material                              change in the use of any buildings or other land;                         
          -  “the 1990 Act” means the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;                         
          -  “the 2008 Act” means the Planning Act 2008.                         

2An event specified in the entry in the second column of the Table corresponding to paragraph 2 is not a terminating event                           in circumstances where the local development order permits the completion of operational development of the land which began                           before the occurrence of the event.”

 (introduced by section 55)

## SCHEDULE 7E+WREGULATIONS AND ORDERS MADE BY WELSH MINISTERS

### Regulations under PCPA 2004E+W

1(1)Section 122 of PCPA 2004 (regulations and orders) is amended as follows.E+W

(2)In subsection (1)(b), for “National Assembly for Wales” substitute “ Welsh Ministers ”.

(3)In subsection (5)(g), for “National Assembly for Wales” substitute “ Welsh Ministers ”.

(4)After subsection (6) insert—

“(6A)Subsection (6) does not apply in relation to a statutory instrument containing subordinate legislation made by the Welsh Ministers.                  

(6B)The Welsh Ministers must not make a statutory instrument containing subordinate legislation which includes provision amending                           or repealing an enactment contained in primary legislation unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved                           by resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(6C)A statutory instrument containing subordinate legislation made by the Welsh Ministers to which subsection (6B) does not apply                           is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.”                  

(5)After subsection (10) insert—

“(11)In subsection (6B), “primary legislation” means—                  

(a)an Act of Parliament;                  

(b)an Act or Measure of the National Assembly for Wales.”                  

2E+WIn Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) (transitional provisions), in paragraph 35(4), in Table 2, omit                        the entries relating to PCPA 2004.

### Regulations under TCPA 1990E+W

3E+WIn section 333 of TCPA 1990 (regulations and orders), after subsection (3A) insert—

“(3B)Subsection (3) does not apply to a statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Welsh Ministers.                  

(3C)A statutory instrument containing regulations made by the Welsh Ministers under this Act is subject to annulment in pursuance                           of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(3D)Subsection (3C) does not apply to a statutory instrument if—                  

(a)it contains only regulations under section 88(7),                  

(b)it contains (whether alone or with other provision) regulations under section 315, or                  

(c)it is within subsection (3F).                  

(3E)The Welsh Ministers may not make a statutory instrument within subsection (3F) unless a draft of the instrument has been laid                           before and approved by resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(3F)A statutory instrument is within this subsection if it contains (whether alone or with other provision) regulations under—                  

(a)section 9, if the regulations include provision amending an Act of Parliament or an Act or Measure of the National Assembly                           for Wales;                  

(b)section 62D(3);                  

(c)section 62H;                  

(d)section 116;                  

(e)section 303;                  

(f)section 303ZA;                  

(g)section 316, if the regulations relate to land of the Welsh Ministers or to the development of land by the Welsh Ministers;                  

(h)section 319ZB.”                  

4(1)TCPA 1990 is further amended as follows.E+W

(2)In section 116 (modification of compensation provisions in respect of mineral working etc)—

(a)in subsection (3), after “shall be made” insert “ by the Secretary of State ”;

(b)in subsection (4)—

(i)after “Secretary of State” insert “ or (as the case may be) the Welsh Ministers ”;

(ii)after “him” insert “ or them ”.

(3)In section 202A (tree preservation regulations: general), which is inserted by section 192(7) of the Planning Act 2008 (c.                        29), omit subsections (6) and (7).

(4)In section 208 (appeals against notices under section 207), omit subsections (4B) and (4C).

(5)In section 303 (fees for planning applications etc)—

(a)in subsection (8)—

(i)after “under this section” insert “ by the Secretary of State ”;

(ii)omit the words after “each House of Parliament”;

(b)omit subsection (9).

(6)In section 303ZA (fees for appeals), which is inserted by section 200 of the Planning Act 2008—

(a)in subsection (6)—

(i)after “under this section” insert “ by the Secretary of State ”;

(ii)omit the words after “each House of Parliament”;

(b)omit subsection (7).

(7)In section 321B (special provision in relation to planning inquiries: Wales), omit subsection (6).

### Orders under TCPA 1990E+W

5E+WIn section 59 of TCPA 1990 (development orders: general), after subsection (3) insert—

“(4)In this Act, references to a development order are—                  

(a)in relation to England, references to a development order made by the Secretary of State;                  

(b)in relation to Wales, references to a development order made by the Welsh Ministers.”                  

6(1)Section 333 of TCPA 1990 is amended as follows.E+W

(2)In subsection (4), after “power” insert “ of the Secretary of State ”.

(3)For subsection (4A) substitute—

“(4A)The power of the Welsh Ministers to make development orders and orders under sections 2(1B), 55(2)(f), 87(3), 149(3)(a), 293(1)(c)                           and 319B(9) is exercisable by statutory instrument.                  

(4B)A development order made by the Welsh Ministers may make different provision for different purposes, for different cases (including                           different classes of development) and for different areas.”                  

(4)In subsection (5)—

(a)in paragraph (a), after “an order under” insert “ subsection (1) of ”;

(b)in paragraph (b)—

(i)after “a development order” insert “ made by the Secretary of State ”;

(ii)after “an order” insert “ made by the Secretary of State ”;

(iii)omit “(unless it is made by the National Assembly for Wales)”.

(5)After subsection (5A) insert—

“(5B)A statutory instrument containing any of the following is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the National                           Assembly for Wales—                  

(a)an order under subsection (1B) of section 2 which has been made after a local inquiry has been held in accordance with subsection                           (2) of that section,                  

(b)a development order made by the Welsh Ministers, or                  

(c)an order under section 87(3) or 149(3)(a) made by the Welsh Ministers.                  

(5C)The Welsh Ministers may not make a statutory instrument containing an order under section 62L(9), 293(1)(c) or 319B(9) unless                           a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.”                  

(6)In subsection (6)—

(a)after “subsection (5)” insert “ or (5B) ”;

(b)after “each House of Parliament” insert “ (in the case of an order made by the Secretary of State) or the National Assembly for Wales (in the case of an order made                           by the Welsh Ministers) ”.

7(1)TCPA 1990 is further amended as follows.E+W

(2)In section 78 (right to appeal against planning decisions and failure to take such decisions), omit subsections (4B) to (4D).

(3)In section 195 (appeals against refusal or failure to give decision on application for certificate), omit subsections (1D)                        to (1F).

(4)In section 293 (application of Act to Crown land: preliminary definitions), in subsection (5), after “order made” insert “ by the Secretary of State ”.

(5)In section 319B (determination of procedure for certain proceedings), omit subsection (11).

### Regulations and orders under the Commons Act 2006E+W

8(1)Section 59 of the Commons Act 2006 (c. 26) (orders and regulations) is amended as follows.E+W

(2)In subsection (3A), after “order under section 15C(5)” insert “ made by the Secretary of State ”.

(3)After subsection (4) insert—

“(5)A statutory instrument containing regulations under section 29(1) or an order under section 15C(5), 54 or 55 may not be made                           by the Welsh Ministers unless a draft has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.                  

(6)Subject to subsection (5), a statutory instrument containing any order or regulations made under this Act by the Welsh Ministers                           other than an order under section 56 is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the National Assembly for Wales.”                  

9E+WIn section 61(1) of that Act (interpretation), in the definition of “appropriate national authority”, for “National Assembly                        for Wales” substitute “ Welsh Ministers ”.