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Welsh Parliament
Oral evidence session: Planning Officers Society Wales - 13 October 2025

The recent meeting of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee on 13 October 2025 brought forward important discussions around planning law in Wales with consideration of the Planning (Wales) Bill. The Planning Officers Society Wales (POSW) shared their approach and highlighted recommendations for improvement.

Sara Morris, Harriet Lavender and Dr. Sarah Grove-Phillips represented POSW for this hearing.

Now is the time for consolidation - 

POSW strongly believes that now is the right time to consolidate planning law in Wales. They acknowledged that stakeholders have had ample opportunities to engage in the process and welcomed the progress made since the Law Commission's recommendations were published. POSW believe that much of this work has been implemented appropriately, and they expressed satisfaction with the government's overall approach.

 

Areas for improvement -

Whilst mostly supportive, POSW identified several areas that they believe require further clarity and refinement:

  • Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - POSW expressed uncertainty around whether pooling regulations under CIL still apply and how these should be managed.
  • Enforcement period - POSW would like to see Wales adopt the 10-year enforcement period currently in place in England.
  • Terminology changes - The proposed shift from 'material consideration' to 'relevant considerations' raised concerns. POSW argued that this change could create confusion, even though they understand the Welsh translation supports the need for change.
  • Cost Estimates - POSW view the estimated £1,000 per authority for updating documents and websites as ambitious and even unrealistic. POSW noted that it would require IT support and resources that not all authorities may have.
  • Combining Applications (Section 86): POSW expressed concern about how Section 86 allows applications to be combined and recommended broader consultation, including input from Cadw and National Parks.

 

POSW highlighted the urgent need to modernise certain legislation, the Caravan Act and licensing was mentioned and described as very, very dated. They also advocate for template documents to help support authorities and to ensure consistent implementation. Overall, POSW supports the inclusion of these reforms and remains committed to working with the government to ensure clarity and practicality in planning law.