Emery Planning submitted representations in November to the proposed revisions to Planning Policy Wales, which would remove the requirement for Welsh local planning authorities to provide a five-year housing land supply. We objected to the removal of this requirement on the grounds that the delivery of housing, particularly affordable housing, would suffer as a result.
The consultation document suggested that approving applications on sites not allocated in the development plan is a negative consequence of the existing five year supply policy. However, the proposed policy revisions include no guidance on how decision-makers should respond to local planning authorities not meeting their housing requirement. Emery Planning concluded that the proposed policy revisions could mean that local authorities would not be held accountable for failing to meet their housing targets, only serving to exacerbate the national housing crisis.
The Welsh Government is currently reviewing the responses to the consultation on the proposed revisions to Planning Policy Wales. The outcome of the consultation will be published in due course. If you have any sites that may be affected by the proposed changes to Planning Policy Wales, do not hesitate to contact John Coxon on 01625 433 881 or johncoxon@emeryplanning.com.
